Trygve.Com > MFW > Exercise > Wayne Hill on Stretching
inner squatting Subject:Re: Benching hurts shoulder...Dips don't????
From:"Wayne S. Hill" <wshill@nospam.world.std.com>
Date:2001/09/24
Newsgroups:misc.fitness.weights


thefantom1 wrote:

> My shoulder is killing me when I bench... however.. I can do heavy
> weighted dips with no problems... anyone find this unusual?? Usually
> when the shoulder is messed up the dips will make it hurt worse.... oh
> well....looks like a lot of dips for me for a while.......

Don't give up completely on benching (if you want to bench, that is). Try stretching your shoulders by either/both of the following (as long as they don't cause discomfort):

  1. Grab a doorknob with both hands behind your back and lean away.
  2. Grab a broomstick at opposite ends with both hands in an overhand grip. Keeping your elbows straight, pass it over your head and down your back. Pass it to the front, edge your hands slightly together, and repeat until you feel a good stretch.

Do either/both of these stretches many times per day for a couple of weeks and see if it helps your shoulder comfort in benching.

I really ought to put this on a web page.



Jim wrote:


> Yep,you should Wayne,those stretches you have been repeatedly
> mentioning helped me a year ago and the subject seems to come up time
> and time again. Cured my shoulder problem and I was at wits end till I
> read one of your posts. Now,what to do with my elbow? ;)

Elbow pain sucks. You've probably heard all of this, but

  1. Take a break from anything that bothers it until the pain just isn't there.
  2. Ice it occasionally. I'm not clear on whether OTC anti-inflammatories are appropriate for elbow pain. Some people swear by elbow straps for reducing pain.
  3. When it feels fine (which could take quite a while, unfortunately), come back with only the big compound exercises at modest weights.
  4. As you come back, avoid assistance exercises (especially preachers and nose crushers), even ones that don't seem to hurt, until strength returns.
  5. If everything's hunky-dory, return to carefully selected assistance exercises, lightly at first.
  6. At the first recurrence of pain, ease off immediately.

-Wayne