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Training delts when you have a rotator cuff problem?


Sinom
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Hello gymnastic bodies,

 

I have a question about shoulder training that I hope you can help me with.

 

Is it acceptable to train your deltoids when you have problems with your rotator cuff, if there is no pain?

 

After an injury some weeks ago I noticed that I cannot use my shoulder if the scapula is depressed, but I have no pain at all if it is protracted, so I can do my planch training without pain… But I’m quite scared about prolonging my rotator cuff problem, because I have developed an addiction to gymnastics, and the last weeks without training has been very depressing.   

 

I have been training gymnastics for about 10 months, and have generally been very pleased about both skill and strength gains. I train every day, but I have tried to adjust the training to signals from my body, and I stayed 100% free of injury.

 

Then I was stupid! Workout in a gym with a younger(and stronger…) brother… For those of you with brothers you will understand the competition went crazy, and after a shoulder session including my first 5 sec back lever(yay), human flag and planch training we ended up with maxing on the bench press(with horrible form and flaring elbows)…. Looking back I’m very annoyed at myself for being so stupid, but the result was an injury in the ligament of one of the rotator cuff muscles, sharp pain and inability to use the shoulder for some days, and now a slow receding of pain over the last few weeks.  

 

-Sinom-

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Jake Lawrance

Right now you should definitely 100% focus on scapula stability. As someone who has suffered several injuries, cut your volume back by at least 50-70% and half the intensity. During your training sessions really focus on how your shoulders and scapula is positioned, make it feel comfortable. Do prehab and rehab work for your sessions. 

 

Before beginning your workout do some shoulder stability and mobility work with bands (keep it low intensity) and then after focus on specific rotator cuff exercises at low intensity and really only go maximum 3 sets, just listen to your body because I have no idea about the amount of damage on the cuffs. 

 

Mainly focus on your prehab and rehabs and take it EASY. Rotator cuff problems can start causing problems deeper inside your glenohumeral joint if you're not careful.

 

Other than that, if you keep up your recovery work for about 4 weeks you should be fine and barely lost any strength.

 

Edit: Damn I always miss something! Each week add an extra set to your rehab work. Plus, if you need video demonstrations just say, most exercises I have taken from other experts like my physiotherapist and 'overcoming gravity'.

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Joshua Naterman

It's been said, but is worth repeating: Focus on movement quality, and first and foremost focus on scapular stability.

 

You can do everything that you can maintain proper scapular motion and position during. Rotator cuff work should be in there.

 

You have to work into this next bit over a few weeks (3-6, depending on the person) but you need to be doing 1-2 sets of light rotator work nearly every day. 5-7 days per week. This is like warm up, except you only do work sets 2-3 days per week. As was mentioned, three work sets should be plenty. You will want to scale into this by adding one set per week, at most, as has been mentioned, until you hit 3 work sets.

 

Go easier than you think you should for the daily work, and SLOWLY explore what the "right" amount of resistance for that work is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Having said all of that, yes it is ok to train anything you want, including deltoids, as long as there is no pain and no weird stuff going on. If movement isn't good, don't do that movement with so much resistance.

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Thank you very much for the advice guys.

 

I will definitively include more shoulder stability work. Jake if you have some videos you recommend, please do share. I know there is tons of stuff on youtube, but it is not always easy for laymen to assess the quality.

 

I have used resistance bands quite a lot from before, and I thought both mobility and stability was quite good since I have never felt pain or had any problems. However I have never done any heavy work focusing on the rotator cuff muscles specifically, mainly stretching and warm up.

 

Regarding scapula positioning, this is something I developed a conscious relationship to after reading Dillons post on scapula position. This was the post that introduced me to GB actually, and it was a revelation for me. After that I have tried to focus a lot on form for all my exercises, but as I mentioned in the post I think my injury came not from doing my gymnastics routine, but from maxing the bench press in the gym with horrible form.

 

-Sinom-

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Jake Lawrance

Ahh that scapula positioning must have kept you free from injury then! But your scapula is never complete without stability work, I've sworn to myself to keep doing it till the day I die and put my training buddy doing it all too :) I will get some videos up for you in about 3 or 4 hours, tad busy right this second!

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Joshua Naterman

Bad form on bench is a 100% accurate way to develop shoulder problems. It is the Gungnir of shoulder busters.

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Jake Lawrance

Hey again, sorry got caught up with other things last night! I've lost my bands somewhere so I'll share a couple of exercises from my physiotherapist on his youtube channel (probably worth subscribing) seeing as he also helped to rehabilate my sisters labrum :)

 

 

This is something I'll do maybe twice a month if I've been sitting down working a lot and I turn to a hunchback. 

 

Soon as I find my bands I'll upload some! Also as another warm up exercise, do wall slides (suppose coach has instructions on here somewhere).

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Jake Lawrance

This one by Charles Poliquin I focus on for about 4-5 sets at the end of my workout, it's an extremely good exercise. I must say no more. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQS-tXL1CLg

 

Edit: It's possible without cable machines. I have an old lat pull down on my bench which I've wrapped a karate belt around and used the belt as the 'ropes' :)

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