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About nine months ago I started having regular trapezius pain (right side), when benching on the incline (light incline, like 20 degrees). It wasn’t bad enough to stop, but just to be careful and some worry. I could feel it from my shoulder right up to my cranium. Even if I took a break for a week it would come back in the first or second workout.
What solved the problem for me was for a month I held my head in a very different position while benching, tilting my head back as far as possible like I’m trying to look behind me or plant the top of my head on the bench. That head position quickly stopped the pain and I think gave me a chance for a more permanent recovery. I think for me, having the normal chin to chest posture while benching caused too much tension in my trapezius and/or upper neck. Maybe the extreme tilt to the rear forces me to relax properly. Either way, it worked great.
I do have minor arthritis in C6, my doc says everyone does, do you all think that’s related?
FWIW now days I do four sets on the incline, one with my extreme head tilt, and the other three more normal but still with my chin farther from my chest than normal. I think as long as I don’t let my chin go down then I’ve solved the problem. I like the incline as I need the combination shoulder and trap workout, but I think it does stress the traps and neck more.
What solved the problem for me was for a month I held my head in a very different position while benching, tilting my head back as far as possible like I’m trying to look behind me or plant the top of my head on the bench. That head position quickly stopped the pain and I think gave me a chance for a more permanent recovery. I think for me, having the normal chin to chest posture while benching caused too much tension in my trapezius and/or upper neck. Maybe the extreme tilt to the rear forces me to relax properly. Either way, it worked great.
I do have minor arthritis in C6, my doc says everyone does, do you all think that’s related?
FWIW now days I do four sets on the incline, one with my extreme head tilt, and the other three more normal but still with my chin farther from my chest than normal. I think as long as I don’t let my chin go down then I’ve solved the problem. I like the incline as I need the combination shoulder and trap workout, but I think it does stress the traps and neck more.
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