Shoulder health while lifting
It seems like about everyone I know that has been lifting very long has some sort of shoulder issue they are trying to keep under control. I was wondering if there are any tips on how to stay injury free in the shoulders for long term lifting. My shoulder problem started years ago on flat BB bench. It used to be my strongest lift until my right shoulder started hurting every time I tried it. I'd drop off flat BB bench from my routine, get it all healed up and working fine, try adding it back in and without fail it would get to the point that it hurts for my arm to hang there, hurts to sleep on it, and any lift involving the shoulder would drop off big time. I've since come to terms that flat BB bench is just something I cant do, I can do any other lift that typically aggravates shoulders without problems but the second I add in flat BB bench my shoulder flares up and lifts drop. I've been to a doc about it, diagnosed with impingement (which is kind of a catch all diagnosis) and tendonosis. Not much they can do about it.
My solutions so far: I think most peoples shoulder problems come from 2 things:
1-lack of flexibility. I've added in controlled shoulder articular rotations which seems to be a huge help. I read once that holding a broomstick above your head and pulling down across your back as low as you can helps a lot, have added those in as well.
2-improper form. You see tons of lifters (bodybuilders much more so than powerlifters) shove their shoulders forward at the top of lift, you get more leverage and put stress from the chest to the front delts which are more than likely less fatigued , and also closes up the space in your shoulder joint. I'm pretty sure this was was caused my shoulder problem initially, I started lifting on my own and never had anyone to show me proper methods and I think not knowing the proper bench screwed up shoulder. I've been focusing a lot on pinching my shoulder blades back (rhomboids flexed hard), and also flexing the lats a little (rotating elbows down, instead of flaring them) on every pressing movement, driving shoulders into the ground instead of letting them push forward. This has helped a bunch, but not to the point that I can throw in flat BB bench again yet (tried it a few weeks ago and shoulder flared up still).
Any other advice or input on keeping the shoulders working properly is appreciated. From what I have seen shoulders seem to be the most injured joint in lifting, would like to know any methods to keep them healthy to lift for years to come.
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I've battled this for years too. I warm up with lots of Rotator cuff exercises with cables before any upper body workouts. That and stretching like you said works for me too. Shit bro I feel so old and crunchy sometimes I stretch and warm up longer than I actually lift for!! We have to evolve and adapt bro.
Say hi to your brother Bull for me! Peace
The human body just isn't designed to be put thorough what we put it through, add juice and we don't even realize the damage we are doing half the time There is a price for everything bro. I've had an RC issue for over 15 years and I make adjustments to my routines accordingly. There are some things that over time I just can't do any more, it doesn't mean I give up, it means I stay with my strengths and make it happen!
...I would rather run with the immortals some of the time than to merely walk amongst the mortals
Good point, lifting is part of my life and stopping would probably send me into a heavy depression. Because of thhe older I get the more I think about how to be able to keep lifting years to come. I've started making the adjustments to my routine as well, I used to be obsessed with numbers while lifting (More weight or more reps). The last few years I've decided I can get a better workout, and feel better off a lot lighter weight and better focus and form.
I know I was guilty of this for a long time, but many people often neglect their rear delts. It's an easy muscle to neglect in comparison to the stress we put on the front when benching. I've noticed a lot less shoulder issues since putting more emphasis on trying to balance out. I still have a permanent click in my left shoulder, and have to really warm it up before going heavy, but I'm not getting any of the aches I was a year ago from it.
I have noticed a lot in the gym far as shoulders couple friends of mine have huge shoulers much so morhe that there chest development and it comes from there form and bench press they use a lot of shoulders.
I see them complain about shoulders after each chest day, after that I started paying attention to the form and I believe that's it.
Proper form is always a must for any muscle group in my opinion for growth and to be more evenly body proportions.
What have you noticed on their form? Are they shoving their shoulders forward instead of pinching their shoulder blades and keeping shoulders backwards to the floor? Flaring elbows out instead of keeping them more inside? I think that was what caused my initial shoulder problems, your description describes what I was back when that happened too... Big shoulders and under developed chest. Over the last few years I've worked a lot on my form when lifting chest and have actually brought it up to the point that it's one of my strengths.
Exactly what you said, and they would break parallel to and I would see it stretch there shoulders as well when bar meet there chest and they have stretch marks on there front of the front delt near arm pit at chest.
I think that might be what happen to you bro.
Good you work on form brother I'm strong as fuck myself but I do about 60% of my max and do proper form and squeeze the shit out of the muscles.
My problem when I go heavy heavy I feel like I use what ever muscles it takes to lift the weight and to me that's more power lifting.
You keep doing proper form you should bring up all your parts you want to develop. Form is key more than heavy weight.
I have bursitis in my right shoulder. It is a chronic condition that caused me agonizing pain and the use of opiate pain killers at night to sleep with it. When I got a new trainer a few years back he said dryly that all I had to do to shut the pain down is "limit the range of motion" in movements that use the shoulder. On the flat bench and on the incline bench for me that meant keeping the bar about an inch off my chest at the lowest point in the movement for example. I can go all the way to 495 on the flat bench like that nowadays with no pain. Since I'm not a powerlifter, I really don't care about the bar not touching my chest. Besides, that second of rest with the bar touching the chest really breaks tension in the movement anyways. I think I get a better workout now than before making that adjustment.
Good call. My shoulder pops about mid way through the range on BB military press and eventually starts bothering it. I started breaking it up into two movements and can do that lift all day long now. I do sets of the lower half of the movement, and separate sets of the upper half of the movement. For some dumb reason I have never attempted to work on my range of motion for bench, I guess I've always had in my mind that it doesn't count if it doesn't hit your chest.
Excellent point. I've had similar shoulder issues for years and couldn't do any incline movements. Once I changed my motion and elbow position, I was able to do incline again without issues. You just have to play with it a little to see what works.