Your shoulder has started aching during bench press, overhead press or pull-ups, and you are not sure what to do with your next session. When strength training is part of your routine, stopping altogether can feel like losing progress. The good news is that most recent shoulder pain does not mean stopping. A few swaps can keep you lifting while it settles.

Why shoulders get sore with training

Your shoulder is very mobile, and it relies on the muscles around it, especially the rotator cuff and the muscles around your shoulder blade, to stay steady under load. When the training load goes up faster than these muscles and tendons can adapt, the shoulder can become sore.

Common triggers include adding weight quickly, a new programme, lots of pressing with less pulling, or more sessions than usual. In most cases, the shoulder is irritated rather than damaged.

Reading how your shoulder responds

A simple guide can help:

• A mild ache during or after training that settles within an hour or so is usually fine.
• If your shoulder is sorer the next morning, or it aches at night, ease back next session.
• If an exercise brings on sharp pain, swap it or adjust it.

Pressing swaps

Pressing exercises often bother a sore shoulder most, especially at the bottom of a bench press or the top of an overhead press. Some swaps to try:

• Dumbbell press with palms facing each other, instead of barbell bench press.
• Floor press, which limits how far your elbows drop.
• Landmine press, pressing at an angle rather than straight overhead.
• Incline push-ups on a bench, instead of flat push-ups.

Reducing the range, like stopping a little short of the bottom position, can help too.

Overhead pressing

Overhead pressing is often the hardest for a sore shoulder. You could press to around head height, or leave overhead work out for a week or two while you build back.

Pulling swaps

Pulling exercises are often better tolerated, but some can still bother a sore shoulder:

• Swap wide-grip pull-ups for lat pulldowns with a neutral grip.
• Use chest-supported rows, lying face down on an incline bench.
• Keep your elbows closer to your body when pulling.

What you can keep

Leg training, core work and many upper body exercises can carry on as usual. Keeping a good balance of pulling to pushing, with at least as much pulling as pressing, can help your shoulder settle. If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of lunges, bridges and sit-to-stands you can use for lower body work.

Adding shoulder-friendly work

Exercises that strengthen the muscles that steady your shoulder can help it cope with training. Something to add two or three times a week:

• Outward turns. With your elbow tucked into your side and bent, hold a light dumbbell or band and slowly turn your forearm outwards, then back.
• Face pulls. Pull a band or cable towards your face, with your elbows high, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Shoulder squeezes. Draw your shoulder blades back and down, hold for five seconds, then relax.

If you would like to follow along, VIDA has short videos of shoulder squeezes you can use at your own pace.

Warming up

A thorough warm-up helps your shoulder feel more ready for training. Something to try:

• Shoulder rolls and arm circles.
• A few sets of outward turns with a light band.
• Light warm-up sets of your first exercise before adding weight.

Outside the gym

How you sit and move during the day affects your shoulder too. Keeping your keyboard and mouse close, resting your forearms on your desk and taking short movement breaks all help. VIDA’s Pomodoro stretches, in the top right corner, can remind you to pause during focused work.

Building back up

When your shoulder has felt comfortable for a week or so, you could start bringing back the exercises you swapped, one at a time and at a lighter load. Your VIDA pain check-in is a good way to keep track of how your shoulder responds.

What to take away

• Most recent shoulder pain in people who train means adjusting, not stopping.
• Swap barbell pressing for dumbbell, floor or landmine presses for now.
• Use neutral grips and chest-supported rows for pulling.
• Keep at least as much pulling as pressing in your programme.
• Add rotator cuff work and bring back exercises one at a time.

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