[CBG]

I had surgery about 3 years ago on my a/c joint in both of my shoulders. It has taken me a terribly long time to overcome the surgerys but I am able to do just about everything I used to be able to do. I just started being able to bench again about two months ago. I have done everything by the book: I had therapy done after surgeries, to this days still do my roator cuff movements, ice them everyday, take aleve when needed, take glucosamine and chondroitin religiously, and rest upperbody every other day. I am still having trouble with my rear delt on left shoulder. It seems like my trap is always very very tense and i think its causing me problems. Any advice from anyone would be greatly appreciated

[ZiR RED]

Its because your upper trap fibers (creating a scapula elavation) over power your lower trap fibers (depressing the scapula).

Lay off all shrugs and lateral/front raise type movements. Focus on increasing the strength of your lower and mid traps.

Br

[CBG]

Originally Posted by ZiR RED

Its because your upper trap fibers (creating a scapula elavation) over power your lower trap fibers (depressing the scapula).

Lay off all shrugs and lateral/front raise type movements. Focus on increasing the strength of your lower and mid traps.

Br

Thats great advice and makes a lot of sense. Here's the thing, I NEVER do shrugs. But i do lateral and front raise movements. two questions. if I'm not doing lateral and front raises, what exercises am I doing for my shoulders to keep growing because i cant do any over head movements like shoulder press. question 2- what exercises do you suggest I do to strengthen my lower and mid traps? On my Back day I do: bent over t bar rows, standing lat cable pull downs, seated cable row, and 1 armed dumbell row with one leg straight the other flat against a bench seat. And i'm just now starting to incorporate some pull ups. Your help is GREATLY appreciated

[ZiR RED]

For the mid traps you need to be doing scapular retraction movements. Seated pulley rows with a wider grip, pulling to your upper chest is a good one. Use light weight, do not allow your back to round, and do not allow your shoulder blades to pull forward before you begin the motion. You should really feel the work being done between your shoulder blades.

Look into scapular depression exercises. These can be done on a dip bar, or your can do scapular depression movements on a pull down machine. Very short ROMs.

Br

[CBG]

[QUOTE=ZiR RED;711927]For the mid traps you need to be doing scapular retraction movements. Seated pulley rows with a wider grip, pulling to your upper chest is a good one. Use light weight, do not allow your back to round, and do not allow your shoulder blades to pull forward before you begin the motion. You should really feel the work being done between your shoulder blades.

Look into scapular depression exercises. These can be done on a dip bar, or your can do scapular depression movements on a pull down machine. Very short ROMs.

Br[/Q

You have without a doubt given me better advice and knowledge than any doctor or therapist I have ever talk to. I definitely appreciate it. Im going to try these exercises out. You never did answer my questions about if im not doing lateral and front raises for shoulder and cant do over head presses, what do I do for my shoulders to keep my strength and size growing?

[ZiR RED]

With regards to your shoulders..

Lateral raises one arm at a time.
Rear delt raises.

Take it easy for a month or two while your back musculature catches up.

Your front delts will recieve ample stimulation from chest movements, and in my observations, most people have over developed front delts as it is.

Br

[CBG]

Originally Posted by ZiR RED

With regards to your shoulders..

Lateral raises one arm at a time.
Rear delt raises.

Take it easy for a month or two while your back musculature catches up.

Your front delts will recieve ample stimulation from chest movements, and in my observations, most people have over developed front delts as it is.

Br

Sounds great!!! I already do lateral raises one arm at a time so I will keep doing that. I hate to speak too soon but i did the exercises you suggested me to do and my shoulder is already feeling better. When I was finished it was like the person that was pinching my trap just let go. Definite sigh of relief. GREATLY APPRECIATED

[CBG]

Originally Posted by ZiR RED

With regards to your shoulders..

Lateral raises one arm at a time.
Rear delt raises.

Take it easy for a month or two while your back musculature catches up.

Your front delts will recieve ample stimulation from chest movements, and in my observations, most people have over developed front delts as it is.

Br

Hey Zir, I'm sorry to bother you again. I've just been thinking about a few things over the weekend and wanted to see if I could get your thoughts. I was wondering how many times a week I should be doing the exercises for my mid to lower traps? Should I just incorporate them just on my back day? Should I lay off hitting the weights hard? I remember in a thread you wrote to someone else you said "It takes a lot less work to maintain muscle then it does to build? So should I just focus on fixing my problem? If so should I cut down how much I'm eating if you reccomend just maintaining for right now? I'm eating about 3100 calories a day, 300 grams of protein, 330 carbs, and 80 grams of fat? I know it's a lot of questions but you are the most knowledgeable person I have spoke to. I guess the main thing is if you were in my shoes what would you honestly do??? Thanks a lot for your advice. If you wanna send me a bill you can. haha I'd pay for your advice!!!

