ExRx.net

Was wondering if a young stud of 64 should be doing shoulder presses at all? I like doing them because it hits the tri's so I don't have to also do tri extensions, but this morning I had a little pain in the left shoulder on the first light set. I use a weider max. Thanks.

It depends really. Alot of people have poor should health in older age because they didn't properly training their upper bodies. Too much anterior focus with little to the back. I know some 50 year olds they can press behind the neck with heavy weights and no pain at all and I know 20 year olds that have severe pain when overhead pressing so it all depends.

Were you doing the presses with a barbell? If so, switch to dumbbells and see if the problem with the shoulder pain goes away.

BTW -Did you ever injure your left shoulder?

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Thanks, TimD

No I didn't injure my sholder that I know of, but a little while back I had some left shoulder pain doing bp's, and no I don't use a barbell, I use a weider max, a bowflex knock off.

You'll have to clue me in - I'm not familiar with the Weider Max. Does it allow you to move both hands independently, or are they gripping something together, and remain locked at the same distance from each other during the movement?

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Thanks, TimD

it looks to be all cable driven, attacked to flexible rods <-- the resistance, From what I see the handles are independent, left/right

Another degree of freedom with dumbells is that you can control the angle of your fists around the vertical body planes (e.g. fists parallel to sagital/frontal plane). I can't do barbells pressese because of bad shoulder, but I can do light weight (2X10 Kg) dumbells with the right angle of my fists which was easy to find using pain as a guide. Rotating the fists thruout the press in some kind of Arnold press variation I can get to a course of zero pain altogether. I don't know what will happen when (hopefully) I will up the weight. In the meantime, that is almost the only exercise I can do for my shoulders, with the exception that I can also do Smith machine sitting press, maybe because there is some degree between the body and the arms as the chair is slightly inclined backwards to allow the weights to get under my chin. Dumbells upright row is another exception, but there are those who argue against that exercise.

Of course YMMV, but you may want to try any of the above.

Disclaimer: I am no expert, just a beginner, but I do have a lifetime experience with joints/tendons pains

Sorry, I missed that on my previous post.

You might want to have your shoulders checked out to see what the issue is.

At 58, I'm an old fart myself, so I'm used to experiencing some pain with exercise. But the alternative is worse.

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Thanks, TimD

Josh; I can very the angle of the fists and lift somewhat with the cables, so I will try that. When I had (have?) shoulder pain while doing BP's, Stu suggested doing more lat pull downs, so I will go back to doing that more and see, although I never really stopped.

Stephen; at 57 you're not an old f@@@! At 64 you'll be getting there, but for me I refuse to act or look my age. I still get a look or two (very seldom) from teen age girls when wearing T-shirts. It creeps me out, but my wife thinks It's cute. I also feel the same way you do about the pain thing, and the alternative. I don't want the alternative.

Oscar; you're right about the weider. If there is a good thing about it, It's the preacher attachment at the rear. I can do a straight row with something to rest against, (thats besides the lat pull down, and lower rows at the front), curls, (I now have pain in my left bicep area, whats next?) leg ext., and leg curls. I can't do squats because of my back.