[Article] Shoulder Health

ok man I'll ignore the test results and medical advice I've received and put all my faith in you. Don't let me down!

Mat77 said:

The following is not a personal attack on anybody, just an observation. No offence intended

It's amazing how many guys on here stress about injuries, or are in fact injured at the moment. I have been training weights since my teens, a few years mens health style, but lifting nonetheless. Yes I have had days where I have felt stiff or sore, or something has been sore for a week or two. But I have never had a serious injury caused directly by lifting weights.

I have always done bench and mp no matter what program I have been using. My left shoulder has been dislocated over a dozen times at footy, and my right 4 times. I have some funky shit going on in my left shoulder all day, it sounds like bubble wrap every time i move,yet I still get under the bar and do one of the presses every couple of days.

Stop worrying about injuries while sitting at your computer and just lift ffs.

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You've got your head up your arse, nothing personal mkay.

Mat77 said:

It's amazing how many guys on here stress about injuries, or are in fact injured at the moment. I have been training weights since my teens, a few years mens health style, but lifting nonetheless.

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It's probably because they're lifting the weights that aren't the ones painted pink with the fluffy handles in the womens section... just sayin'

Mat77 said:

The following is not a personal attack on anybody, just an observation. No offence intended

It's amazing how many guys on here stress about injuries, or are in fact injured at the moment. I have been training weights since my teens, a few years mens health style, but lifting nonetheless. Yes I have had days where I have felt stiff or sore, or something has been sore for a week or two. But I have never had a serious injury caused directly by lifting weights.

I have always done bench and mp no matter what program I have been using. My left shoulder has been dislocated over a dozen times at footy, and my right 4 times. I have some funky shit going on in my left shoulder all day, it sounds like bubble wrap every time i move,yet I still get under the bar and do one of the presses every couple of days.

Stop worrying about injuries while sitting at your computer and just lift ffs.

Click to expand...

Pfft if you've been lifting weights for years and have had nothing more than a bit of soreness I doubt you're lifting anything noteworthy.



On a more constructive note band pull aparts each day, broomstick stretching and correct posture have got my shoulders back to health.

What's the band pull apart and how do you do the stretching with the broomstick, Nick? Like shoulder dislocates?

Yeah like dislocates.

Check youtube for the band pull aparts, too hard to explain.

Not really. It's just a standing rear delt fly with a theraband or something similar . . .

The Hamburgler said:

Not really. It's just a standing rear delt fly with a theraband or something similar . . .

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...except if you're using your rear delts you're doing it wrong

Touch wood, my shoulders have been great the last 4 years.

There was a time, they were shit. Bursa's, impingement, pain. I posted a write up in another thread about a bench press, if I have the time I will copy paste it.

I press overhead, and horizontally.


I don't do any 1RM's. Lowest I go is 6RM these days.

Mechanically, i've changed the way I bench over the last 5 years. Elbows not flared out (like I used to do). Grip is closer (inside the ring, not on or out). 45 degree's between my upper arm and torso, not 75-90.


Shoulder's have been great since. I feel strong. I feel big.

The downfall is I don't bench 140+ kg anymore.

Usually 100-110 for 10-12 reps. Super setted. Lost some strength in exchange for some size over the years.

After multiple injuries, surgeries through not only resistance training (I can't just blame the bench) but mixed martial arts, shoulder health is my priority.

I used to have the "harden the fuck up" mentality, but when you're out of training for 6-8 months, your priorities change.

Like I said, over 4 years now. Not one injury apart from general tightness/knots. Comes with the game.

The Hamburgler said:

Not really. It's just a standing rear delt fly with a theraband or something similar . . .

Click to expand...

No.

As said above if youre using your rear delts then you're doing ti wrong.

Here it is for those who cant spend 10 seconds on google.

A note on this you want to feel it in between your Scapula, not anywhere else. That is where the movement should originate from. See in the Pic how Jim has has his shoulder back and scaps retracted through at the start and end of the movement. Thats what you need to do.

Band Pullaparts – Another very simple movement done with the aid of Jump Stretch bands. Usually a mini or light band is used. Give it a tug and hold it for a few seconds. You can move your grip in/out for more/less tension. You can also pull from various angles; you can raise or lower your arms for a different feel. I like to keep my arms straight throughout the entire movement. I also think this movement will help you realize how tight your upper back needs to be during a squat or bench press.

5c.
Look at gymnasts who can do Iron Cross etc on the rings. Now find someone who coaches the ones that don't have injured / dodgy shoulders.

Coach Sommer (Gymnastic Bodies) writes a lot about strengthening the shoulder girdle.

Thanks Nick.

That's a great exercise on activating the upperback in the bench press as well. IIRC in So You Think You Can Bench, Dave Tate mentioned it.

Hmmm I make sure that I'm squeezing the shoulder blades together like I would in a scap-pull, but my shoulders tend to give out first
I got the exercise off DeFrancos and I've noticed he calls some exercises by different names (or changes them slightly) so this could be one of those cases