[ZiR RED]

When you're ready to take on a full nutrition and exercise program, I'll bill you ;-)

A couple of suggestions:

First, based on personal experience, clients' results, and primary research, I feel best results are gained when a muscle is trained at least once every 5 days.

Now, that said, what I would do is cut down my lat/chest/ and front/side delt work to once a week, using minimal volume. Perhaps cut your volume down by 1/3. Stick to dumbbells, or if you use barbells, a narrower grip.

Next, increase your horizontal pulling and lower body work.

Increase horizontal pulling work 2-3 fold. Do over hand bent over barbell rows, wider grip seated calbe rows, bent over dumbell rows using an overhand (pronated) grip. Do everything with a pronated grip.

Also, continue to do the exercises for your rear delts and upper trap fibers.

Lastly, perform the exercises for your RC muscles (external rotations) and your lower trap fibers once every 3rd day.

You can even encorporate over head travelling barbell lunges and overhead deep squats into your lower body training to further develop your scapular stabilizers.

Hope that helps.

Br

[CBG]

Originally Posted by ZiR RED

When you're ready to take on a full nutrition and exercise program, I'll bill you ;-)

A couple of suggestions:

First, based on personal experience, clients' results, and primary research, I feel best results are gained when a muscle is trained at least once every 5 days.

Now, that said, what I would do is cut down my lat/chest/ and front/side delt work to once a week, using minimal volume. Perhaps cut your volume down by 1/3. Stick to dumbbells, or if you use barbells, a narrower grip.

Next, increase your horizontal pulling and lower body work.

Increase horizontal pulling work 2-3 fold. Do over hand bent over barbell rows, wider grip seated calbe rows, bent over dumbell rows using an overhand (pronated) grip. Do everything with a pronated grip.

Also, continue to do the exercises for your rear delts and upper trap fibers.

Lastly, perform the exercises for your RC muscles (external rotations) and your lower trap fibers once every 3rd day.

You can even encorporate over head travelling barbell lunges and overhead deep squats into your lower body training to further develop your scapular stabilizers.

Hope that helps.

Br

OK, First I only hit my body once a week anyways. Reason being I only do upper body every other day so I give my shoulder and trap rest. My regimen looks like this:
day1 chest and tris
day2 quads and calves
day3 back and abs
day4 hamstrings and calves
day5 shoulders and bis
day6 rest
If you have advice on changing this up please let me know. When you say cut down your volume. Do you mean my reps, weight, or sets? When you say (pronated grip) i don't know what that means. When I do bent over dumbell rows I hold the dumbell at my side with my palm facing in(towards my body). Lastly I do not know what "over head travelling barbell lunges and overhead deep squats" are? I appreciate all the advice and time you have given me. i don't believe in getting something for nothing. Give me an idea of what you would charge me to do a full nutritional plan and exercise program.

[ZiR RED]

I really suggest training each muscle once every 3-5 days. There are several different ways to accomplish this. Upper/lower splits, push/pull/lower splits, etc.

Pronated means palms down.
Supinated means palms up.
Neutral means palms facing the sides (as in a hammer curl).

Try doing a travelling lunge holding a barbell (with a wide grip), elbows locked, over your head for the entire exercise.

Over head deep squat: http://www.davedraper.com/overhead-squat.jpg

PM or email ( jay@brphysicalperformance.com ) for pricing and information regarding my services.

Br

[Kaboom]

Hey Zir,

Got a question for you.(not meaning to hijack thread)I believe everyone on here knows about my shoulder problems lol Last Doc said it was Bicepeal tendonitis she seems to think that because my scapula myscles are weak compared to the rest of me that my shoulders could be overcompensating for the scapula.Does this make sense to you or sound possible? The only real exercises she told me to do was lay on a exercise ball with my midsection on the ball and for me to hold my arms out like a w,T and Y each for a count of 10 doing like 3 sets each eventually working my way up to decent weighted dumbells. Would these be ok or do you think there is better exercises?

[ZiR RED]

Kaboom,

Makes sense. The biceps tendon attaches to the scapula, and can easily be irritated by inflamation in the acromial space.

Those are decent recruitment increasing exercises, but you'll also need to do exercises to increase the strength of your trap fibers and RC muscles.

Some of what I described above are good, so are external rotations.

You'll also need to increase flexibility in the posterior shoulder capsule, by doing what has been called a sleeper stretch.

Br

[Kaboom]

Great info bro THANKS!!!