rotator cuff?

When you use DB's your shoulders will move through their range of motion more naturally and you are less likely to have impingement problems.
 
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(DennisRB @ Oct. 12 2006,04:32)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Yeah.  Should I be?</div>
No, that's pretty hard on the RC if it's not very strong. I used to do them that way and had problems. Ever since I switched to seated shoulder presses and only go down to my chin, I haven't had any problems.
 
I tired out some rotator cuff work after my normal routine. I tried to go extra light so I wouldnt hurt myself. The article says you should be able to do 10% of your CG bench which is about 15% weaker than regular bench which would put me at about 17.5lbx8. I went with 5lbs and did 2x15... I wish I would have iced my shoulders like they recommended. Even with massage and icy hot it still feels like ice picks in my shoulders. You think weak external rotator muscles are the reason I can OH BB press about 125 5RM but only OH DB press 45s 5RM?
 
I am right-handed, and I have always had problems with my right shoulder probably from chronic over-use doing everyday things. Today I did seated external DB rotations and bingo!, my right shoulder had much more of an imbalance than my left-shoulder. Both rotator's were weak, but the right was definitely more imbalanced and painful hence my chronic problems with right shoulder.
Needless to say, I am adding these at the end of every workout from now on.
 
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(bgates1654 @ Oct. 12 2006,19:28)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">You think weak external rotator muscles are the reason I can OH BB press about 125 5RM but only OH DB press 45s 5RM?</div>
No, that seems normal
 
I am one who can use almost as much weight with dumbells. I haven't used a barbell in awhile, but I would guess I can press about 135 overhead. I am currently pressing 62.5 dumbells for 4 sets of 5. I love DBs and I think it is partly SAID principle, if you press dumbells all the time, your body adapts specifically and gets good at it.
 
I don't believe that dumbbells are as good for mass building as the bb is, primarily because you're able to use more weight with barbells, but if someone thinks differently due to scientific evidence I'll read it.
 
<div></div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">Ever since I switched to seated shoulder presses and only go down to my chin, I haven't had any problems.
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I'd like to second that. I do shoulder presses this way a long time now and they've never given me any trouble.
 
This forum recommended I add the BB military press in the first place! I think I will keep alternating BB and DB, but only go down to the chin with the BB.

Thanks guys.
 
BB is for sure better for mass than DB's because more weight can be used. But that doesn't really mean anything if using BB causes pain and you have to stop doing MP's all together because of shoulder problems.
 
For sure Bulldog. No BB press until my shoulder is OK, then I will try it down to the chin only and see how it goes.

I tried the external rotations with my non injured side. In that article they said you should be able to do 8 reps of the external rotation exercise of using 9% of your close grip bench 1RM.

My 8RM for that exercises was 13.25kg
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So that would mean I would have to be able to close grip bench over 145kg for there to be an imbalance!!! That's a LOT heavier than what I can lift. My best has been 5 reps of 100kg on the bench.

Should I bother with the external rotator exercises?
 
I would do them because it can only help you. It's not going to cause any problems unless you have a RC tear but it doesn't sound like that's the case. But I'm no doctor so please proceed with caution.

I would also be sure you stretch your chest good when you get done working out if you don't already. If your chest is not flexible enough to allow your arms to go back far enough and you are forcing them back to be able to perform the overhead exercises it could be contributing to your problem. Be sure you stretch those pecks good.
 
My shoulder is heaps better already. Still a bit sore. I think it might have been a slight ligament stretch or something? I get a few clicks from it and mild soreness. I done over head press today and it didn't seem to aggravate it. But I will do the external rotations anyway, plus stretch better.

What are some good stretch exercises for the chest?
 
You can put your hand on a door/wall/poll, and slowly rotate your body in the other direction.

With a straight arm will stretch the pecs, anterior delt and biceps (most people feel it mostly in the biceps at the elbow, which is still good), and with a bent elbow at 90 degrees, it will stretch the chest, shoulder and internal rotators. Get an instructor to check your technique if you go to a gym.
 
I'm glad your shoulder is starting to feel better.  Trust me you don't want any more problems than you have now.  My shoulder problems kept me from lifting for a couple of years when I first started having problems.  Now I try to make sure I do the external rotator exercises all the time.  Occasionally I forget or just get lazy and don't do them and I almost always have some problems shortly after that.  So I try to make sure I always do them.

If you can find a copy of the book I posted earlier for a decent price I would recommend picking it up.  But the prices on Amazon are outragous....although it is the best book on the RC that I have seen.
 
''I completely gave any kind of benching for 8 weeks while I worked on my rotator cuffs. My incline bench went up by 9% during that time.''

You steve, thats impressive, especially considering your strength.

I found out a couple of days ago I have a horrible imbalance. I won't bench for at least 6 weeks. I'm doing the exericise charles poliquin recommended. Should I stop military pressing as well? What other rotator cuff exercises should I be doing?
 
The only thing most people need to do are the external rotator exercises. Don't specifically work your internal rotators unless you need to rehabilitate an internal rotator injury. Otherwise you will just make your problem worse.
 
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