What are some safe chest exercise for people with shoulder impingement?

Asked by: Leslie Alexander

Sample “Shoulder Friendly” Chest Workouts

• Incline Push Up: 3 sets of 8-10 reps.
• Barbell Floor Press: 4 sets of 8 reps, slow controlled lowering phase. …
• TEMPO Landmine Press: 4 sets of 8 reps, 3 second lowering phase. …
• Neutral Grip Dumbbell Chest Press: 4 sets of 8-12 reps, slow and controlled.

How do you train your chest with shoulder impingement?

That's it so that way I keep my chest activated I squeeze the chest again all the way through the range of motion. And back. I also show you with elbows in again another range of motion.

Can you still workout with shoulder impingement?

During your recovery from shoulder impingement, you should avoid any activities that involve throwing, especially with your arms overheard, such as tennis, baseball, and softball. You should also avoid certain types of weightlifting, such as overhead presses or pull downs.

What upper body exercises can I do with shoulder impingement?

Here are some exercises for shoulder impingement syndrome that may help relieve your symptoms:

• Scapula Squeeze. …
• Scapula Push and Pull. …
• Chest Stretch. …
• Front Shoulder Stretch. …
• Back Shoulder Stretch. …
• Lying External Rotation. …
• Internal Rotation with Resistance Band.

How do you bench with a shoulder impingement?

Lay on your stomach on a bench or table with an arm hanging down at your side. Keep your elbow straight and use your shoulder blade muscles to bring your arm up and back staying at your side with your palm facing in. Once your arm is at your side, return to the starting position and repeat.

Can I do push ups with shoulder impingement?

Because for some really angry shoulders. We actually will stay away from this exercise. But for many impinge shoulders this is a movement that you can execute.

What should you not do with a shoulder impingement?

Avoid Reaching, Lifting, Pulling, or Pushing



For about 4-6 weeks, avoid any movements with the affected shoulder that require exertion and effort. During your shoulder impingement treatment, use only your unaffected arm when opening doors, reaching for things and lifting items (such as bags).

Is it OK to lift weights with shoulder impingement?

Once you’ve been diagnosed with shoulder impingement, you must stop lifting weights overhead for a short time to allow the tendons in your shoulder to heal. You can then begin a physical therapy program to restore mobility in your shoulder.

Can I do push ups with a rotator cuff injury?

If you know that you have a rotator cuff problem, or even if you suspect one, it’s best to avoid regular pushups for a while until you fully heal. In the meantime, wall pushups are a great alternative, as is doing pushups on an elevated surface like a counter or aerobic step.

Which exercise to avoid during shoulder pain?

Some of the exercises that people should stay away from include: Throwing a ball in an overhead fashion, particularly heavy balls. Avoid swimming, in particular, the strokes that involve an overhand motion. Lifting weights that place stress on the shoulder and rotator cuff.

Is bench press hard on rotator cuff?

Often the cause of shoulder pain from bench press is a strain of the rotator cuff muscles. The rotator cuff is a set of 4 muscles that moves your shoulder. All 4 of these muscles attach to the front of the shoulder which can be the source of pain.

Can I train biceps with a rotator cuff injury?

If you have a rotator cuff injury, get ready to let those weights rest a bit at the gym. You should avoid lifting weights above your head or out from the sides of your body. These movements can cause more stress and even further injury to the area.

Is incline bench safer for shoulders?

Many trainers agree that the incline press is safer on your pecs, shoulders, and rotator cuffs. With so many exercises to strengthen your chest, the chest press with either bench will be effective. Here are some pointers to make sure you’re performing each exercise properly.

Does bench press cause shoulder impingement?

Bench press shoulder pain



You may experience shoulder pain due to your posture with bench press. If your shoulders are rounded forward during bench press they will be more internally rotated. This will cause impingement or excessive stress on the rotator cuff muscles.

How can I incline my bench without shoulder pain?

5 Tips To Eliminate Shoulder Pain During the Bench Press

1. Alter Your Grip Width. …
2. Keep Your Shoulder Blades Retracted. …
3. Try the Low Incline Bench Press. …
4. Increase Your Overhead Pressing Volume. …
5. Perform Posterior Shoulder Soft-Tissue Work.

Does benching ruin shoulder mobility?

The most common issue and cause of injury with the bench press is the lack of internal rotation in the shoulder. This is pretty easily traced back to your scapula. When we are tying to solve any mobility puzzle we always want to start proximal to distal.

Is chest press good for shoulders?

The chest press is a classic upper-body strengthening exercise that works your pectorals (chest), deltoids (shoulders), and triceps (arms).

What can I do instead of bench press?

The 9 Best Bench Press Alternatives are:

1. Barbell Floor Press.
2. Dumbbell Bench Press.
3. Dumbbell Fly.
4. Push-Ups.
5. Barbell Overhead Press.
6. Dumbbell Arnold Press.
7. Single Arm Landmine Press.
8. Barbell California Press.

Is dumbbell bench safer for shoulders?

The farther apart you hold them, the more horizontal abduction your shoulders perform during a bench press. Using spacing narrower than 1.5 times your shoulder width avoids stress. Because a dumbbell press limits the width of the arms, it places less stress on the shoulders than the barbell bench press.

How can I do dumbbell press without shoulder pain?

So what you want to do is before you press depress your upper traps by bringing your shoulders down and away from your ears. And then pinch your shoulder blades.

Which is better for chest barbell or dumbbells?

That’s why if you’re looking to build your chest, Gentilcore recommends the dumbbell press. “Barbell is still great if you want to move a lot of weight, but if your goal is pec development and building a more defined, more muscular chest dumbbell are going to be the better play,” he says.

What is better bench press or dumbbells?

It is better to bench press with dumbbells if you want to prioritize the chest muscles, but if you want to activate the triceps more, you can use the barbell. The bench press with a dumbbell provides more range of motion, so if your goal is to build muscle, then choose a dumbbell bench press.

How many chest exercises should I do per workout?

You should perform 1-4 chest exercises per workout, with the most optimal range being 2-3 different chest exercises in a single training session. Why? For most lifters, performing any more than 3-4 various movements can result in diminished returns, excessive “trash” volume, and suboptimal quality volume.

How many reps should I do?

Choose Your Reps and Sets



Your decision should be based on your goals. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 4 to 6 repetitions with heavier weight for hypertrophy (increased muscle size), 8 to 12 repetitions for muscular strength and 10 to 15 reps for muscular endurance.

Is chest press same as bench press?

The degree of difficulty is less on a chest press machine as the path of movement of hands is already set by the machine. Whereas a bench press machine requires extra effort to balance the bar and support the weight.

Are Push Ups better than bench press?

While this is not surprising, the research also found that there were no significant differences in strength improvements between the bench press vs the push up groups, suggesting that if loading is relatively similar, strength improvements and EMG muscle activity in the bench press and push-up are comparable.

Are flies good for your chest?

The dumbbell chest fly can help open up your chest muscles. Chest openers may help reduce upper back pain, increase range of motion, and reduce tightness in the upper body. If you’re doing dumbbell chest flies as a way to open up your chest muscles, consider using lighter weights, or even no weights.