Avoiding Injury and Understanding the Rotator Cuff, Joins and Ligaments

[Igifuno]

Injury is obviously something we want to avoid at all cost and it is important to learn early not to get hurt. Injuries are obviously very counterproductive and can be extremely devastating to training and even normal day to day life. Also, it hurts which sucks.

Learning proper lifting form is essential to avoiding injury. Also, having a good understanding of how resistance training effects your stabilization and support systems such as rotator cuffs, joints and ligaments, will be beneficial as you will have knowledge on how to properly increase strength as opposed to jumping into a weight that may be too heavy for those parts of your body to handle, even though your muscles may be able to lift it.

Little more on the rotator cuff - The rotator cuff is made of four muscles: the supraspinatus, which is the part that gets injured most often, the infraspinatus, the teres minor, and the subscapularis. The functionality of the rotator cuff is to support the movement of the arm and stabilize the shoulder joint.

The most common reason for rotator cuff pain is tendon inflammation from trauma, or in our case, activity from lifting heavy weight. This can result in tears over a period of time so it is imperative to place focus on strengthening the rotator cuff as you strengthen your muscles.

Common movements that aggravate the rotator cuff are lateral delt raises, upright rows and even a flat bench press has been known to lead to cuff injury. To help prevent injury, adjustment of the elbow or arm placement below shoulder height can be beneficial. Proper lifting form and strengthening with consistent concentrated rotator cuff resistance training is the very best practice with respect to helping prevent injury.

Here is a link that shows images of several different rotator cuff strengthening movements. Do a search on YouTube and you’ll find plenty of videos as well. Again, this is very important. Many bodybuilders have to live with injury throughout the years and 9 out of 10 times it was preventable with proper technique or with a proper cuff strengthening routine.

Don’t neglect your rotator cuffs!

https://www.google.com/search?q=rota...w=1280&bih=575

Tendons and ligaments are another important aspect of resistance training. A tendon is a tough band of fibrous connective tissue that usually connects muscle to bone and can withstands tension. A ligament is a short band of tough fibrous dense connective tissue made of mainly of long, stringy collagen fibers. Ligaments connect bones to other bones to form a joint. Although similar in structure, tendons and ligaments have differing functions and contribute to the process of the extensions and contractions of muscles and both stabilize joints.

When a tendon is well developed, it has good elasticity, is strong and capable of substantial power. Tendons transfer tensile load produced by the muscles as they cause the bone to move. Usually tendons will become stronger along with the increased strength of the muscle unless large increases in the weight lifted is accomplished, in which case they muscle and tendon should be targeted separately.

Tendon injuries are common for aas users who quickly increase muscle, but not tendon strength. You can also run a web search on tendon exercises and should find a variety of info.

Collagen and Elastin are the two fibers that tendons and ligaments consist of. Collagen affords strength and stiffness while elastin permits the joint to extend. In bodybuilding, in order to set yourself up for success and to help ensure you will be able to safely lift heavy, it is vital to strengthen them properly and consistently.

Same thing with proper lifting form, plenty of videos on YouTube that you can search, but be careful and read comments to make certain whoever is doing the vid is reputable and is showing actual proper form. Dorian Yates’ videos are always great and he demonstrates how to lift heavy and with great form.

Stay healthy and injury free!

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Igi! Very impressive! A lot of educational threads coming from you. Looks like red is not the right color for you. It should be maroon or green

[Java Man]

Youre smarter.than you look, igi. No offense.

Lol. Fvking with you. nice post.

[Igifuno]

Igi! Very impressive! A lot of educational threads coming from you. Looks like red is not the right color for you. It should be maroon or green

Wow man.. Not sure about that, but thank you!

Youre smarter.than you look, igi. No offense.

Lol. Fvking with you. nice post.

LMAO.. not the first time I've been told this, actually

[Igifuno]

Bump for biggjd69

[lovbyts]

Great post. Im a victim of tears over a long period of time from lifting and other activities. Even though I did a lot of rotator cuff exercises such as you posted it just wanted enough. The multiple tears over many years and aging was just to much.

Dont ignore the little things such as cable rows

[Igifuno]

Great post. Im a victim of tears over a long period of time from lifting and other activities. Even though I did a lot of rotator cuff exercises such as you posted it just wanted enough. The multiple tears over many years and aging was just to much. Dont ignore the little things such as cable rows

Thanks lov. I wish I knew these things 10-15 years ago. I did next to nothing for rotator cuffs back then and I have to literally battle through my training sessions with immense pain at times.

[lovbyts]

Thanks lov. I wish I knew these things 10-15 years ago. I did next to nothing for rotator cuffs back then and I have to literally battle through my training sessions with immense pain at times.

Yeah I hear you. I managed to put off surgery for many years doing cable work and light dumbbell work to keep my shoulders from failing after multiple skiing accidents and quadding accidents. One such skiing accident took me a good 6 months to recover from. I actually fractured the greater tuberosity where the tendon attaches.
My orthopedic surgeon was quite impressed with the amount of damage I had done after the surgery and the fact I could still use my arm at all prior to the surgery. I took that as quite a complement since he is the head orthopedic surgeon for the Seattle Seahawks.

[Igifuno]

Damn.. nice shots! How long ago was your surgury?

[lovbyts]

Damn.. nice shots! How long ago was your surgery?

Look closer, they have the dates... April 2012.

[Igifuno]

Look closer, they have the dates... April 2012.

Lol didn't even see it. So how is it now, much better, little better?

[lovbyts]

The shoulder I had surgery done is much better. Not 100% but close to 90%. Only 50% of full strength though. The other shoulder is going now. It's not nearly as bad as the other was but it was diagnosed with having a lot more arthritis built up and scar tissue than the one I had surgery on. It may only be a matter of time but for not Ill keep trying TB500 and not over stressing it.

[Igifuno]

How's the TB500 working and how long have you been using it? I'm interested in trying it as well.

[pyrotalk]

Quite familiar w/ tears. I had shoulder problems back from 2007. Labrum tear surgery supossedly fix it but i have partial supra/infra. tb500 seems to masking the pain..oh well. hit me up guys

[Igifuno]

Quite familiar w/ tears. I had shoulder problems back from 2007. Labrum tear surgery supossedly fix it but i have partial supra/infra. tb500 seems to masking the pain..oh well. hit me up guys

How long have you been taking it pyro, and at what doses? Have you experimented with trying to back off and, if so, what were the results?

[pyrotalk]

How long have you been taking it pyro, and at what doses? Have you experimented with trying to back off and, if so, what were the results?

Sorry been busy.. took it for 4 mo. then switch to GHRP/GHRH and is way better.. However, i still have lots of TB500 laying around if anyone wants to buy it..is a potent antinflammatory