I`m desperate for some advice!

[Zarkov]

My problem is this,I have had a sore shoulder since late last year.It was just a bit of a discomfort but not too bad.Actually,last Xmas I worked out with my younger brother a lot and he although doesn`t lift anywhere near as heavy as me he works out at a hard pace.I actually improved on a lot of lifts over this time.
The shoulder has been getting steadily worse.Last year I peaked at 12 hanging wide grip chins that have steadily declined to the point where I can do only three before the pain takes over.My shoulder dumbell press has gone from using 30kg weights to 12.Even then it hurts a lot.Military press has been out for a while except for a 10 kg baｒ and I can work up to the oly bar on a good day.
My bench hasn`t suffered a lot as I hit a PB a few weeks back but the pain in my shoulder when I press isn`t good.(I actually did my PB with a cold and this shoulder so it gives me a lot of confidence).

Sorry for rambling but I am a bit down.Last year I had an injury free year and with all my personal issues under control I made a lot of good gains so I just don`t want to go backwards.I know I should have taken a break when the pain started but I have noticed that your tolerance of pain goes up as you get stronger and I didn`t recognize it.I should have from experience but that is neither here nor there now.

What I can do; squats (I do have a bit of pain depending on my hand/shoulder position but it can be managed),deads - no problems there,DB/BB rows,curls etc, and relatively light below the shoulder work such as flies,shrugs etc.
I cannot do dips as well as what I mentioned above.Pushups are a bit dicey too.
I have shoulder impingement syndrome or in simple terms, tendonitis/bursitis and the only initial treatment is rest and icing when needed.

What I`m asking is,what can I do that will minimize any losses.In particular chest and shoulders.I will rest these kinds of exercises at least until the end of this month and most likely for most of May as well depending on my recovery.
I came out of the gym the other night feeling like I`d only done half a workout and I felt crap.More psychological that physical.

Any advice would be appreciated,especially from someone well and truly in the know whether from personal experience or knowledge.
Thanks guys.

 

[Goosey]

The shoulder is tricky zarkov, from experience and reading many others with your plight it seems the shoulder issues seem to come from an imbalance.

Your decision to rest is a good one, anything movement that causes pain should be ceased straight away, I think you will be suprised that you won't lose condition if you maintain the exercises you listed.
Combinations of pulling and rowing, curling, squatting, pulling from the floor, farmers walks will be enough.
Chin ups should be done with a neutral grip, causes less stress on the shoulder capsule.
Don't do any pushing for a month.
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[Goosey]

Your shoulder will heal, when it does you'll be stronger, but use dumbells for pushing, your dipping will also improve, don't go too deep, your upper arm must be horizontal with the floor.
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[Zarkov]

Yeah chinups with a close underhand grip are fine.I`ll continue with those.
Thanks Silverback, a heap!

 

[dave]

Get your rotator cuff checked out, stretches for internal rotators. Add some 1/4 (30 degree of movement) lateral raises for your supraspinatus, external rotation exercises for the infraspinatus and teres minor, reverse dumbbell flyes for your rhomboids (get these strong) a lot of pulling as on rows and cut back on the pushing. You have a subacromial bursa impingement I am assuming? Internally rotated humeral head with tight and strong internal rotators.
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[PTC]

Zarkov, after reading your sig, I was waiting for an injury.

Its great to care so much about benching, but it is a poor exercise, leaving you prone to injury, I should know, I severed my pec.

I didnt want to say anything when I saw your sig because most think I'm a loud mouth smart ass (pretty accurate) but let this be a lesson to others.

Silver was spot on about imbalances, now rest and correct them when you get back.

If you train in the right gym, no one will care how much you bench

The advice given by others in this thread is spot on, good luck big fella

 

[Goosey]

I didn't notice the sig.

Is the barbell bench press a good overall shoulder exercise? Not really
is it a good exercise for the chest? No
is it a tricep exercise, well we might be on to something, but would be far safer to work them on a cable machine.
The other thing that creates issues is the inability for the shoulder blades to move being pinned on the bench.
Couple that with wide grip pullups and pecdecking and seated shoulder press you have a disaster waiting to happen.
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[dave]

Also bring in pushups for a while instead of benching, it brings your serratus anterior into play which helps position your scapula properly, also make sure you get full range of motion and stretch your serratus too. Look at your posture and work on that as well if you are seated a lot. A physio or whatever is similar in japan can tell you what is really wrong in detail and give you some suggestions and you can work from there to incorporate them or something similar into your workouts.
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[PTC]

In my opinion the best exercise for pec development is the dip. No one brags about how much they dip.

The best test of upperbody strength is the MP, no one has ever asked me how much I can MP.

Bragging rights to impress the uneducated is the bench press. Tell someone you lift weights, first question is how much can you bench.

The easiest exercise of all the big compound movements, the bench press.Its the only one NOT performed standing up.

The most commonly performed compound movement in a gym, the bench press.

The number one cause for ruined shoulders, the bench press.

 

[Goosey]

But are a lovable loud mouth smart arse M.
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[PTC]

Had Kapow from on here come for a session today, I think he was surprised lol

 

[Goosey]

Also bring in pushups for a while instead of benching, it brings your serratus anterior into play which helps position your scapula properly, also make sure you get full range of motion and stretch your serratus too. Look at your posture and work on that as well if you are seated a lot. A physio or whatever is similar in japan can tell you what is really wrong in detail and give you some suggestions and you can work from there to incorporate them or something similar into your workouts.
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Dave, Markos is the one to listen to here.

