Fix Shoulder Pain During Bench Press With This Rotator Cuff Exercise.

A weak posterior rotator cuff that fails to stabilize the shoulder is a major cause of pressing pain, according to Squat University. This muscle group is described as "a big weak link in many that develop shoulder troubles when lifting weights."

In one case, a patient came in unable to bench press for 2 years without shoulder pain in his left side. Testing revealed the real issue wasn't the bench press itself, but that his posterior rotator cuff wasn't doing its job to stabilize the joint. Trying to produce force off that kind of unstable foundation, Squat University notes, "doesn't turn out well" — the shoulder compensates and pain follows.

A towel-supported external rotation hold is the regression Squat University used when the standard exercise proved too tough for this patient. The standard version is great for strengthening the posterior rotator cuff, but not everyone can handle it right away.

Here's the regression, step by step:

1. Place a towel under the elbow for support.
2. Perform an external rotation of the shoulder.
3. Hold the end-range position for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat, focusing on control rather than speed or load.

This version still enhances strength and stability of the rotator cuff, just with less demand than the full exercise, making it a smart entry point for anyone in pain.

You return to pain-free bench pressing by pairing rotator cuff work with a slow, gradual reload of the lift itself. After the patient started the towel external rotation holds, Squat University reports he became pain-free.

From there, the plan was straightforward: keep doing the rotator cuff exercise while slowly reloading the bench press. Squat University states that by following this approach, the patient "could get back to 100%" — full bench press capacity, without the shoulder pain that had sidelined him for 2 years.