rev210

original poster delivers and sets the bar ....................low This is the final set of 4 with 6x5kg (30kg) in the backpack. 8 reps whoo hoo! I think the form is probably ok.

Some back work. Wide Grip pullups (weighted) 12x BW 12x 30kg 12x 30kg 12x 30kg 8x 30kg

past 6 days resting with some stretching ,keeping up the diet. Begin back on shoulder work tomorrow. Down to 94.5kg now.so I've lost 2kg since I started on the 9th of Jan .

You can still keep some shoulder movements, you need to activate them just not try to load them up till you are ready. I'd take that weakness on one side being gone (with full ROM) as your indicator to go back to 'normal' . Just having added some new excersises. Rotator cuff and back work. I had a quick google and these are some good ones for training (bit of anatomy in there too). But, there are also lots of youtube vids around I would guess for the how to as well. http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_repair/cracking_the_rotator_cuff_conundrum http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_repair/pushups_face_pulls_and_shrugs http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/most.../my_shoulder_hurts_the_finest_whine

Works unless you hurt yourself , get sick on the last week or are doing them wrong.

You make a good point. Maybe the next challenge can try and embody this more.

You get one bonus pullup added to your score (must be full clown, including shoes).

Seriously do you 'need' chalk to do pullups? I used to be able to do 40 without chalk but, maybe there are people with sweaty hands that need it. Otherwise it's just an aid to get slightly more efficient and some people don't have access to it. You might do more with it but, everyone is going to do without. I didn't use chalk for the deadlift challenge, didn't have any to use. Rules say you can pause at the top, as you say it's not a rest (I noted it's your funeral). Hanging at the bottom allows the backmuscles some rest at the expense of grip fatigue, thats why it's a no no. Just be thankfull I didn't ask for people to be wearing a clown suit and do a 1 second static hold mid rep up and down.ha ha....

great. you can improve then. You got the rest of the month to at least double that number. I'm not going to win this one but, I will still give it a shot and get better along the way.

This is weakness why taking a break on the press movements is recomended. I am sure it wasn't hurting right before the oringinal injury. So don't take that as a comprehensive green light. Strength and ROM should be normal. Retraining in the way that caused the injury is the last phase in the recovery. Weakness has it's cause in a reduction of muscle fibres / recruitment. due to the small tears the muscles expereinced when they were hurt. You have weakness, so best not to train as though you are 100%. When that weakness goes away you are normal or at least both rotators are in balance. This weakness is what I would call the bad end of dynamic imbalance. Showing up as weakness in a pretty normal and lightest load movement, lets face it the barbie pose isn't a feat of strength. It means the tear in the muscle/s isn't yet full healed or recovered, to where they used to be. When it is, it will work like the other side does. The reason people most often get this injury is because of dynamic imbalance and incorrect form (not using correct scapular retraction). Big strong pushing muscles and unmatched little shoulder girdle muscles under load = injury. If you can modify your training to take this into account for the future , you far less likely to ever hurt it again. Also, you will have much better inprovements in the push movements strehgth to boot. In terms of ROM. try these for a quick check too. * Can you link hands when you reach behind the back with one and benind the head with the other? If you are more than a fist away then you have some work to do. If you can touch then thats good. * Shoulder flexion; Begin standing tall with your back and neck straight. Gently raise your straight arm forwards and up. At the top does your hand move to behine the head before you feel the stretch or before it. Not trying to stall you on working out. Go for it on the legs etc. Sorry if I am ranting a bit but, I'd hate to see you get hurt again.

Well nows your chance to get back (pun) into shape. If you want to go heavier in the deads and bench , this will help as well. Use some scapular retraction at the top of the movement. Maybe not so much for the challenge but, in general. .

bit harder when you are heavy but, as an example here is a 100kg bloke.for 20. Form and technique as about right for what this is. remember no vid / no register.

It will. If you are doing weights a bit more than body weight on a machine.

It's good that you are thinking to take it easy it's a great attitude. But, if you are keen to recover much faster and completely consider my advice and a little extra research. i have hurt my rotator quite a few times in earlier life and my physios at that time gave advise much like yours. "It's ok to bench etc.. as long as there is no pain.." The fact is rotator cuff damage occurs often without immediate pain feedback. Once damaged it continues to be more easily torn (it's already quite a small/weak muscle group). The reason to completely drop the bench and pressing movements (as opposed to keep doing them) is two fold. I give you the advice I reveiced from a professional athletics and sports physio . It was the last time I hurt my rotator cuff, it was the worst injury I had ever had but, based on this advice I recovered many mant times faster so hopefully your recovery will be faster too and you will avoid the recurring injury. 1) The pressing movements place the rotator cuff under stress, as they are recruited to stabilise. So this causes them to remain in a recovery state or may aggrevate the injury. (the rotator injury doesn't always give immediate pain feedback whilst it is actually being damaged) 2) Dynamic instabillity is the reason you got hurt.The relative weakness of the cuff muscles in relation to the pressing muscles you have been training is the main reason you have incurred the injury. You need to create a 'balance of strength in the shoulder. There is actually only one joint in the shoulder so ROM is completely stabilised by muscles. Training the chest and other pressing groups in the short term isn't going to allow the rotator muscles the chance to catch up, strength wise. I'm not wanting to create a crazy phobia about this injury, just help you cut your recovery time massively and give you some info to stop it ever happening again.

drop the internal rotation / pressing movements for a week . That's the chest stuff and the pressing movements using the shoulders. See how you go then . It you feel ok , then in small steps introduce the pressing movements back.

7 is good, most people can't do 1 pullup properly. It's not a chin up, they are much harder.

It's a pullup as opposed to a chin up .so hands over the top of the bar. No chin up grip. The pullup bar is to be a single bar style .__-----------__ Not the peg style. -I-------I- No leg movement (kipping) so as long as they are still through the movement , straight or bent is fine (whatever works)

Now to work the upper back for glory! Wide Grip Bodyweight Pullups. Can you do 20/30/40/50? If not , now is your time to try. Rules: No bouncing up /kipping - Each rep is to come to a complete stop at the bottom of the ROM. Arms are straight in the bottom of the rep, no bent elbows No chalk No straps No gloves No Touching the floor No resting at the bottom of the rep, 1-2 second pause at the top if you want but, no resting the chin up there (it's your funeral) Hand grip is to be wider than shoulder width. Chin over the bar at the top. Challenge starts now. Ends last day of Feb.

end of Feb?

yes I was knackered after the day at Adventure world. I was destroyed afterwards ha ha..

Ok , I think we can stick to the back muscles groups for now as a theme. So I think it will be wide grip pullups for reps. Rules: No bouncing up /kipping - Each rep is to come to a complete stop at the bottom of the ROM. Arms are straight in the bottom of the rep, no bent elbows No chalk No straps No gloves No Touching the floor No resting at the bottom of the rep, 1-2 second pause at the top if you want but, no resting the chin up there (it's your funeral) Hand grip is to be wider than shoulder width. Chin over the bar at the top.

Used my works gym today. Suprised it had olympic bars and things. rear delt dumbell raises 15x (17kg) 15x (22.5kg) 10x (25kg) 6x (27.5kg) Cuban press Barbell 10x 15kg 10x 20kg 10x 25kg Dumbell L Lateral raises + Cuban dumbell press superset. 10x 10kg 10x 10kg 10x 10kg Clean and strict press 12x 50kg 10x 60kg 1x 75kg (gassed)

He is probably going to keep getting stronger for quite some time then.

very true. How old is Martin? looks like he's still a young bloke.