big difference between incline and normal bench

[CptKnuckles]

Originally Posted by MuscleCub

I know exactly what you are talking about.

I did a few things:

1. I started stretching my rotator cuff and shoulder daily (at night, actually before I went to bed).

I will try to describe how I stretch. Lie on your side with you arm at 90 degrees to the floor (your elbow and triceps are on the floor, you forearm is parallel to the walls) with your palm facing towards your feet).

Slowly rotate your shoulder in order to bring your palm down and as close to flat against the floor as you can. Hold and count to 10. Repeat times 3. At first, I had to use my other arm to hold my palm in position and it took a while before I could have my palm flat on the floor.

2. I incorporated strengthening exercises targeting this area into my shoulder routine.

Try the exercises on the first page of this PDF (go with LIGHT weights--5-7 pounds at first)
http://www.binghamton.edu/athletics/strength/rota.pdf

Or try the exercises on this site:
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdo...uries/265.html

The shoulder, from what I understand, is one of the least stable joints on the body. Go slowly, lighten your weights on the bench until you feel better and strengthen that area and I think you will be fine.

I also suggest taking an anti-inflammatory to reduce swelling in the area. 2 Alleve (with breakfast and dinner and a full glass of water) for 8-10 days while stretching at night. If it doesn't get better after that, you may want to see a doctor.

Hope this helps.

Yes yes that all helps but I don't fully understand the stretch. Could you put a picture of how to do it? What I'm having trouble understanding is the arm at 90 degrees to the floor and the rotating the shoulder. What I understood is you form an angle of 90 degrees between your arm and your body, so lying on your side your arm would be right in front of you with your hand in the air. Then you're supposed to turn your elbow so your arm would be underneath your head and lower your hand while keeping the 90 deggree angle you had before.

Did I understand it right? I'm not sure I did but who knows thanks for the link too I'll incorporate them to my routine Should I substitute these for a shoulder exercise or just add them on??

[MC]

Originally Posted by CptKnuckles

Yes yes that all helps but I don't fully understand the stretch. Could you put a picture of how to do it? What I'm having trouble understanding is the arm at 90 degrees to the floor and the rotating the shoulder. What I understood is you form an angle of 90 degrees between your arm and your body, so lying on your side your arm would be right in front of you with your hand in the air. Then you're supposed to turn your elbow so your arm would be underneath your head and lower your hand while keeping the 90 deggree angle you had before.

Did I understand it right? I'm not sure I did but who knows thanks for the link too I'll incorporate them to my routine Should I substitute these for a shoulder exercise or just add them on??

Hey Capt. I have been trying to google that stretch but can't find a pic (and cameras are not allowed in my gym). It sounds from your explanation that you have it right, but just in case, let me try to explain it in a slightly different way:

Imagine you are going to arm wrestle a bud, but instead of standing with your arm on a table, you are lying on the floor, on your side. Get into that position (with arm up for arm wrestling). Now, without lifting your elbow off the ground, rotate your arm down towards the floor so that your palm faces the ground. Does that help?

As for the exercises: I dropped the weight on my other shoulder exercises, took a few of the exercises that "felt bad" out for a few weeks and incorporated these into the end of my routine. I actually did some of them on shoulder day and then others on a different day of the week (remember--VERY light weight) in order to slowly build strength in the joint.

Once the pain was totally gone, I started increasing my weights again, put back in other exercises (like upright rows) and kept two rotator cuff exercises in the routine.

Good luck!