how to adapt HST to my specific challenges

Q

quirky12

New Member
Hello, new to HST but really liking all that I have read about it so far. I'm in my late 40's and have been working out since I was a teenager. I had an 8 year layoff, but am now back at it. I started last year and enjoyed the muscle memory phenomenon, but also noticed my rotator cuff started acting up. I did the layoff, ice, ibuprofin, stretches, pressure point therapy, etc. I had some relief, but it always came back. I went to a chiropractor this year and one thing he noticed was a muscle imbalance between my pecs/front delts and my rear delts and traps. I have to increase my traps/upper back strength, which should put my shoulder in better balance and keep my shoulders from rolling forward.

I am thinking of doing the hst without chest/front delt work and wondered if anyone has encountered anything like this before, and any advice will, of course, be appreciated.
 
One of, if not the best, exercises for upper back/trap development is heavy Dead Lifts. If you don’t have any medical reasons not to do them then I highly suggest them. If you can do lighter chest delt work I would keep up on that, probably cutting back on volume to but not cutting it out completely. Another thing that might help is also to switch you chest delt exercises over to Dumbbells which give a more free range of motion.

I’ve never had rotator cuff problems (knock on wood) but I understand there are exercises that can help with that. I’m sure someone else with knowledge will chime in but in the mean time check the internet for exercises suggestions.
 
Thanks. At my best, I deadlifted 500lbs, but that was years ago. I've always done shrugs, and a lot of back work. I was surprised when he said there was an imbalance, but I guess it is there. Does anyone do heavy pulls in a rack from around knee level? Think that would help more than regular deadlifts? And, when I do standard rotator cuff strengthening exercises, my shoulders get very sore. Any advice there?
 
I think that everyone here who likes to Dead Lift seriously also incorporate Rack Pulls. I’m not sure where others set the safety bars but many people like to do Rack Pulls from near their sticking point if they have one. I think I’m the only sumo-style Dead Lifter here who participates regularly so my sticking point is the ground. So I tend to do my Rack Pulls from just above knee level to get use to the heavier weights. Platform Dead Lifts help with my sticking point.

Sorry I can’t help with any specifics about rotator cuff exercises. About the only experience I can relate is that Dumbbells seem to put less stress on my shoulders than Barbells which cause less than machines.
 
quirky12 said:
Hello, new to HST but really liking all that I have read about it so far. I'm in my late 40's and have been working out since I was a teenager. I had an 8 year layoff, but am now back at it. I started last year and enjoyed the muscle memory phenomenon, but also noticed my rotator cuff started acting up. I did the layoff, ice, ibuprofin, stretches, pressure point therapy, etc. I had some relief, but it always came back. I went to a chiropractor this year and one thing he noticed was a muscle imbalance between my pecs/front delts and my rear delts and traps. I have to increase my traps/upper back strength, which should put my shoulder in better balance and keep my shoulders from rolling forward.

I am thinking of doing the hst without chest/front delt work and wondered if anyone has encountered anything like this before, and any advice will, of course, be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Yeah, man, I'd just treat the situation as if I were injured. If my right elbow has tendonitis, I work out everything that won't aggravate the injury. Can you do stuff that indirectly hits those areas? If not, the problem gets complicated.
 
Hi,

I have rotator cuff issues to.
Lots of deep tissue massage, but it never really fixes it. I guess its something we have to live with as we get older.

I've done rotator cuff exercises as part of my warm up for a few years now, and think that they do make a difference.
I used to do them just with light dumbbells - 2/3 sets of 15 for each exercise. (Dont do them to failure) I've recently switched to cable movements for the same exercises, as dumbbells are affected by gravity, whereas cables are better at isolation for them.
I do about 3 different movements for the rotators.

I have also stopped going as low as I used to on dips, which was a major aggravating factor.

Hope this helps... you're not alone!

Brix
 
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