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Two week ago I went heavy on bench. I was lifting a weight I have lifted recently in the past. I messed up my form and didn't get it. Also, it was one of those days that I just didn't have it. On my third attempt, I felt a sharp pain run up both arms from the elbo to the top of the shoulder. I thought it was no big deal. The pain immediately went away and there were no lasting effects, or so I thought.

Now, whenever I am lifting it is like I have no explosive power. It isn't like I don't have the strength. It is like my body is shutting down to keep me from injuring myself. I get the same pain in my arms and shoulders. It doesn't last and doesn't hurt if I am not lifting. It doesn't feel like ligament damage or muscle damage. It just feels like my body is saying no by sending pain signals.

Has anyone else had a similar experience and if so, what did you do about it?

I'd see a doctor; you may have done slight damage to a nerve between your vertebrae, hence the pain on both sides. But that is just a guess with the limited information! I'd definitely see a doctor though as he/she will be able to get you to show them what position your were in etc. and describe the position of your body when the pain started/happens now. It's not something I would mess around with thinking it will just get better on it's own if it weakening both arms at the same time, there are very few muscles or ligaments in the human body that will affect both arms/legs equally like you describe!

P.S. I had a shoulder injury about 12 years ago where it hurt to lift my arm above my shoulder, the only new thing I'd done was side lateral raises, but it first hurt on the bench. Turned out I'd used a bad technique on the side raises and "pinched" a nerve that runs between the head of the humerous and the scapula causing it to swell and limit the ROM of the joint. This was only one side though, so not quite as difficult to find a cause!

I hate to be a scaremonger but, yeh, i've had a similar pain, but it was only in one arm / shoulder. I ignored it and ended up with a partial tear and impingement syndrome. Don't know which came first, though, probably the impimgement.

However, before the pain, my gains stopped pretty drastically. I just hammered away thinking it must be normal. It started to just feel 'weak' at first. Difficult to describe, but just a real feeling of weakness. Sounds like that feeling of weakness could be what you are describing. That developed into an ache I would get after sets and after the work out. Got worse and worse and I ignorantly just kept going for it. Then it went, similar to what you described, but the pain didn't go away.

It's a pretty long story to describe what I done. Was a frustrating journey. In short, I cut all pressing and hammered my back, especially 'middle back' like a mad man. I still do this, but have been in the clear for a while now (I now think it's how most should train - more pulling / posterior chain work).

Basically, when you think you have a problem with your shoulders, you should look at your shoulder blades.

Really, though, you could save yourself a lot of worry and try and get someone to look at it. Physiotherapist (physicaltherapist?). See if they can find anything wrong.

But in the meantime, I would advise you get away from the bar for a while, say 2-4 weeks. It won't kill you! Get away from the bar and OH pressing, decrease volume of pressing in general, do more rowing and see how you feel... I experiment with my own shoulder all the time which results occasionally in me pushing it too far. 4 weeks away from the bar and more rowing makes it feel 100%.

But I would rather hear that you went and got it looked at by a pro!

KPj