Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 19 hours ago
Shoulder Pain When Barbell Bench Pressing?
Try These 3 Alternatives
1️⃣ Switch to Dumbbells or Adjust the Bench Angle
Dumbbells provide greater variability in humeral position and allow the athlete to organize into a more shoulder-friendly pressing path. This alone can reduce symptoms for clients with stiff or irritable shoulders.
Similarly, adjusting the incline angle subtly alters joint positioning and can make horizontal pressing tolerable while maintaining exposure to the pattern.
2️⃣ Use the Floor Press to Limit Range of Motion
The floor press is particularly effective for clients who lack shoulder extension or internal rotation. These individuals often experience anterior shoulder pain at the bottom of the bench press.
By limiting the ROM, the floor press lets them train the top half of the movement where they’re usually pain-free while avoiding the provocative position.
3️⃣ Switch to Push-Ups or a Standing Cable Press
If neither of the above variations resolves symptoms, move to horizontal press options that allow freedom of scapulothoracic motion.
When an athlete is pinned to a bench or the floor, the scapula and rib cage are fixed, reducing available motion often problematic for stiff or sensitized shoulders.
Push-ups and standing cable presses restore natural scapular glide while still allowing you to load the horizontal pressing pattern.
When dealing with shoulder pain during bench pressing, these regressions and lateralizations will allow you to keep training the pattern, maintain strength, and rehab the shoulder without forcing athletes into painful positions.
Shoulder Pain When Barbell Bench Pressing?
Try These 3 Alternatives
1️⃣ Switch to Dumbbells or Adjust the Bench Angle
Dumbbells provide greater variability in humeral position and allow the athlete to organize into a more shoulder-friendly pressing path. This alone can reduce symptoms for clients with stiff or irritable shoulders.
Similarly, adjusting the incline angle subtly alters joint positioning and can make horizontal pressing tolerable while maintaining exposure to the pattern.
2️⃣ Use the Floor Press to Limit Range of Motion
The floor press is particularly effective for clients who lack shoulder extension or internal rotation. These individuals often experience anterior shoulder pain at the bottom of the bench press.
By limiting the ROM, the floor press lets them train the top half of the movement where they’re usually pain-free while avoiding the provocative position.
3️⃣ Switch to Push-Ups or a Standing Cable Press
If neither of the above variations resolves symptoms, move to horizontal press options that allow freedom of scapulothoracic motion.
When an athlete is pinned to a bench or the floor, the scapula and rib cage are fixed, reducing available motion often problematic for stiff or sensitized shoulders.
Push-ups and standing cable presses restore natural scapular glide while still allowing you to load the horizontal pressing pattern.
When dealing with shoulder pain during bench pressing, these regressions and lateralizations will allow you to keep training the pattern, maintain strength, and rehab the shoulder without forcing athletes into painful positions.
