Looking for your opinions concerning new routine

K

kaos

New Member
I had started a routine previously but switched to the Rippetoe starting strength and although I'm still progressing, my left shoulder is starting to hurt and I believes it's because of the benching.

Here's what I'm thinking.

Mon and Fri

squats
dips
chins
incline db
bb rows
upright row(I'm not sure, I have to see if they bother me)
abs

Wednesday

deadlift
bench
chins
incline db
bb rows
bb curls (just one set time permitting)
abs

My main question is on keeping the bench. The only reason I'm even keeping it is because I have an old goal that was started years ago about benching my weight. I'm hoping that with the reduced frequency and since I won't always be going heavy on them, I can hold off issues with my shoulder.

Is it still still too risky? I guess the might depend on my body. Or should I just give up that goal? What would you do?
 
Hmmm, what do you guys think about this? I do have a tendancy to squeeze and possibly try to push the bar up. I might have trust issues with the bar falling down my back. Not that it ever has. It just more subconscious than anything else.

My shoulders didn't start hurting again until i started benching again, but I also started squatting again. I can tell my elbows do hurt just a tad when squatting.

So is there any harm in using a wider grip on the squat?

http://www.deepsquatter.com/strength/archives/manrodt3.htm

***Another common example of static contraction is the shoulders in the squat. When the bar is placed across the back, you instinctively push against it with your arms. Obviously, you can squat more than you can press behind the neck (I hope!) So, you may be doing a maximum effort static contraction with your shoulders in a protracted position, unless you consciously remember to not push with your arms. I have found that sometimes I have to cut short a set of high rep squats because my shoulders are burning so bad, or I get a muscle spasm in one of my delts. I have solved this problem by gripping the bar wider, and not as tightly.***
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">So is there any harm in using a wider grip on the squat?</div>

I wouldn't think so. When doing squats, I used a wide stance and grip with no problems.
 
If you are going to alternate stuff, you may as well alternate each major bodypart. Also, why no overhead presses? You talk about shoulder problems due to benching, but what about overhead presses? I would do them if you don't have issues. Just start light if you have to, even just military presses with the bar and no weights to start is better than nothing.

Also, if you have chronic shoulder issues with benching, you should make sure your form is good. Check out rotator cuff stuff too, maybe that could be part of the problem. But... crap form is just as often the culprit, in my opinion.

Bentover rows on the same day as deads. If you are doing weighted chins, do those on the day you do deads, and do bentover rows on the day you do squats.
I would go more like this and instead of doing multiple movements per bodypart during each session, I would just do more reps. Of course, there are some people here who will disagree with me... but this is what I like to do. That way you can really focus on the lift. I don't know about you, but by the second set, I'm just getting started. It's only the third, fourth and fifth sets where I am really getting into it. That's just in the 5s though, I wouldn't do more than two or three sets in the 10s.

So, if I were you, here is how I would do it:

Mon and Fri

squats
dips
bb rows
upright row
weighted crunches

Wednesday

deadlift
bench
chins
military press
bb curls
weighted situps
 
Thanks for the replies.

Tot, good point on rows. I even knew that, but in my haste thinking about the bench I hadn't really put too much thought in the rest of the program. It was still a work in progress.

Good eye on the lack of military press. Currently I'm doing the Rippetoe starting program and that includes benching and mil press. So two reasons why I took it out

1: Based on the program I listed my front delts would have been worked too much. They get worked even when I bench and during the inclines. They always seem to be sore. I think I might be a front delt pusher and might explain some of my issues.

2. I took it out just in case that was aggravating things. Even though when i work it out, it feels fine.

But after looking at the program you listed, I'm liking it more. I was trying to stick to the Vanilla program as much as possible.I became tunneled vision. I would rather actually do more sets as opposed to more exercises. Much less hassle at a packed gym as well.

About the form. I totally agree and I think that's why I have issues now from my past benching, but I really have tried to get my form down this past cycle. I've tried to do everything exactly like it's listed in the starting strength book. But I'm sure I still have tons to learn about proper form.

I forgot to say, but I end every workout with RC stuff as well.

I'll probably go with that above program and see how my shoulders feel. I really like the fact that my front delts won't get much work on Mon and Fri so that can only help and help in pin pointing on what exactly is causing me grief.
 
Well... if you are having problems with benching and shoulder issues, you could just drop bench entirely for now. Or do incline instead. Incline seems to cause less problems for most people. If you drop bench, you could just do dips on Weds. That might also help you pinpoint the shoulder problem.

Oh, and a good solid SD could help with the shoulder too.
 
True. That was my original instinct was to drop it and see if that changed anything. I was just being hard headed in keeping them.
sad.gif
Personally I like doing dips better anyway.

Hmmm switching them for incline DB's seem like a good alternative. Thanks for giving some excellent things to think about.

It really has to be the benching that is causing me grief. The entire time I was training with KB's even doing the same workout 4 days a week and they all included shoulder presses, my shoulders were fine. It just acted up when I got back into the gym and started benching and squatting heavy. It would be really cook if the issues were caused by squatting, but that is a long shot.
 
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