Push-ups at this stage would not be advisable.

The standing dumb-bell press will do more for a trainee than any other pressing exercise, this movement is the upper body squat, this movement will produce all round strength to the shoulder girdle.
It is actually this exercise that engages the serratus, not the push-up.

This and the dip are two exercises every trainee must do, it's all they need.

A good exercise to learn proper technique is the one arm press, holding onto the side of a rack or pole.
The dumb-bell goes all the way down so your upper arm is touching your side not half way as most do, you do put your hands in your pockets you know...all the way up the dumb-bell - if done properly will be directly over your head.
This is how to properly safely perform this movement.

 

[dave]

Sorry i should have written 'scapula pushups' not pushup. It brings in scapula activation and strength and helps with proper movement of the scapula that is lost with lots of benching. I still don't mind pushups though but as you said not just yet.
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[Zarkov]

Zarkov, after reading your sig, I was waiting for an injury.

Its great to care so much about benching, but it is a poor exercise, leaving you prone to injury, I should know, I severed my pec.

I didnt want to say anything when I saw your sig because most think I'm a loud mouth smart ass (pretty accurate) but let this be a lesson to others.

Silver was spot on about imbalances, now rest and correct them when you get back.

If you train in the right gym, no one will care how much you bench

The advice given by others in this thread is spot on, good luck big fella

Not sure I understand Markos?I don`t only do bench,I do a full body workout each time.I only keep track of my 1Rm in bench.I squat,deadlift,dip,etc as well as bench.
Do you think I may be pushing too hard on the bench and not enough on other exercises?I do push on others but admittedly not as hard but pretty hard none the less.
A loud mouthed smartarse with 30 years experience and results to show for it is a knowledgeable loud mouthed smartarse so don`t hold back!
Appreciate your advice,thanks.
And thanks to everyone else.

 

[dave]

I have heard a rumour that lots of sex with hot japanese girls cures shoulder problems. Give it a try see if it works or not.

 

[PTC]

There's another sig on here about a guy stating no one asks how much you lift at the beach.

Possibly because no one f u c k i n g lifts at the beach.

You might get asked in the gym.

A sig tells a lot about peoples attitude.

Your correct that I dont know what you squat and pull, but I'm guessing if it was impressive it would be in your sig.

For every set of pressing I like one set of pulling.

If youve already got an imbalance, make that 2-1 for pulling.

By pulling you should bent row close to what you bench. When I was benching 165kg I was also rowing 140kg x 8.

Most on here cant deadlift that let alone row it.

Only you know how far out of whack you are. There are good exercises posted in here, do them.

As an example of well balanced in regards to shoulder health, Max benches 105kg but jerks behind head 120kg. He push presses 105kg and MP 72.5kg, nearly bodyweight. He shrugs 200kg and rows 100kg x 5.

You bench a lot more than Max, can you do the other lifts? These are all upper body lifts involving the shoulder girdle.

 

[Zarkov]

I have heard a rumour that lots of sex with hot japanese girls cures shoulder problems. Give it a try see if it works or not.

Well..... sex would cure my wanking problem.Less stress on the arm and all.... you could be onto something mate!

 

[dave]

wanking problems huh, damn hot japanese girls are getting to you, could explain the shoulder problem if you are getting too excited But anyways, Markos post just then was good, 2 to 1 pulling and get your scapula right and you should be all good again.

 

[Zarkov]

There's another sig on here about a guy stating no one asks how much you lift at the beach.

Possibly because no one f u c k i n g lifts at the beach.

You might get asked in the gym.

A sig tells a lot about peoples attitude.

Your correct that I dont know what you squat and pull, but I'm guessing if it was impressive it would be in your sig.

For every set of pressing I like one set of pulling.

If youve already got an imbalance, make that 2-1 for pulling.

By pulling you should bent row close to what you bench. When I was benching 165kg I was also rowing 140kg x 8.

Most on here cant deadlift that let alone row it.

Only you know how far out of whack you are. There are good exercises posted in here, do them.

As an example of well balanced in regards to shoulder health, Max benches 105kg but jerks behind head 120kg. He push presses 105kg and MP 72.5kg, nearly bodyweight. He shrugs 200kg and rows 100kg x 5.

You bench a lot more than Max, can you do the other lifts? These are all upper body lifts involving the shoulder girdle.

Ahh that makes it all clear.Yeah I will admit my other lifts are pretty pissweak in comparison.I honestly don`t have any clear numbers to tell you so at a guess,deadlift is maybe around 150,squat no idea but I have done 12 reps at
90kg,shrugs no idea but I have done 100kg for reps,rows maybe 6-8 reps at 80kg.
I`ve always worked out just to feel good.Size and strength were only ever a bi product but as I build up to bigger weights I can see now my biggest mistake was not taking it seriously enough.After a rest I think a total overhaul will be in order.
Thanks a billion mate.

 

[PTC]

Its all good when your benching 60kg, other lifts dont matter as much, when your benching 120kg, all of a sudden you've got a problem when your pulling power is 150kg.

The only way I know your not a girl, and a lesbian at that, is because of your bench.

The other lifts are very poor in relation to your benching, as you now obviously realize.

Fix them once your mended