Thread: 2 questions regarding shoulder and physique

Hey BD,

Let me start with the shoulder first.

I was training with a friend at home on bench. I was doing a light warmup set of 10 reps @ 25kg. (Yes I'm weak lol).

Anyway, the bar slipped in my hand somehow and the weight came crashing down on the right side and I immediately felt a pain in my shoulder.

I started running and massaging it and trying to get some movement in it. After about half an hour I was freely moving it again with only a slight bit of pain. I thought everything was fine.

Couple weeks later and I'm sitting in class and I turn around sharply and it felt like my shoulder popped out and back in again. I was freaked out.

Since then I've had a slight discomfort in it pretty often.

What do you think is wrong with it?

Also, second question. This isn't really medically related, just wanted your opinion.

I started weight training beginning of March this year. Went onto Rippetoes SS and have been doing that ever since until 2 weeks ago when I decided to start a 4 day split. So roughly 4 months of weight training.

I am not very strong at all, my current 5RM are:

Squat: 75kg
Bench: 45kg
Dead: 80kg
Press: 32.5kg
Rows: 42.5kg

Now I kept hearing about "noob gains" when I was researching about Rippetoes but I feel I never even got them.

I see no change in my physique at all. I know that changing your physique takes time and dedication but I figured for nearly 4 months shouldn't I have seen some change? I look exactly like I did when I first started, a skinny fat twig.

What are your thoughts on this? I like training but to me it feels like I'm doing it for nothing as my strength gains are pretty poor and my physique hasn't chaned at all, relly lowering my morale.

Thanks for checking this out, look forward to any insight you have.

Didnt we introduce a rule that the Doc was to answer first if asked a direct question?

Originally Posted by JaseFit

How much have your lifts progressed since starting the SS program? How is your diet? As long as the weights keep going up then you are getting stronger and the visable gains will come.

I also started Rippetoes SS around the same time.

Well I started all my lifts at 10kg, below what I thought I should start at. I did that because I didn't want to start too high and have to reset early.

I was very weak when I first started as well.

My diet is pretty close to this everyday. I've just recently got rid of the Serious Mass and plan to buy some WPC from PD and I've added a few egss into my shakes.

Thanks for your patience and sorry for my tardiness...

The shoulder sounds like you may have stretched the capsule of the shoulder joint. The capsule is a thick fibrous bag that covers the joint, giving it added stability. You may have stretched it, which caused a minor subluxation (not dislocation). You should get this checked out by a doc or physio to make sure the joint is stable. It should heal ok provided you don't stretch the capsule for a while, which means avoiding end of range movements (like a pec stretch). Keep your reps partial and close and do lots of shoulder internal rotation work. Again, seek advice from a physio.

As for your other dilemma, while you've been training for about 4 months, this is still a short time, and you've varied your training around a bit. I would suggest getting back to basics, compound movements, lower your reps, increase the weight, and then chop it around and do higher reps and drop sets to max out. I'm sure you'll get a lot of advice on here and I'd really appreciate MO's input to your problem.

I would also like to see what supplements you're taking, and you really need to get some quality protein into you in the morning, and more before bed with some peanut butter. You should also be adding some creatine there, particularly PWO.

Over to the troops.

Let us know how you get on with the shoulder.

BD