Over the years, the bench press exercise has been regarded to be the standard of body strength. Power-lifters utilize it as one of their 3 standard competitive lifts. Bodybuilders utilize it to �pump up� their chest musculature. Athletes utilize it to improve upper body strength. However, the exercise has come under increased scrutiny in recent years amongst the athletic strength and conditioning community. The problem revolves around what is termed �functionality�. All human internal shoulder rotation movements, whether that be pushing open a door, run blocking in football or throwing a baseball utilize the shoulder / chest musculature (shoulder flexors) as the prime movement muscles. The external rotators of the shoulder (shoulder extensors), therefore, act as the stabilizing muscles. Similarly, in a squatting movement, the upper leg musculature (hip flexors) act as the prime movement muscles while the glute and hamstring muscles (hip extensors) act as the stabilizer muscles. However, in a barbell bench pressing movement, the flat bench itself acts as the stabilizers, not the shoulder external rotators, as a result of the scapula (shoulder blade) being pinned down to the bench. This type of situation is not �functional�. Since it removes the external rotators from its natural stabilizing function, it promotes the opportunity of microscopic tearing in these small muscles. Normally, this is not a problem, however, in baseball pitchers, who rely exclusively on their arm to make a living, the bench press has long been removed from their workout programs, in virtually every college strength program nation-wide. New studies have concluded, however, that even position players have as much as a 22% increased risk of rotator cuff damage, over the long run, as a by product of the barbell bench press movement.

As a result, all baseball players, should eliminate the flat barbell bench pressing movement from their programs (note that I have taken the exercise out of the programs). Dumbbell movements remain excellent alternative movements, as the scapula is no longer pinned down to the bench and the shoulder external rotators utilize their natural stabilizing function. However, all programs MUST start with specific shoulder stabilizing movements. I have purchased weighted baseballs, which, along with resistance thera-bands, and a proper program will keep your arms strong and healthy for the baseball season.