Welcome to Thunderdome

I mentioned in the other thread that I started benching free-weights, recently, after maxing out the machine and getting no more pump from it.

I also noticed a twinge in my right shoulder that I thought was gone had returned when using the bench... all of a sudden I had to stabilize the bar in addition to just pushing it, and I was using muscles in a different way.

Well, two days after I posted that, I pushed REAL hard while bencing, and I yelled in pain. I managed to get the bar back on the pegs but my right shoulder was screaming. I was certain I had injured myself, finally. I barely managed to unload the bar and I couldn't even raise my arm without feeling sharp pain. I was seriously concerned my lifting was done.

That night it still hurt. When I would roll over it would wake me up.

The next day it was still kind of sore. Not a sharp pain, but I could feel it.

The day after that and it is benching day again.... and I couldn't feel it at all. As a test I laid down and just did the bare bar... 45 pounds... I felt no pain. I put on a few 10's, 85 pounds. Good to go.

I put on 135... felt great.

*time passes*

Yesterday I was was doing pyramids and worked my way up to 205 for a few reps, and I feel no pain. I don't know what I did, but I think I fixed my shoulder, somehow.

I made a muscle (left pec) go pop about 20 years ago. 5 years ago I made another one (left bicep) pop during P90x.

According to the MRI, the bicep is still torn, but not completely. It kind hurts like a bitch sometimes, but comes and goes.

Sunday, when I went up another 10% weight, and added a 2nd rep, my muscles got super sore. I couldn't lift again until yesterday. Did the same routine, doing better now.

You enjoyed that post so much you made it 3 times?

But seriously, what happened there? Refreshed twice? Still studying the new forum behavior.

Apparently I just hit Submit 3 times.

Alright, looking for suggestions for a 4th lift to add to my current activities.

Currently doing: bicep curl, tricep extension, and shoulder press. I was doing pushups, but they aggravate a wrist injury I have. I was thinking dumbbell row.

*edit* And I also rock climb, planning on about once a week, which will help with grip strength/forearms.

I do dumbell rows.

One thing that really feels good are... I don't even know what they are called. They work the triceps and lats hard.

Lie on a bench with your head almost dangling over the edge. Reach over your head and down to the floor, you can do these with either a curling bar, or a dumbbell, sitting up on its side. Grab the weight, and pull it up and over your face. Repeat about 11 times. Works the lats taking it up off the floor, works the triceps taking it up over your face.

First couple times I did these it cracked the hell out of my back, felt goood. Really separates your vertebrate.

Face down or up?

I have to assume that while Gordon is typically face down... that motion was face up.

One nice thing... when rock climbing in the past, I've had to adjust form to decrease the load on my shoulders, which makes climbing harder since it's more difficult to leverage my weight to my legs, and my arms get super tired. I did a couple of moves this past weekend that tested out my shoulder, and it worked fine, no soreness/pain like in the past.

Malcolm wrote:Face down or up?

Oh yeah, lie on your back.

Added dumbbell rows.

TheCatt wrote:Added dumbbell rows.

Went back down in weights to my starting weights today, and cranked out a LOT of reps. (about double where I started), so that felt good.

Also added forearm strength thingys.

TheCatt wrote: Also added forearm strength thingys.

I just got one of these.



My nerve damage hit my extremities hardest, and that means hands and feet. I am hitting weight levels where the point of failure is my grip.... for example, I could pull more down with my lats, but I can't keep hold of the bar. So I am trying this little device to see if I can make my grip stronger. Only had it a week, no opinion yet. I just grab it and do a few sets if we are watching TV or something.

My dad had something like that when I was a kid. I remember being able to barely make it budge.

I got the foam balls cuz that's what all the cool rock climber kids have. My family and I have been going for a while now, but we're trying to get in the habit of making it a weekly thing. Been each of the past 2 Sundays, and it just rapes my forearms.

Man, 2-3 minutes between sets makes lifting a lot longer. I really liked being done in 15 minutes.

At any rate, I picked up my youngest daughter today and carried her downstairs, and she actually felt noticeably lighter.

Started lifting 4/3. bi/tri/shoulder press, did 20/20/20 for weights. up to 25/25/35 now, with delt rows added (35 as well). MAxxed out all reps (12) on 2 sets today.

Moved up to 30/30/40/40... the hardest part of the shoulder press was getting the dumbbells into position. Apparently I need to work on my core/back muscles.

GORDON wrote:

TheCatt wrote: Also added forearm strength thingys.

I just got one of these.



My nerve damage hit my extremities hardest, and that means hands and feet. I am hitting weight levels where the point of failure is my grip.... for example, I could pull more down with my lats, but I can't keep hold of the bar. So I am trying this little device to see if I can make my grip stronger. Only had it a week, no opinion yet. I just grab it and do a few sets if we are watching TV or something.

By the way, I see a difference. After a couple weeks I didn't even need to think about my grip any more. It's cool.

This person is funny.

Benching with you feet in the air is GAY, period.