[jonnyjames]

Whats going on everyone? So I got into Bodybuilding about three months ago and have seen great results, I have dropped about 30 pounds of fat, and gained probably about 10 pounds of muscle. My question is about working my shoulders. I have taken it very easy on them from the beggining but just a couple of days ago I upped the intensity in my shoulder workout.... basicly my shoulders are still sore as hell about three days later and i went to the gym today to work back but my shoulders were so sore that in the first couple reps of seated rows I had to stop. Is this bad?? Or should i just take a little break???

[Jayhawkk]

Shoulders usually get a lot of indirect work through many other exercises. ZIt's quite possible you need to adjust your training routine. Putting shoulders a day before bak isn't probably a good idea if you're trying to increase size and are lifting heavy.

[Knowbull]

injuries can ruin progress, patience is required, dont expect to see anything in terms of gains for 3 years, slow and steady wins the race, lifting sub-maximal is key JMO hope that helps

[suncloud]

take a week off training them directly. if they're still sore, you shouldn't train them - but that doesn't mean you can't work them out indirectly.

something that worked for me - you might be the same is:

one day i was doing leg extensions with around 600 ish. i was sore as heck the next day. so when i went back to the gym, i did a set of leg extensions (slow, steady reps of 10 with full contraction and extension) with about 1/4 of my training weight (150 lbs). then i moved on to my regular workout. what it does (for me at least) is get some blood flowing into the muscles, but not challenging them enough for them to hurt more. the rest of the day i felt a little better, and the next day i was 90% recovered.

what part of your delt is hurting? front middle or rear?

[jonnyjames]

Originally Posted by suncloud

take a week off training them directly. if they're still sore, you shouldn't train them - but that doesn't mean you can't work them out indirectly.

something that worked for me - you might be the same is:

one day i was doing leg extensions with around 600 ish. i was sore as heck the next day. so when i went back to the gym, i did a set of leg extensions (slow, steady reps of 10 with full contraction and extension) with about 1/4 of my training weight (150 lbs). then i moved on to my regular workout. what it does (for me at least) is get some blood flowing into the muscles, but not challenging them enough for them to hurt more. the rest of the day i felt a little better, and the next day i was 90% recovered.

what part of your delt is hurting? front middle or rear?

i'd probably say middle, there is also some joint pain as well. I just started using some joint repair though so hopefully that will help.

[suncloud]

if it is your middle, do not train your delts directly. i had a nasty accident with that. do indirect (back exercises etc) with lighter weights if needed, and after a weeks rest, train them a little lighter than you did last time.

my middle delt went out on me, and i thought no biggie. i was doing military press, and my elbow moved an inch further back (elbow started moving back) than it should have, transferring all the weight of the military press to my middle delts, and i pulled something bad. had to take two weeks off. better to train light for a week, than to get injured like that. frikken sucked. i'm guessing you haven't trained your middle delts from side raises, or rear delts from face down rear delt raises. they'll get up to speed quick - just give them the time they need off.

[jonnyjames]

I am definatley going to give them a break, I actually was doing side raises for the first time in that workout I went pretty heavy but still really slow reps..... I probably should have just gone lighter. Thanks for the help!

[planetfuzz]

When I am too sore to workout but I still want to go to the gym I'll do a light circuit of several exercises that are not too challenging. I always see a very large stride in recovery the day after.