Here’s a secret:

Just about every guy (and girl) gets into working out because they want to look better.

This has been the truth since forever…

At the heart of it all:

1. We all want to get laid
2. We want to get laid by good-looking people.
3. We believe that being “in shape” gives us the best chance of this occurring.

So if you’re like me and about a gazillion other red-blooded, testosterone driven teenage boys out there you decide to start lifting weights.

Eventually, after a few weeks, months, years maybe of aimlessly doing whatever…..

i.e. 3 days a week of benches, incline benches, dumbbell flys, biceps curls and a set of leg extensions just for good measure. <—- This is also known as the worlds worst workout ever.

You pick up a muscle mag and do the first routine you find in it.

BTW: I have NO CLUE how to “Powerize” your Sexual Force, I’m not certified in that……but it sounds intense.

It was probably a split routine like:

• Mon: Chest and Tris
• Tues: Back and Bi’s
• Wed: Legs
• Thurs: off
• Fri: Arms
• Sat: Shoulders
• Sun: off

Thing is, for the non-pharmacologically  enhanced 16-year-old kid (or just about anyone for that matter) this routine really sucks and pretty much that’s all that was out there for mass consumption.

So you do that routine and you learn really bad technique from the pictures in the magazines or a high school “weight training” class..

Anyway, one of the things you learn is this:

To bench press with your elbow out at a 90 degree angle.

It seems logical.

I mean, these guys are “experts” at this stuff so they must be right and people do “push-ups” with the elbows like this in gym class where the “teacher” lets people do whatever the hell they want teaches people to do push ups like this.

I realize you now know this is wrong.

But people still bench like this…….and for the vast majority of people it’s literally tearing your shoulders apart.

The Problem:  Simple Science Answer

With the elbows out at 90 degrees (shoulder abducted to 90 degrees) we lose sub-acromial space in the shoulder.

When we don’t have sub-acromial space the soft structures of the top of the arm (humerus) and shoulder get caught (impinged) between the hard structures.

Much like a rope being passed over a hard surface, there may not be a ton of stress at first but over time there will definitely be damage and the rope will fray and break.

That said, flaring the elbows will result in more chest recruitment and development, NO DOUBT.

That’s exactly why body builders bench this way…but, but, but…

“consistently benching with an elbows-flared position is a sure-fire way to strain a pec or blow out a shoulder.”– Mike Robertson

The Fix: 

Tuck the Elbows!

What the hell does that mean? Right?

It means bring the elbows closer to the sides or midline of the body.

The middle “arm” is about where most people should be when they bench.

This will greatly reduce the amount of stress on your shoulders and prolong your pressing life.

Yes, at first you’ll be weaker because the range of motion will be greater but think about it this way.

Ohhh yeah, you won’t need a shoulder replacement at 50 either!

Keep in mind this goes for push-ups too.

A general rule of thumb I use is; your hands should “aim for the ribcage” at or just below just below the nipples.

For most people this rule keeps them at about a 45 degree angle and pain-free.

If You Still Have Pain:

On the bench (straight bar): use a close grip  (thumbs on the knurling right against the smooth) and elbows tucked completely against the body.

With dumbbells: Tuck to about 15-20 degrees (elbows just slightly away from the body) and use a “neutral” grip.

Tight “elbow tuck” and neutral grip.

Use the Floor Press to limit shoulder rotation.

Use boards to limit the range of motion (depth of the bar).

Wrap a “tampon“ around the bar to limit the depth of the bar.

 Whatever you choose, make sure you “tuck your elbows” and save yourself some shoulder pain in the future.