How can newbs prevent shoulder injuries?

[DKD]

Reading around the forum it seems that so many of us, myself included, have had major issues with shoulder injuries through weight training.

What can people that are new to weight training do to prevent the problems that have plagued us?

Have any of us learned anything that we can pass on to the newbs, so their shoulders remain healthy?

The only thing I can contribute is to do internal and external rotations with a dumbbell to strengthen the rotator cuff. I did this religiously before every upper body workout, for more than a year. I still ended up with a stuffed shoulder, though, so make of that what you will.

 

[Brick]

I reckon alot of them are overuse injuries noobs love to work their vanity muscles to death and overdo it on chest shoulder and arm work with weight thats too heavy for them. Don't neglect the upper back, legs & lower back and I think your alot less likely to have a shoulder injury, you see so many gym noobs doing endless sessions of bench, curl, seated shoulder press, leading to massive muscle imbalances and overuse/abuse of the shoulder joint.

 

[Goosey]

That's it in a nut-shell brick.

I'm able to do almost all movements around the shoulder freely and without pain with the exception of the standing press using a barbell, I'm ok if I use dumbbells, but I beleive that's more to do with the structure of *my* shoulder than "overuse".

I think the exercises that can cause issues in the long term are the bench press and wide grip pulldown

 

[Bazza20]

I think that just avoiding exercises that cause pain or just don't feel right is the best way.

 

[Darkoz]

All of the above mentioned by brick, Andy and Bazza including avoiding movements that don't feel natural like upright rows, behind the neck press and too wide a grip on virtually all pulling and pushing movements.

 

[dave]

Balance between both sides. If you have major strength and flexibility/mobility differences between sides expect issues when you use a barbell.

That is all I have to add to the good info from earlier.

 

[fmdreams]

My physio used to say not to jerk through an exercise particularly with shoulders so slow strong and fluid movements, also like everyone else has said balance - every muscles relies on another to some extent

 

[Bench Polkov]

From my experience as a retard bencher.

1) Lots of upper back and rear delt work.
2) Good bench form.
3) Don't go heavy on shit you shouldn't be going heavy on, eg. cable flyes, bench dips.
4) Avoid the pec deck and smith machine... or most other chest machines if possible.

 

[Brick]

From my experience as a retard bencher.

1) Lots of upper back and rear delt work.
2) Good bench form.
3) Don't go heavy on shit you shouldn't be going heavy on, eg. cable flyes, bench dips.
4) Avoid the pec deck and smith machine... or most other chest machines if possible.

Maybe we should start a new powerlifting federation we can change the big three to leg press, pec dec, curl. We can call it brolifting australia. Any chance we can get you to defect from PA freako?

 

[wingman]

Maybe we should start a new powerlifting federation we can change the big three to leg press, pec dec, curl. We can call it brolifting australia. Any chance we can get you to defect from PA freako?

Curl already is in some powerlifting feds you know?

 

[Brick]

Curl already is in some powerlifting feds you know?

Yeah in the states some of them have strict curl comps. If I want mine to be a true brolifting fed I will have to make it the clean curl whereby you curl the bar with maximal body english using as much momentum as possible.

 

[Darkoz]

Do you do biceps curls brick?

 

[Brick]

Do you do biceps curls brick?

Surely do my good man, essential to elbow health according to the legendary Ed Coan.

Also sorry to all for taking the thread off topic - we should probably get back to shoulder health cause all of us have rooted shoulders it seems.

 

[DREADLIFT]

Balance pushing to pulling exercises.

More standing overhead press.


The most profound thing i witness in the gym is bringing the shoulders foward on dumbell presses whereas they should be pinned back (IMO) to allow the chest to take most of the effort. That and partial presses.

 

[Bloke]

Good thread and really topical for me at present. Last year I had bursitis in my shoulder that was treated with dry needling at my local sports Physio. It settled down with rest but with some solid lifting I am getting some soreness in my right shoulder whilst doing seated presses with dumbells. It warms up and then it is ok but is sore the next time I try to do presses. There is no problem with dips or any other exercise that may put pressure on my shoulder... Although generally I do shoulder presses first. Anyone experienced this and has any tips. I am doing a push/ pull/ legs split and training 4 to 5 days a week, although currently not doing legs due to hamstring strain. Maybe " overtraining"...?

 

[bradsky]

Warm the shit out of them before pressing. there's also a broom handle move I got of the dc training videos that got rid of some shoulder pain a while back

When I do heavy presses, when I feel pain in the joint I stop doing heavy presses.

This happened the other day, might just not do them any more.

Ever

 

[callan]

balance, good technique, if it doesnt feel right theres a good chance your doing it wrong...

 

[PTCPerth]

1. Technique.
2. Push/pull balance.
3. Overhead press.
4. Warm up / mobility / flex.
5. Avoid overuse.

 

[0ni]

Didn't read thread
I really do not want a shoulder injury so I take the following precautions:

>more pulling than pressing (easy as my bench training is like 5x2 or 4x3 normally so I just do a few sets of 10 on rows)
>Close grip on the bench press
>Lots of lateral delt work (strict behind the neck pressing is my current fav) to encourage good mobility and equal strength

 

[bradsky]

Just stumbled on this

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Suzab0rOwuw&feature=youtube_gdata_player]Press pain free by keeping the shoulders "Packed" - YouTube[/ame]