Much like the knees for the lower body, the shoulders are always being discussed for injuries and impacting so many pressing/pulling and even arm exercises if in pain.
I had my share of shoulder injuries, but nothing serious (define serious - anything that requires surgery). Some kept me away from weights / some were just a little annoying.
I went to a physiotherapist and a neurological osteopath to learn a short routine before all upper body workouts. Curious what others do.
I was told much is due to too much strength/muscle in the front and muscle imbalance in the back - the muscles that naturally keep your shoulder's back and not hunched over. I blame a lot of the accidental hunching over from working in an office chair in front of a computer so I now concentrate on getting comfortable when typing, sitting, etc.
Almost everyone I talked to told me to incorporate gravity exercises lying on my stomach, and shoulders are pushed down and then shoulder blades squeezed together and held for 5 seconds. This is done 10 times in a row. Another exercise people are probably not familiar with is standing against a wall with your glutes, shoulders. and upper back/head touching the wall and your feet slightly out in front. First you tuck your chin down to the chest and arms are lifted up to just under shoulder height and you press as hard as your can pushing your lower back and shoulders into the wall and hold for 20 second - 3 sets.
Don't ask me why but this helps so many of my joints for a mobility exercise. Last I take a low weight set of DB's - maybe 10 lbs and sit with my back straight, arms by side holding the DB's. Lift the DB's to straight out to the side to the shoulder height, then immediately to the front like a front hold and then immediately straight armed up over your head. It doesn't end there, you do a sh. press and reverse what you just did. This is done until your shoulders are fatigued, low weight, and knock on wood it has helped with no shoulder pain. I also grab a band and keep my elbows by my side and if you can't, put a little ball under your arm against the body and make sure it doesn't fall and pull the band apart. Not meant to build muscle - this is a warm up, using little muscles that don't get used in a lot of heavier exercises.
That is what I do - might sound like a long time but in total mobility work before weights is 15 minutes and I do the entire body each time no matter what I am training albeit you don't have to do your upper body if doing legs unless you are concerned about a real sore shoulder and lifting 45 lb plates and getting into awkward positions. I just consider this maintenance like getting a massage / seeing a chiropractor each month.
I still find some shoulder exercises cause pressure and an uncomfortable feeling in shoulders. I can do any pressing exercise without pain, and face pulls with two ropes so you can take your hands back past your face and it works the back of the shoulders, upper back, all the muscles between your shoulder blades. I prefer it light and high rep to ensure perfect form. I incorporate upright rows and some shrugs in from time to time but my neck grows too much (genetics) so I do one every workout. I am yet to be able to do any amount of weight for shoulder lateral raises which many consider one if not the best for wide shoulders. I would disagree with that statement - I believe pressing exercises of different variations are the best mass buildings.
Comments / opinion / suggestions for healthy shoulders as I suspect everyone who has lifted years to decades has had shoulder issues.
Cheers,
GR
I had my share of shoulder injuries, but nothing serious (define serious - anything that requires surgery). Some kept me away from weights / some were just a little annoying.
I went to a physiotherapist and a neurological osteopath to learn a short routine before all upper body workouts. Curious what others do.
I was told much is due to too much strength/muscle in the front and muscle imbalance in the back - the muscles that naturally keep your shoulder's back and not hunched over. I blame a lot of the accidental hunching over from working in an office chair in front of a computer so I now concentrate on getting comfortable when typing, sitting, etc.
Almost everyone I talked to told me to incorporate gravity exercises lying on my stomach, and shoulders are pushed down and then shoulder blades squeezed together and held for 5 seconds. This is done 10 times in a row. Another exercise people are probably not familiar with is standing against a wall with your glutes, shoulders. and upper back/head touching the wall and your feet slightly out in front. First you tuck your chin down to the chest and arms are lifted up to just under shoulder height and you press as hard as your can pushing your lower back and shoulders into the wall and hold for 20 second - 3 sets.
Don't ask me why but this helps so many of my joints for a mobility exercise. Last I take a low weight set of DB's - maybe 10 lbs and sit with my back straight, arms by side holding the DB's. Lift the DB's to straight out to the side to the shoulder height, then immediately to the front like a front hold and then immediately straight armed up over your head. It doesn't end there, you do a sh. press and reverse what you just did. This is done until your shoulders are fatigued, low weight, and knock on wood it has helped with no shoulder pain. I also grab a band and keep my elbows by my side and if you can't, put a little ball under your arm against the body and make sure it doesn't fall and pull the band apart. Not meant to build muscle - this is a warm up, using little muscles that don't get used in a lot of heavier exercises.
That is what I do - might sound like a long time but in total mobility work before weights is 15 minutes and I do the entire body each time no matter what I am training albeit you don't have to do your upper body if doing legs unless you are concerned about a real sore shoulder and lifting 45 lb plates and getting into awkward positions. I just consider this maintenance like getting a massage / seeing a chiropractor each month.
I still find some shoulder exercises cause pressure and an uncomfortable feeling in shoulders. I can do any pressing exercise without pain, and face pulls with two ropes so you can take your hands back past your face and it works the back of the shoulders, upper back, all the muscles between your shoulder blades. I prefer it light and high rep to ensure perfect form. I incorporate upright rows and some shrugs in from time to time but my neck grows too much (genetics) so I do one every workout. I am yet to be able to do any amount of weight for shoulder lateral raises which many consider one if not the best for wide shoulders. I would disagree with that statement - I believe pressing exercises of different variations are the best mass buildings.
Comments / opinion / suggestions for healthy shoulders as I suspect everyone who has lifted years to decades has had shoulder issues.
Cheers,
GR
