pain in shoulders

[hawkeyes56]

everytime I do any iso shoulder movements I have pain in my shoulders for about a week anytime I bench press afterwards even if I just use 20lb dbells... I want to add some shape to my shoulders but it just doesnt seem possible without sacrificing my bench... any ideas?

 

[Fearhk213]

I'd try and find exactly where the pain is coming from first. If 20 lbs db's are hurting you...something ain't right, so you might need to rehad something. Most likely it's an AC joint thing or rotator cuff. But you never know there's always tendonitis, bursitis, bone spurs, tears, ligament stuff, etc. So again, find out what's causing the pain. If it's ac or rotator I'll tell you what I did and am still doing. I'm just getting over some ac and rotator stuff in one of mine. I'm going to a chiropractor who's experienced in working with bodybuilders and powerlifters and he's helped stabilize my ac and my scapula to help with the rotator.

But the most important thing for me was...rest. I didn't do any pressing movements for chest or shoulders for a couple of weeks and began doing rotator cuff exercies. Then I, started working chest presses back in and found which angles (incline,flat,or decline)I could handle better. But I lifted very light and slowly worked back up.

When I started direct shoulder stuff (about a week or so after starting chest presses) again it was light db's and cables, with NO OVERHEAD PRESSES. A few times I did upright rows during this time...bad mistake. It flared the ac up for a couple of weeks. If you insist on not laying off shoulder presses, stick to the alternate db presses were you start with your arms in the same spot you'd end a close-grip pulldown; it's a little less bothersome to the shoulder. But, honestly I'd stick with side laterals and front raise till you get it under control. I'm sure there's many on this site who can attest to the problems an unattended pain in the shoulder can lead to.

After about 4 months I'm 85%. One of the best things I did a couple of weeks ago was take another week off, it did my recovery wonders. My bench is back with only minor ac pain for a couple of days after and no rotator problems. I still go easy on the overheads, doing only one a workout and sticking to the one I mentioned earlier or Arnolds. Just be smart, rest it, don't be scared to lift some wussy weight if you got to, and be patient. Hope that helps at least some. Good luck.

 

[Mach .78]

I will only add .02 cents since Fear did such a good job explaining his situation. Google, Trigger point therapy. I bought a book on it where the guy explained how to actually get up into the shoulder joint area and release "trigger points" affecting that area. It's my sub-scapularis that keeps giving me problems. It is covered by the shoulder blade. You have to release it up in the arm pit. My wife always gets freaked out when I put a broom handle up in there to hit it. She's a massage therapist and is always warning me about endangerment sites, nerves, arteries etc.....Good kuck.

 

[guyfromkop2]

what kind of shoulder movements and pressing movements do you you do? do you use a smith machine?

 

[hawkeyes56]

thanks for the input... the pain doesnt actually come when I am doing the shoulder work I can do my shoulder workouts fine it is when I go back to do a bench workout afterwards that I have the pain and perhaps pain isnt really a good way to describe it more like annoying feeling... I am sure you know what I mean

 

[guyfromkop2]

so do you do your shoulders before bench?

because when you do bench, especially heavy bench, you're shoulders get blasted, i know a lot of really heavy benchers that only do light shoulder work after they bench, never before

 

[hawkeyes56]

I do my shoulders 2 days after my bench and just do lateral and front raises and occasionally arnold presses... no military presses... I lift at our fire station and we do not have a smith machine