Usually I don’t bench press but recently I’ve been going heavy on it for a change of pace. I’m focusing on the 1-4 rep max range. Gains have been great so far but the other day I was going for a max when I noticed a pain in my left bicep tendon. It wasn’t excrutiating but more of a dull, aching pain.
I injured it arm-wrestling (I know, stupid) several years ago and every once in awhile it flares up. Strange to me, though, that it becomes noticeable after benching. Anyway, oddly enough doing direct arm work or pull-ups actually seems to alleviate some of the pain, at least temporarily.
Has anyone else experienced this?
Its probabily shoulder bursitis. I think you should take a look at some of Cressey’s (and/or Robertson’s) articles on shoulder health
Anyone who benches often will experience this pain if they are not careful or if they don’t perform enough rowing movements or rotator cuff exercises and prehab exercises to keep the shoulders healthy and balanced.
See a PT or a massage therapist or ART practioner to help get rid of the pain. Ice the shoulder and take anti-inflammatories if the pain is too great. You can also perform manual massage with your own hand or use a tennis ball or foam roller or stick. Check the Author’s Locker Room for a free guide from Mike Robertson on Myofascial Release. It will definitely help.
Be sure to get pleny of rowing movements in your training plan along with rotator cuff exercises and stretches and some good rear delt exercises.
Sorry guys, I was a bit unclear I think in my original post.
It’s not my shoulder…its the area where my bicep attaches to my wrist bones. Usually this area gets injured during curling or rowing movements so im a bit surprised that benching is causing the pain
[quote]PimpBot5000 wrote:
Sorry guys, I was a bit unclear I think in my original post.
It’s not my shoulder…its the area where my bicep attaches to my wrist bones. Usually this area gets injured during curling or rowing movements so im a bit surprised that benching is causing the pain[/quote]
is it in your elbow? the biceps do not originate or insert at the wrist…
DG
Sorry, I meant the radius, not wrist. A bit hungover today…little foggy.
Basically the “pit” of your arm…the area between the humerus and radius/ulna that faces you when you’re doing a bicep curl
that seems to be a common spot where some lifters get sore/pains.
imo it could be just inflammation and some nsaids, ice, rest could cure it. But i don’t like to play internet doctor and if you think it is a serious enough pain then by all means see a real doctor. lol
DG
If you find a fix let me know. I have been struggling with the same thing for over a year.
[quote]Zap Branigan wrote:
If you find a fix let me know. I have been struggling with the same thing for over a year.[/quote]
I hate to grave-dig, but I’ve recently begun to have the same thing from benching. I do the regular powerlifting style of bench(elbows in, closer grip, focus on triceps), and I’ve found to occasionally have this pain when I bench heavy. It usually lasts for a couple days, then doesn’t come back very often except when pushing a new 1RM. As has been said, rowing, pull-ups, etc., seem to help, not harm the problem.
Does anyone have some input? It seems to originate at the biceps brachii tendon which is closest to the brachialis(outside of elbow).