Ask The $250/Hour Trainer: How Can I Improve My Bench Press?

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If your shoulder hurts when bench pressing,
don't just keep powering through your reps.

Each program includes only one horizontal pressing movement through a full range of motion, and it comes last each time. Focus on training the muscles of the upper back (i.e., posterior delts, rhomboids, middle and lower traps), the external rotators of the humerus (teres minor and infraspinatus), and the serratus anterior, an important scapular muscle that's often weak. Targeting these areas will improve the muscles that help stabilize the shoulder joint.

In contrast, the most important exercises relating to your training goal should always come first (or at least early on) in the training session. So I would perform the programs below in the following manner:

Week 1:Monday: Program 1Tuesday: OffWednesday: Program 2Thursday: OffFriday: Program 1Saturday: OffSunday: OffWeek 2:Monday: Program 2Tuesday: OffWednesday: Program 1Thursday: OffFriday: Program 2Saturday: OffSunday: OffWeek 3:Monday: Program 1Tuesday: OffWednesday: Program 2Thursday: OffFriday: Program 1Saturday: OffSunday: OffWeek 4:Monday: Program 2Tuesday: OffWednesday: Program 1Thursday: OffFriday: Program 2Saturday: OffSunday: OffProgram 1:

Superset:

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