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Fix Your Shoulders

Just read a study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research comparing the shoulder function and flexibiity of people who weight-trained to those who didn't, and guess what?  If you weight train, your shoulders are more likely to get hurt.

This is from the study's abstract: 

The findings of this investigation suggest that RWT [recreational weight training] participants are predisposed to strength and mobility imbalances as a result of training. The imbalances identified have been associated with shoulder disorders in the general and athletic population; thus, these imbalances may place RWT participants at risk for injury.

This probably doesn't come as a huge surprise to regular MPF readers.  As I've said before, probably too often, most people train hell-bent-for-leather trying to get big, buff, and/or lean and cut, and give little to no thought to function or long-term health in the process.  So they bench, bench, bench, maybe overhead press, maybe lat pulldown once in a while, probably to the back of their neck, but they NEVER row, stretch, foam roll, or do dynamic mobility work.  That stuff's just a waste of time, it looks silly, and it's just too out there. 

The researchers know this--and mention it in their conclusion:

Common training patterns are biased toward large muscle groups such as the pectorals and deltoids but neglect muscles responsible for stabilization such as the external rotators and lower trapezius.

The bodybuilding model--which, again, MOST people are drawing from when they hit up the gym--favors aesthetics above all else.  It's also a ridiculous, myopic way of training. 

Consider:  you go to the gym so you can pump up to look good.  The whole reason we are programmed, on some primitive level, to think that muscles look good, is because they are associated with what a muscular person can DO.  Said the caveman to his friend:  "Oogark has big arms and shoulders.  He looks like he can protect us.  Let's make him chief of the tribe."  Said the cavewoman to her sisters, "Eelah is lean and fit and has fabulous glutes.  She will bear many children and be able to carry them great distances.  Let us make her our queen." 

If our training is making us LESS capable, LESS functional, LESS able to move and run and reach and lift things than we were before--isn't that, well, STUPID? 

Ahhh, I'm preaching to the choir here, but come on, just think about it for a second!  Shouldn't training make you, you know, healthier?  More capable? 

Fortunately, I found a terrific antidote to the very problem that this study describes, courtesy of Mr. Jim Smith of Diesel Crew.  Below is a video of a 2-minute shoulder warm-up that addresses a lot of common shoulder issues.  I think it's one of the best, most complete shoulder-focused warmups I've ever seen.  Do this before you hit the bench and you'll save your shoulders a lot of grief:

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“Weight Training” is pretty much a blanket statement. It’s pretty obvious the average person’s training is extremely detrimental to his or her health. You see all this with people who are either too top heavy, too front heavy, or too arm heavy. By heavy I mean muscle not fat. I like to call them “Symetrically Saturated”. Most of the time the shoulders get injured or are in pain because they are overused, and the larger muscle groups are not being used, like the article said. Nobody really notices that your traps have more to do with shoulder health than the actual shoulder. If you focused on Vertical Push/Pull & Horizontal Push/Pull in BALANCE, I can guarantee you strong healthy shoulders. Eric Cressey has a great 3-Part article called “Shoulder Savers”.

Why do people train for appearance and struggle, when they can train for performance and gain appearance as well? In less time too.
I’ve seen good shoulder results from this

Only after disaster can we be resurrected.

by Pereza on Jan 22, 2009 5:53 PM EST reply actions  

Maximum strength

Well, I guess I know why Eric Cressey includes prone trap raises and side lying external rotations into his Max Strength workout plan now. I feel kinda stupid using wussy weights, but 3 sets of 12 reps of those even without any external resistance is already hard.

On a separate note: how much of the upper body can you really foam roll anyway? I usually don’t feel much when I try…

by ectonoob on Jan 22, 2009 7:00 PM EST reply actions  

Foam rolling ub

UB foam rolling sites are typically the thoracic spine, lats, shoulder blade area (rhomboids), and pecs. Most people feel the hell out of the first two. If you don’t, consider yourself one lucky ectonoob.

by Andrew Heffernan on Jan 22, 2009 8:53 PM EST up reply actions  

thats a neat lil warmup........

but i agree with pereza with the push-pull stuff……..the only time i remember having shoulder problems is when i neglected to keep the proper balance.

12/19/08 - Thank you KLJ for coming into my life.

by norcaliangelsfan on Jan 22, 2009 7:10 PM EST reply actions  

Balance...

Glad you’re not one of the walking wounded. Even with the right balance, my shoulders were never 100% till I started warming up more specifically and including foam rolling and warmups like the one in the vid. Give it a try; you actually might discover your “fine” shoulders feel miraculously even better! More range of motion, better control in overhead movements, even greater strength. Plus posture improves and you get a general feeling of being more “grooved” physically. Have fun—A

by Andrew Heffernan on Jan 22, 2009 8:56 PM EST up reply actions  

also

Kettlebell Halos and RTW’s, always felt good on my shoulder.

Along the lines of foam rolling, Kyphotic Backs can have a huge impact on shoulder health. Take two lacrosse balls, tape them together all around, then place them on your thoracic back, just at the beginning of your shoulder blades with the dimple of the two balls on your spine. Do sit-ups with your upper back touching the floor each time.

Only after disaster can we be resurrected.

by Pereza on Jan 23, 2009 8:18 AM EST reply actions  

good timing

I tweak my shoulders constantly on overhead pushing exercises and pull ups and was trying to figure out a better warm up than just ratcheting up the weight. Also you’ve been mentioning the benefits of foam rolling a lot recently — I bought one awhile back and it was deformed by weeks end so I never got into the groove of it — any recommendations for rollers that will take some abuse?

by vman on Jan 23, 2009 10:54 AM EST reply actions  

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