I have trained many people. After talking to most people in the gym, i realized most people have some sort of shoulder injury. I think there are many cause that could damage the shoulder. Things that can cause injury are as followed, baad form, too much weight, muscle imbalances, out of date exercises such as behind the neck pull downs. There are many Exercises that put alot of pressure on the rotator cuff. Its not that theses exercises are bad but when nearing fatigue they become dangerous if form is not perfect. Also alot of people dont train there rotator cuff. The muscle around the rotator cuff become stronger and and strong, but getting the weight into place for people to do certain exercises uses these muscles.
The shoulder is made up of the humerous, clavicle, and scapula. The humerous is kept in place by soft conective tissue. The muscle in the rotator are the supra spinatus, infra spinatus, subscapularis and teres minor. these muscles are responsible for internal and external rotation and assist in circumduction. There are many tendons and ligaments in the shoulder that can be injured due to improper lifting technique, repetitive motions, sports with vigorous circumduction, aging,trauma,poor posture and alot of above the head motions in jobs. My point is it is amazing joint because it has so much range of motiont but is very susceptiple to injury. I feel like when people decide to play any sport or do anything invovling the should they should be given an intruction dvd and booklet along with lectures from a 80 year old man that cant lifting his should because of the the thing she should not have done when he was younger. Tha bring me to my next point that can help get you as bodybuilders muscular with lowering your possiblities of injury during exercie and everyday uses. In an articel in flex magazine Frank Zane one of the greatest bodybuilders of all times was asked, "Was the early heavy lifting important for giving you a foundation on which you later built physique" and frank zane answers, " well, it gave me mass, but i’ll tell you one thing- if i had to do it all over again, i don’t think i would have dont it. It just gets you injured"(flex magazine 108). So if you dont belive it from me belive it from one of the best.
This brings me to my next point weight lifting. I love weight lifting and i have had my fare shar of injuries. Alot of them i could have avoided but at the time i did not know any better. Thata is why i am spreading the word because like many of you i want to be able to lift weights my whole life and i see many people that cant because of miostakes that could have been avoided.
the first exercise i would like to discuss is bench press. It is on of the best exercise when done properly, but many people use to much weight and go for too few of reps for it to be effective and safe. For hypertrophy reason only and strength bench press should be done by placing the feet on the floor slight arch in the back, whole body tight, when the weight is un racked you should come down only to the point in which the elbows are at 90 degrees. I realize for bench press competitions the competitior must touch the chest but i am stricley talking about working out while being safe and taking care of the shoulder girdle. Most injuries occur when the eccentric phase is quickley shifted to the concentric phase. There are types of training where burst training is incorpurated but normally its with 50 percent of the one rep max so keep that in mind. dont bounce off your sternum and dont go below 5 reps(unless your powerlifting).
the next exercise i will be talking about is shoulder presses they should not be done from behind the neck unless you stop in which your elbows are at 90 degrees. going below that can put strain of the rotator cuff. never bounce the weight off of the bones of the shoulders. There are many good exercises for the shoulders that i love but can be dangerouse just be awar of form and keeping your body completely tight. Push press, split jerk, clean and press, lateral raise, wide grip rows( for rear delts and traps, and teres major, rhomboids etc) barbell and dumbell snatches. Get a trainer or afreind to watch your for when performing these exercises. They are all great exercise but when done wrong can make the exercise more dangerous. for example the power clean is a awesome whole body exercie but when done wrong people turn it into a almost cheat curl designed to tear bicepts or a upright row which is is anything but a upright row. Upright rows are also a dangerous exercise. i like doing them but keep in mind dont go to heavy on them because they do incorporated the supraspinatus(the rotaor cuff) so slow and controlled if you do them i could go on and on on many different exercise just learn the right perform and execute it precisley.Form is key
behind the neck pulldowns is another exercise i see people hurt them selfs on. if you are going to do them stop when you elbows are at 90 degree dont go all the way down to the neck in then uses the small rotator cuff muscle. think of it this way you last and biceps are very strong compared to the rotator cuff and going all the way down is taking all of the weight and shifting alot of it from the biceps and the lats to tiny muscle responsible for internat rotation.
well that about does for this entry and i could go on and on but if have any question or complaints. i write free workouts and diets. so if you have and question please ask. i aam a acertified personal trainer by the issa and working on the nasm and also i am in school to become a physical therapy so i have a love of fitness and a background that keeps me learning and i want share with other so they do not become injured and can do all of the getting big or ripped or strong with the least amont of pssibility of getting injured. my next post will be on traing the muscle of the roator cuff. and balance of the body. Anterior and poterior balance of the body and posture.
Leave Comment