Bench pressing is quite tough to do if you want it to be perfect. One of the issues during bench pressing is not being able to keep shoulders back when benching. So, knowing how to do this is very important.

But why you can’t keep shoulders back when benching?

There can be several reasons for that. Not gripping properly or keeping elbows too high can be the reason for it. Besides, Not getting a liftoff affects the total posture of the bench pressing as well.  Improper leg movement can be another reason for not being able to keep shoulders back.

This small portion may not be enough for you as there’s more to the topic. But don’t be afraid, we’ve fitted all the details in the latter part. So, please keep proceeding further.

What Is Bench Press

The bench press is considered a compound exercise that’s focused on the upper body muscles. It’s done by lying on a bench and pressing weights in an upward direction. Usually, barbells or a pair of dumbbells are used as the weights.

Depending on the muscles to focus on, bench pressing can have variations. Different variations of bench press work on different muscles.

Bench press helps in strengthening the upper body muscles. Muscular endurance can also improve to a certain extent.

4 Reasons Why You Can’t Keep Shoulders Back When Benching

When you’re benching, sometimes it’s difficult to keep your shoulders back in place. More often beginners can face this problem. You may wonder why I can’t keep my shoulders back when bench pressing. 

But there are some reasons for which you have to face this. Let’s get to know them.

Reason 1: Not Gripping Properly

Gripping is an important part of benching. If you don’t grip the barbell properly, then your shoulder’s position might change. In that case, you might not be able to keep your shoulders back when benching.

A wrong grip can also impact your shoulder muscles and cause injury. 

Reason 2: Keeping Elbows Too High

Elbow positions are an essential factor in benching. Keeping elbows too high while benching can cause strain in your shoulder. So, this is a reason why you can’t keep your shoulder back.

Reason 3: Not Getting A Liftoff

Without a proper liftoff, it gets hard to bring the barbell into starting position. As a result, the overall posture of the benching gets affected. So, your shoulder may not be back in its position.

Reason 4: Improper Leg Movements

Leg movements during benching can define a lot of things. So, if the leg movement is improper, the shoulders may move from their usual position. So, this can be a reason why you can’t keep your shoulders back when benching.

So, these were the reasons behind your shoulder movement while benching. Hope you got to know them well.

How to Keep Shoulders Back When Benching

You’ve already got to know the reasons why you can’t keep shoulders back when benching. Now it’s time to know how to keep shoulders back while benching.

So, let’s get to know about them one by one.

Perfect Technique

No magic can do your work on its own. You’ve to practice your work regularly to gain expertise. Also, you’ve to know the proper techniques.

You’ve to practice the techniques of lifting barbells quite well so that you don’t fail. Thus you can gain expertise and your shoulders will stay back when benching.

Knowing the proper techniques also reduces stress on your body. So, the chances of injuries get low.

Going Above And Beyond With The Rows

Generally, benching includes the front muscles of the shoulders. That’s why the back muscles can often lose the stability of staying in one place. So, you should have rowing variations.

You should go up and beyond with the rows and bring variations to train your shoulder muscles. Thus you can keep the shoulders back when benching.

Allowing Shoulder Blades to Move Freely

Bench pressing can offer benefits for gaining strength and hypertrophy. However, your shoulder blades should move optimally for the best outcome. If you can set your shoulder blades properly, you can keep your shoulders back when benching.

So, you should practice exercises that allow your shoulder blades to move freely. Thus you can gain the flexibility to keep your shoulders back when benching. Also, you should know how to retract shoulder blades when bench pressing. In this regard, knowing how to keep shoulders retracted might help.

Training rotator Cuffs

Training your rotator cuffs can offer a bunch of benefits. It can help to keep yourself in a favorable position while benching. So, while training your rotating cuffs, it can help you to keep your shoulders back. Thus you should know how to roll shoulders when benching.

Increasing Shoulder Mobility

You may not have the mobility to keep your shoulders in a position for benching properly. And without shoulder mobility, it’s quite difficult to keep a perfect position of benching.

So, if you increase your shoulder mobility through various exercises, it can help you. Thus you can keep your shoulders back when benching.

So, these are some ways by which you can keep your shoulders back when benching. Hope you’ll be benefitted from these. And you won’t feel like why is it so hard to keep my shoulders back.

Safety Measures

Safety is a major concern everywhere. While working out, it’s also important for you to maintain your safety.

Bench pressing is essential for the development of the upper part of your body. But in the process, you shouldn’t hurt yourself. So, maintaining safety should be your priority as well.

It’s pretty normal for you to have joint pain or muscle pain while benching. You can feel abdominal pains as well. It can occur due to excessive repetitions or improper postures. So, make sure to follow safety measures so that you don’t hurt yourself.

In case you get hurt, you can check the products below.

Hope you’ll get relief from your pain after using these accordingly. They are reliable products and you can trust them.

Apart from these, you should maintain other safety measures as well. For example, you can get your tissues damaged or there might be other serious problems. Or else, you can feel pain in the palms of your hand. In that case, you should consult your doctor urgently.

FAQs

What are the good outcomes of bench pressing?

Bench presses can help to increase strength and endurance. It also tones the upper body muscles such as the chest, arms, shoulders, etc. Studies also show that bench presses can improve bone density as well. So, there are a lot of benefits of bench pressing. And they can help in great ways.

How many days per week should one do bench press?

Usually, it’s considered that one should bench press 1 to 3 times a week. This is an optimized range. However, it can vary depending on your workout goals. You may prefer to bench press only once a week. Again, you may need to bench press 3 to 4 times a week.

Is there any difference between press and bench press?

Yes, there’s a difference between a press and a bench press. Press usually means exercises that include pressing movements. It can be a leg press or chest press etc. or any other presses. On the other hand, the bench press is specifically for the upper body muscles. So, both of them aren’t the same.

Is it recommended to retract the shoulders while benching?

Yes, it’s recommended to retract the shoulders while benching. Retracting the shoulders can allow you to bench press more effectively. Because the joints are not stressed much and the weight lifting is easier. That’s why it’s recommended to retract the shoulders while benching.

Is it okay to arch the back while bench pressing?

Arching back while bench pressing can be beneficial. It can help to keep the shoulders back in their position properly when benching. This will help you to lift weights more effectively. Also, it will reduce the risks of your injury. So, it’s okay to arch the back while bench pressing.

Conclusion

We tried to represent the whole scenario of can’t keep shoulders back when benching. We hope you got the idea about the entire thing.

Bench pressing is very useful. But without doing it properly, you won’t get the fruits of your labor. That’s why you should try to keep your shoulders back when benching. 

That’s all from us. Hope you have a good time!