Shoulder Preparation for GST

Howdy!

A few months ago when I started GST, I had some issues with a sensation in my right shoulder where I would feel a sort of sharp pain in the front of my right shoulder followed by an immediate loss of strength. The sensation wouldn't last more than about four days, so it never seemed like a major injury. This mainly happened during handstand shoulder mobilization drills in the Thoracic Bridge stretching series and Handstand 1, but mostly in Thoracic Bridge. The reason I mention this is because most of the threads I have seen regarding shoulder prehab say that what we get in the Thoracic Bridge and Handstand series should be sufficient for developing the strength and mobility/flexibility to keep us injury free. Since I'm having trouble with even working through those series without issues, is there some other shoulder prehab work that anyone suggests doing?

Thanks for taking the time to read. 

Eli

What does table inside-out (FL/PE4 iM ) feel like?

What does a wide dislocate feel like? What happens when you narrow the grip?

Which bridge mobility drills specifically? The only one I'm familiar with is sitting, arms behind you, hands close together (seen it on Facebook a few times). This will probably stress the biceps tendon (long head) a bit, like RC/PE11.

The coaches will probably ask for a video to review, so video a few of these drills, even the ones that don't hurt. There might be something you're doing they can spot.

The above post is a good start. In the first instance, if the issue is temporary and may be as simple as not performing a given drill quite right and irritating something, posting a form check video in the relevant forum can help us address that

Of course seeing a physio or other medical professional is the better option. Certainly if it is a serious problem rather than a minor irritation we cannot advise on that online.

@Nicholas Murray I'll have to go back through to see which numbered exercises give me problems. I know how to poorly describe the exercises, but that may not help y'all much. The first time I noticed the issue was when I was doing the handstands against a wall where you press your chest toward the wall to "open up" the shoulders. One of the other common exercises that causes the issue is doing the thoracic bridge presses. After just a few, it usually happens. I guess that one isn't really a "mobility" drill, but that's where I feel the issue.

As far as the other exercises you asked about - I'll have to look into them. I haven't done shoulder dislocates, and I can't recall what table inside-out is. I don't think I have tried that exercise yet. The mobility drill you were talking about is actually pretty difficult for me to do. I can't get my hands together behind me without assistance.

I'll be doing TBSS this afternoon, so I'll try to get some video of the exercises I was saying have been giving me issues. Thanks for helping me get this sorted out.

@Jon Douglas I'll definitely get checked out by a medical professional if it becomes worse. I spoke with a PT not too long ago, and he said it doesn't sound like anything serious. Just trying to figure out what I can do to try to resolve the issue before it becomes something major.

No worries. I've just tried the seated-hands-behind-you-mobe. I can't get my hands together at all  even standing up - but then I've had my shoulder capsules surgically shortened for stability.

It makes a lot of things a lot harder.

There's a short video of me trying to get into elevated bridge and do the bridge pushups that are a part of the TB series. I felt my shoulder get really close to what I've been talking about after just that second rep. I know I was really shaky and all... I assume that's because I have such a rough time even getting into the position... What do y'all think?

Thanks!

I can't see anything really obvious from this video. Your left hand starts out closer to your head, then you adjust its position.

At 0:14-0:16, your hands point in slightly different directions, and I wonder if the right shoulder is doing more work to compensate here. (this is with my massage therapy hat on).

At 0:23, your right knee is in inline with your right shoulder, but your left knee appears outside your left shoulder, and as you push up you move to the left....?? what's your left hip extension like compared with right hip extension? Does the front of your left hip feel tighter than the right?

A side view of this would be good, but I'd also like to see a view from the bottom shelf of the kettlebell rack, looking at your back. I'm just wondering what your right scapula is doing compared with the left.

Hmm. The coaches will have a better idea about this.

9 hours ago, Nicholas Murray said:

At 0:23, your right knee is in inline with your right shoulder, but your left knee appears outside your left shoulder, and as you push up you move to the left....?? what's your left hip extension like compared with right hip extension? Does the front of your left hip feel tighter than the right?

@Nicholas Murray I noticed my body didn't seem symmetrical at all when I watched the video... My left hip flexor tends to be the looser of the two. My right hip flexor is pretty tight.

10 hours ago, Nicholas Murray said:

I'm just wondering what your right scapula is doing compared with the left.

It's so interesting that you mentioned my scapula. I have always had problems with my right scapula area. I frequently get pain in between my spine and my right scapula, even when I sleep without a certain pillow. Do you think the scapula could be the culprit here? If so, is there something massage therapists could do to correct that (assuming there isn't some underlying anatomical/medical issue)?

Thanks again for the analysis!

Won't be looking into this anymore for the time being... just injured something in or around my spine doing squats. I can't seem to stay injury free to save my life 

Sorry to hear you've hurt your back.

With the scapula thing, see a physio who does mobilisations or manipulations (this is often extra training on top of a physio or PT degree).

When you breathe in and out, your ribs rotate up and down a little. Sometimes, the point where the rib joins the spine may not rotate as well as its neighbours. Perhaps this is what has happened in your case. Often, a quick, rotational movement will cause this, or sometimes a coughing spasm. Sometimes it just happens. Either way, the pain changes the way the shoulder girdle muscles work. Maybe this is what is happening here.

Hi, I am new too here at GB. And I actually have about the same issue as Elijah Therefore, I would also love to know if there are any other shoulder exercises to be done that don't strain the shoulders as much as the ones in the TB stretch series?

I do not really need to focus on flexibility but rather building strength. Getting in to and out of TB  is not an issue but to be able to hold it is. I know I need strength to be able to lock the shoulders correctly and hold positions such as TB. Strength is specially needed in the movements where my arms are fully extended and alot of weight are on my shoulders. (Doing poledancing on amateur level and for example spinning around the pole is what caused the over sensitiveness in the shoulders/rotator cuffs from the beginning.)

Any suggestions? 

And how are the TB stretch series related to the free shoulder workshops/tutorials. And with what frequency and in what order should they be done?

Many thanks from Sweden! 

HI Vanessa, unfortunately, the ability to hold the bridge position has nothing to do with stretch, in fact, if you have the adequate mobility you have basically no effort in the bridge position. the problem is the muscle tension, and when you are tight you have the sensation of fighting against 4 times your bodyweight.

Alessandro,

Did you mean to say "has nothing to do with strength"? If so, I totally agree. I have good strength and these holds appear to kill me with tremendous force on my shoulders and wrists due to my inflexibility. I don't feel additional strength would help me here.

Vanessa,

Keep doing the first parts of the bridge series, if you can do them without pain. Table rocks and shoulder extensions are my favorite shoulder openers. I do those two exercises more often than just when I complete the bridge video once a week. Shoulder extensions feel great after spending too much time at the computer, and they remind me when my biceps need rolling out too.

Thanks  Yes, I guess I will just have to do the exercises that doesn't hurt during our after and that that is better than nothing. 

@Vanessa Hällgren, also, the elevated cat daily helps my shoulders tremendously, especially when they are a little "used" from my pole. And rolling out the lats. Just loosening all the tissue around the shoulder joint. But I think learning to love the Elevated Cat is really worth it