Experience with shoulder problems, training around.

[MrWannabe]

Have been nursing a torn labrum for about 3-4 months. It is feeling better and starting to get excited about training properly soon( maybe a couple more months). I think all areas of my workout will be no problem but for one - the upper chest. The exercises which can definitely hurt the shoulder joint and especially the labrum are incline chest work. Before I even had this injury I used to do DB presses on only a slight incline (nowhere near the 45 degrees incline bench presses put you at) do you think only a slight incline is enough to put emphasis on the upper pec? Have also seen people do very steep incline work to the point where the delts seem heavily involved, would this also be worth while doing or do you think that the delts are taking too much load? I just wanna hit my upper pecs without agrivating my shoulder joint. Who am I kidding once my shoulder feels good I'll no doubt get on the incline bench, but will try to see what it is like not bringing the bar all the way to my neck and so not putting so much strees on my shoulder joint. always see a lot of discussion about whether it is good/bad, right/wrong regarding how deep you take reps, ie full range of motion, getting a stretch especially regarding pressing. Well I guess I cant do full range on incline bench presses anymore so I'll see what its like. Im ramblin but would love to see how others have dealt with this or think you can hit upper pecs with little stress to shoulder...peace.

 

[thebrick]

Personally, I prefer a lower angle to hit my upper chest. I get a good pump and soreness from that. For me, 45 degrees hits me in the shoulders more than the chest.

 

[oldfella]

45 deg. Incline becomes more of a shoulder workout than chest. 30 deg is the optimum for hitting the upper part of chest. Also takes a lot of stress off the shoulders. Less incline is also ok for upper chest. as little as 5-10 deg will work uppsr chest. D/bell work is superior for building a quality chest and not wrecking your shoulders.

 

[Larry Bowie]

i go to the DR weds for this. i'll let u know. most likely he'll just set up an apt for an MRI, but i'll keep u posted

 

[MrWannabe]

Sorry to hear that LB.