Where is the pain? Is it sort of near the front of your shoulder? Sounds kind of like a rotator cuff tweak. I used to get it alot, especially with DB work as I would torque it the wrong way bringing weights up or down and the start/end of sets. If thats the case, then just rest it. When you don't work it for awhile, sometimes it gets tight and thats what makes it hurt a bit more, in my experience. Its really annoying cause its a stabilizer and it effects alot of lifts due to arm movements, but just let it be. Don't want to make it any worse or slow down your recovery at all.
Don't fuck around with joint injuries, that shit can be forever. If pressing hurts, stop doing it, don't try to push through. Better to lose a few weeks progress than to lose months to a major injury. Check your routine. You should have 1.5-2x as many pulling/rowing movements than pressing. A lot of people overdevelop their chest and pressing, which results in imbalances and shoulder injuries. Look in to mobility and foam rolling work. Great way to prevent injury. Apologies for linking to another forum, but there's a great list of exercises you can do here:http://forums.offtopic.com/showthread.php?t=4662839 If pain keeps up you should see a doc.
Thanks to everyone who has replied or PM'd me. I'm thinking pretty solid advice all around. Several have mentioned the need for pulling excercises to balance out development. I've never really thought about that before and certainly never worked towards any balance so I'll look into that and give it some extra rest. Who knew trying to stay in/get back in shape would be so complicated? I appreciate the help and thoughts on avoiding injuries in the future.
At the gym today, I had a realization. I need to get way bigger. Not because I have low self esteem, or because I need to feel superior to everyone, but so skinny ass kids will stop coming up to me at the gym and tell me I am squatting incorrectly. Mind you, the advice they give is terrible, such as "your legs should only come to about 120 degrees, if you go any lower you'll hurt your knees and back" or "your elbows are too close together" (wtf?). That being said, I'll be the first to admit I need to do something about my lower back/ ass doing that rounding thing (never has anyone mentioned this to me when they were "correcting" my squat, herp). I'm fairly certain that I'm keeping my lower back flat, I'm definitely flexing it as I go down and come up, but I don't have the nice squat form I see out of people who clearly know what they're doing. I see it not so much as "dangerous" as "can definitely improve." It's been the one thing I've always had trouble with, it took me a while to be able to keep a flat back during deadlifts as well, but my lower back during squats needs work. Any suggestions?
Finally broke 300+ squat. I did 275x6, 295x3 and 305x1 and I had some extra left in the tank that I should have tried for 315. Next time will be 6 plates (315).
Some background: Up until two months ago I had been running college track/cross country. I'm trying to get into lifting but still want to be able to run sometimes (so not looking to get too big). I know some of the basics but I am much more knowledgeable in regards to running than I am about anything in regards to lifting. The rough plan I have been working off of lately is Day 1: Arms (bicep/tricep) and then run Day 2: Chest and Shoulders Day 2: Back and then run I know this is a very simplified look at it but is there anything glaringly wrong with this? I'm not too worried about getting my lifts to certain weights or anything like that. Just trying to get something going that I can sustain for a while to keep me in shape since this is the first time not playing competitive sports in about 16 years and I want to get into a routine soon because for about a month or so I saw how easy it was to just slack off and relax all the time.
What he said, I have never been a fan of isolation (training certain parts of the body on alternative days), instead I prefer compound movements (squat, ohp, dead lifts, bench press). You will develop greater strength and bigger lifts through exercises that train several areas at one time.
Do you guys have any recommendations for cutting plans/phases? Ive never went through a true cutting phase cause I never really bulked up enough to need it. But in the last 3 months or so I went from the low 150s to around 168-170 and would like to cut 5-8 lbs and see where I am at. My strength has improved but I'm curious how much muscle I've actually put on. Ive contemplated just sticking to my routine, upping my cardio by 2 days more each week and cutting out alot of my carb intake, but I don't know if that is enough. Any input is appreciated.
You should not really need to change your training routine, only diet. The training is more of a function of diet than the other way around (i.e. cardio will be easier as you cut weight because you have less muscle to fill with oxygen-rich blood, and conversely having less muscle will make lifting harder). But really, your diet will ultimately determine your bodyweight.
Anyone tried or currently doing "Westside Barbell for Skinny Bastards"? Feedback on this program would be appreciated as considering this routine for the New Year. Link: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/38-articles/60-westside-for-skinny-bastards-part1.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.defrancostraining.com/articl ... part1.html</a>
It's a good program. I've never done it, but many people have had great results with it. Joe Defranco is on the cutting edge when it comes to improving human performance. He's the Yoda of the athletic training world. There's a reason the best athletes from all over the world travel to NJ and pay huge bucks to train with him.
I think we should have a friendly TiB challenge and do something like this. Of course, then there'll be a Youtube video out there of me keeling over and puking. Still looks fun though.
So after a bit of searching around and trying to feel what's actually the problem, I'm pretty sure it's my hamstring flexibilty. I've been pretty obsessive about stretching them, I've know they've been tight for a very long time and they're probably what I stretch the most, but it's still not helping when I'm getting low. Anything I can do to increase their flexibility/ actual functionality so I can keep everything from rounding?
Stretch more. Try 30s-1minute, not just until the tension is temporarily relieved. Do this 6x per day for 2 weeks, I am willing to bet that your flexibility will improve. Do this by doing a toe-touch style stretch and a "third world squat" stretch. Also stretch your calves. Do the one where you keep your toes on the edge of a staircase, and also do the one where you lie on your back & wrap a belt around your arch and pull your leg high over your head. Stretch this as much as you do for the hamstrings. Also try going into a deeper stretch.
This is a dumb question and I'm reasonably sure I know the answer, but rehabing a shoulder injury.... I've always had weak shoulders and chest. But before an injury (pinched nerve in my neck) and 18 months out of the gym - I was shoulder pressing about 125lbs. I think my 1RM would have been about 150 if I'd really pushed. My squats and deadlifts have slipped from the break, but not terribly far. Maybe 70% or 80% of what they were before. My Shoulder Press though is terrible. 40lbs wasn't controllable and I had to re-rack it to avoid dropping it on someone. 25 pounds felt like it was work. No discomfort or pain to make me think it was persistent injury - it just felt really fucking heavy. My current plan is to just continue on and ignore the numbers and keeping working like I would to improve the numbers any other time. But is there anything I should look into as an alternative or something obvious I might have overlooked?
The main thing would be to build up to your 1RM steadily, as you have not been in the gym for 18 months you will lose a lot of strength that you once had, just continue to do them and add 2.5kg or 5kg each session. The main thing to smile about is the fact that there was no pain lifting again, a lot of people often get back into the gym and find that there injury comes back because they tried to lift what they were lifting before injuring themselves.
So I did some strength training for the first time ever on Friday. Today is Monday morning and my arms are still sore as hell. Is this normal? I'm assuming it is for someone who otherwise leads a more or less completely sedentary lifestyle.
Yes, it's normal and it's a truly amazing feeling. Wait until you start squatting and have trouble walking up the stairs. For the first hour or so after the workout, you can't walk up stairs because your legs are still shaking. You're like a drunk fawn on roller skates on ice. The next day or two, you can't walk up stairs because of muscle soreness, but it's a good sore and you learn to cherish it and yearn for it when your legs aren't sore. I love that feeling. I think I'm going to squat tonight.
I've had front squat days where my abs are so tired that I don't have the ab strength to pee. anyway your body will get used to the weightlifting and you won't be as sore all the time. you could do a 2-week cycle where you do 50-70% of the weights you were planning on doing, to help you ease back in though.