| Shoulders are among the top 4 most injury-prone | | | | then going back to your bench press routine, start |
| body parts of out bodies (the other three being lower | | | | slower. Use barbell exercises as much as you can. |
| back, knees and wrists). A serious shoulder injury can | | | | This way, you make sure that the muscles in the |
| mean a stop to your bench press strength routine, or | | | | uninjured side do not do the work for the other side. |
| at least a serious slow down. | | | | This is important in order to develop both sides equally. |
| If it already happened, you need to take it slow. Very | | | | Of course, you need to pay a lot of attention to your |
| slow. If you come back to the gym too soon after | | | | shoulder exercises too. Again, use barbells if you can |
| your bench press injury, you may end up with a | | | | and work on all three deltoids parts of your shoulders. |
| chronic pain for the rest of your life. So the number | | | | One important thing you need to keep in mind - if your |
| one requirement you need to fulfill is to make sure | | | | shoulder starts hurting, stop immediately. This is not a |
| your recovery is complete. If you have a chance, go to | | | | 'no pain no gain' thing. It is your body telling you, that |
| a sports doctor, rather than a regular one. Sports | | | | there is still something wrong with your shoulder |
| doctors are very well accustomed to shoulder injuries | | | | capacity. |
| and will be able to give you the best advise on your | | | | Of course, better than dealing with the shoulder injury |
| recovery and therapy. | | | | is to prevent it. The most important prevention |
| If you can't see a sports doctor, make sure you see | | | | technique is a proper warm up. Don't just do 1-2 bench |
| an experienced specialist and listen and follow his or | | | | presses with lighter weight. You need to warm up |
| her advise to the letter. | | | | each muscle group that participates in bench press. |
| Do not be your own doctor. Chances are that you are | | | | And that definitely includes shoulders too. |
| too subjective and too eager to return back to the | | | | Another very common thing that leads to bench press |
| gym which may do you a permanent harm. You are a | | | | shoulder injury is excess bench weight. You need to |
| weight lifter, not a doctor. And your spotter or piers | | | | know yourself well. Of course, trying a new max |
| from the gym, despite of a well-meant advise cannot | | | | always require going into uncharted territory, but if you |
| replace a professional doctor's advise. | | | | so-so do 1 rep with 225 lbs, chances are, that increase |
| When you are ready to start working out again, try to | | | | to 250 lbs is just too much. |
| use machines instead of free weights. Machines have | | | | And lastly - always use a spotter. When you see the |
| pre-defined movement, which separates the muscles | | | | weight going down and not be able to lift it, the |
| better than the free weights. This is a key factor. You | | | | pressure on your muscles and joints is just too great. |
| need to workout muscles in smaller groups. If you | | | | You instinctively press as hard as you possibly can, |
| have been through a therapy session, you already | | | | even if the effort is futile. In scenario like this, something |
| know that these are done mostly using machines. | | | | has to give. |
| After a break from your bench press workouts, the | | | | Workout hard, but safe, warm up well and listen to |
| goal is to make sure you are strengthening every | | | | your body rather than your ego, and you will enjoy a |
| muscle needed to perform a bench press. So rather | | | | long bench press career. |