| Have you ever suffered from shoulder | | | | neck pull downs, you also expose your neck to |
| discomfort after working out? I am referring | | | | unnecessary stress. It is safer to perform |
| to aching or sharp pain experienced in the | | | | the exercise in front of the head or utilize |
| front of the shoulder or lateral upper arm | | | | dumbbells and work in the scapular plane. |
| that is felt with overhead activities, | | | | You must watch to avoid arching the low back |
| reaching behind the back or even laying on | | | | and it is best to use a bench with back |
| the shoulder. These symptoms are often | | | | support to prevent this. |
| indicative of rotator cuff inflammation. | | | | |
| This is a common problem for many people who | | | | Dips/Upright Row - As before, the key mistake |
| perform resistance training on a regular | | | | made with these exercises is allowing the |
| basis. It is also a problem that can easily | | | | shoulder to move beyond 90 degrees relative |
| be prevented by modifying the following | | | | to a position parallel to the floor or |
| "dangerous shoulder exercises." | | | | perpendicular to the body. I always |
| | | | recommend stopping at 90 degrees to protect |
| Bench Press - This is a popular exercise | | | | the shoulder capsule and the rotator cuff. |
| chosen to build the chest, along with the | | | | |
| anterior deltoid and triceps. Most teach | | | | Dumbbell Lateral Raise - In my opinion, this |
| taking the bar down until it lightly touches | | | | exercise is often done incorrectly. The |
| the chest. However, I believe this is unsafe | | | | mistakes include lifting too much weight, |
| because it exposes the anterior shoulder | | | | keeping the arms straight, and raising the |
| capsule to excessive load, in addition to | | | | arms out away from the body in the plane of |
| compressing the soft tissue of the rotator | | | | the body. The force on the rotator cuff |
| cuff between the humerus and the acromion. | | | | reaches 90% of your body weight when the arms |
| Over time, with repeated bouts and heavy | | | | are raised to 90 degrees with the arms |
| loads, the rotator cuff becomes inflamed. | | | | straight and in the plane of the body. That |
| | | | is a lot of force on four relatively small |
| Individuals with any anterior shoulder laxity | | | | rotator cuff muscles. The target muscle is |
| (loose joints) or history of subluxation | | | | the lateral deltoid, but the rotator cuff is |
| dislocation are also at increase risk for | | | | extremely active, and it functions to allow |
| rotator cuff injury or labral (shoulder | | | | you to raise the arm by depressing the |
| cartilage) damage. Furthermore, you also | | | | humerus so that it passes under the acromion |
| have the potential to rupture the pectoralis | | | | during active elevation. When heavy loads |
| tendon with full range pressing during heavy | | | | are introduced in the wrong plane of motion, |
| loads. The safe answer is to lower the bar | | | | disaster usually occurs. I am fanatical |
| until the upper arm is parallel to the floor | | | | about performing this exercise correctly. |
| (elbow bent to 90 degrees). This prevents | | | | |
| the shoulder joint from moving into the | | | | The proper way to execute a lateral raise is |
| unsafe range. The same advice applies to | | | | to keep the elbows comfortably flexed (20-30 |
| push-ups. | | | | degrees) and raise the arm to no higher than |
| | | | parallel to the floor. The arm should be in |
| Lat Pull Downs - This is a good exercise to | | | | the scapular plane of motion (approximately |
| strengthen the back, but when done behind the | | | | 30-45 degrees from being perpendicular to the |
| head it can cause problems. Like the bench | | | | body) and the weight should be relatively |
| press, pulling the bar down behind the head | | | | light. Once you feel you have to shrug or |
| positions the humerus in such a way that the | | | | use momentum to raise the weight, you need to |
| rotator cuff can be pinched. This may depend | | | | rest or lower the weight. In my opinion, |
| on other factors, including the shape of a | | | | this is one of the worst exercises for the |
| person's acromion and degree of any present | | | | shoulder if done incorrectly. |
| arthritis, but I still believe the risk | | | | |
| outweighs any benefit. Not to mention that | | | | In summary, I want to emphasize that good |
| keeping the bar in front of the head still | | | | intentions may spell bad results for the |
| accomplishes the same movement for the target | | | | shoulder if proper form is lacking. The |
| muscle, while eliminating the risk of | | | | rotator cuff and shoulder joint is extremely |
| shoulder injury. Remember not to sway during | | | | vulnerable to heavy loads and repetitive |
| the movement, and position the body in a | | | | bouts of exercise. Gradually, it may become |
| slightly reclined position, pulling the bar | | | | inflamed and hinder or limit your workout |
| toward the sternum. Another unrelated reason | | | | altogether. Be sure to master form before |
| not to do behind the neck pull downs is that | | | | increasing weight, and do not attempt to work |
| it places undue stress on the cervical spine. | | | | through pain, as this often perpetuates the |
| | | | problem. Remember to assess risk and reward |
| Military Press - This exercise when performed | | | | at all times, and rest assured that these |
| behind the neck with a bar, positions the | | | | modifications will not hinder your gains. |
| shoulder in the aforementioned unfavorable | | | | Instead, they will prevent missed time in the |
| position. Done repeatedly, the rotator cuff | | | | gym and produce happier, healthier shoulders! |
| can become inflamed. Similar to behind the | | | | |