shoulder inflexibility? What is going on here???

vuduchyld · 08-10-2007, 10:12 AM

I've been experiencing some strange shoulder issues that I'd like to ask y'all about.

The most obvious issue I'm having is that when I do push presses, I can feel that the bar is not as far back as I think it should be. This is especially true with lighter weight, but even if I'm holding a couple hundred pounds or more over my head, the weight is not as far back over my body as it should be.

Also, when I do dips, I'm feeling a little burn towards the front of my shoulders.

Finally, when I do pullups, I feel a dull ache around the back part of my shoulder near the back of my armpit.

What the hell is going on? Am I becoming "internally rotated"? Is there some other standard shoulder inflexibility that I'm feeling?

The strange thing is that I've been pulling a LOT....doing at least 100 pullups over the course of a week, as well as a TON of olympic pulls, both from the ground and from the hang position...probably at least 50 reps of pulls per week from each with varying combinations of snatch and clean grips.

I've also been doing full squat snatches (maybe 20 reps per week), overhead squats (30-40 reps per week), and snatch balances. And, yes, I feel the weight coming a little too far forward ANYtime I do something overhead.

I've been bench pressing some (50 reps per week), but nothing super heavy...probably nothing over 80-85% of 1rm. As I said, I've been doing some dips, as well.

I'm really surprised that the pullups are causing a twinge of pain. It seems like that would be a different problem, but it started at the same time. I really think it's the same issue...whatever it is.

I've recently started doing a variety of doorway and towel stretches. Anything else I can do?

Jimbo · 08-10-2007, 10:30 AM

See this thread..some good articles linked there regarding shoulders..

Shoulder flexibility

Hope it's not serious. Take a week off. Let it heal.

vuduchyld · 08-10-2007, 10:34 AM

Thanks for the link!

It doesn't seem serious. It has come on slowly over time. So far, it hasn't really held me back, but I definitely want to address it.

GqArtguy · 08-13-2007, 07:50 PM

Since I train kinda like that, normally the issue that occurs for me is overuse of the lats. Some scar tissue develops and that starts affecting my teres minor and infraspinatus and supraspinatus. All of which make it shitty to raise my arm up and back. A little ART in each muscle keeps me lasting for a while.

UConnJulie · 08-14-2007, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GqArtguy

Since I train kinda like that, normally the issue that occurs for me is overuse of the lats. Some scar tissue develops and that starts affecting my teres minor and infraspinatus and supraspinatus. All of which make it shitty to raise my arm up and back. A little ART in each muscle keeps me lasting for a while.

I think GQ hit it on the head ... what you are describing sounds to me like lat tightness ... there are some good stretches listed here ... try the one(s) that give you the most stretch and do them frequently ... hold 30 or so seconds, repeat 2-3 times each session, 2-3 sessions per day. In a week it will be feeling much better.

vuduchyld · 08-14-2007, 09:59 AM

Great stuff...thanks, everybody! UCJ, I tried a couple of those stretches and they seem like they are really hitting the spot!