Weight lifting question.

[UtahDan]

So I have started lifting again as a new years resolution. I was big into it about 10 years ago and have decided to try again. So after my initial depression over the sorry state of my guns, I have gotten encouraged lately because I have rediscovered something I forgot: whatever genetic curses I have (slow metabolism) one bonus is that I add muscle tissue very quickly.

Anyway, I have encountered something odd that I never did previously. I find now that if my back is not centered perfectly on the bench press when I am lifting heavier weights, and I mean perfectly, I get a muscle strain just below my left shoulder blade that hurts like hell and keeps me from sleeping comfortably for at least a night or two.

So weight lifters and/or medical staff, am I doing something wrong? Have I underdeveloped something? Thoughts? It is annoying.

[SteelBlue]

Way to come up with a fake question so that you can let us know that you're ripped.

[UtahDan]

Way to come up with a fake question so that you can let us know that you're ripped.

That is the last thing I am after 6 weeks.

[ERCougar]

I'd be curious to hear the PT crowd's input on this. My guess woud be that you're straining rhomboids, or maybe lats. It sounds like you've found the solution--center yourself on the bench. In addition, maybe seated rows?

[Babs]

I'd be curious to hear the PT crowd's input on this. My guess woud be that you're straining rhomboids, or maybe lats. It sounds like you've found the solution--center yourself on the bench. In addition, maybe seated rows?

yeah, but weird that it's only on the left side. Must be weaker on one side.

UtahDan, are you stretching your back before you lift?

[UtahDan]

yeah, but weird that it's only on the left side. Must be weaker on one side.

UtahDan, are you stretching your back before you lift?

What stretches would you suggest?

[Babs]

What stretches would you suggest?

back stretches?


Honestly, I don't know the names for the stretches (do stretches have names?), but I do them all the time. I have to lift to stay strong enough to carry the fifty-pound octopus that is my son, and I usually stretch first.

You might google trapezius stretch and lat stretch. Maybe that will give you some ideas?

[Donuthole]

By posting this here, I am hoping to designate this as the official near-accident-while-lifting-weights thread. pelagius can let me know if there already is one.

I was totally blasting my pecs today and nearly suffered a serious injury. Monday is pecs/tris, and each week we alternate which of the two muscle groups we work first. Today was tris first, and by the time we got to flat dumbbell press, I was pretty spent. About my 7th or 8th rep on my third set with the dumbbells, I got stuck in the middle of my press. Meanwhile my partner was busy staring at the ars of a Brazilian chick who was using the elliptical. Needless to say, he wasn't doing his job.

Normally with dumbbells this wouldn't be a problem, as I'd just let them fall harmlessly to the sides. However today there was an older gentleman doing some standing lifts almost immediately to my right side. If I dropped the bell in my right hand, it would definitely crush his foot. As the dumbbell teetered slowly towards my head, I lamented the fact that my tris were completely worthless at this point, and vowed never to attempt benching so much after such a hearty tri workout. Out of breath, and seemingly unable to summon my partner's attention, I managed to squeak out a "Dude!" just in time to get his help. Crisis narrowly averted.

Note: I was almost as upset at the old guy as I was my lifting partner (after all, the Brazilian chick's ars is really nice). The gym we use is small, and old guy tends to use that as an excuse to hover near us wherever we are working out. I don't know if it makes him feel cool (I don't know why it would--we are not very impressive) but today it came to an end. I, somewhat politely somewhat sternly, asked him if he wouldn't mind giving us more space when we work out, explaining that I nearly had to break his foot today. He apologized, and stayed his distance for the remainder of our workout.

[falafel]

I was totally blasting my pecs today

Conclusive proof that your little story is a fake:



Its impossible to have an accident when you blast your pecs with this machine.

[Surfah]

In HS I had a buddy in a cage doing squats. As he was coming up he pulled something or another (his claim) and he leaned to that side. He didn't have collars on and as his shoulder dipped it was enough to send the weights sliding a bit. Of course he overcompensates and leans to the other side way too much sending the plates right off the bar. Now he was shouldering a catapult and he was the fulcrum. It wasn't pretty. Somehow he managed to get crushed by the 45 lb plates but he got himself trapped beneath the plates and the bar somehow as they came crashing down around him. We had to pull the weights and him out of the rack.

[Slim]

So I have started lifting again as a new years resolution. I was big into it about 10 years ago and have decided to try again. So after my initial depression over the sorry state of my guns, I have gotten encouraged lately because I have rediscovered something I forgot: whatever genetic curses I have (slow metabolism) one bonus is that I add muscle tissue very quickly.

Anyway, I have encountered something odd that I never did previously. I find now that if my back is not centered perfectly on the bench press when I am lifting heavier weights, and I mean perfectly, I get a muscle strain just below my left shoulder blade that hurts like hell and keeps me from sleeping comfortably for at least a night or two.

So weight lifters and/or medical staff, am I doing something wrong? Have I underdeveloped something? Thoughts? It is annoying.

If your one scapulae does this:


Then I know what is wrong with you (damaged lateral thoracic nerve but I'm sure it isn't that and if it is I'll crap my pants). But that is the extent of my 1.1 years of medical school knowledge on your particular symptom. Otherwise I don't really know. Do you sit in a particular position all day that would cause some kind of imbalance toward one side of your body (ie twisting to write or leaning etc...)?

[FN Phat]

Do you sit in a particular position all day that would cause some kind of imbalance toward one side of your body (ie twisting to write or leaning etc...)?

Mostly just grabbing his ankles

[Pheidippides]

Since this is now the weightlifting injury thread, did you hear about the USC running back who dropped the bar on this throat and almost killed himself?

[Mr Incredible]

Since this is now the weightlifting injury thread, did you hear about the USC running back who dropped the bar on this throat and almost killed himself?

That's why I artificially limit my bench presses to 500 so that I don't get worn out and drop the bar.

For Donuthole, maybe I'm old fashioned, but I've always been told to work larger muscles and do compound lifts before smaller muscle groups and/or single-joint lifts for that reason. Another option is to avoid gyms with Brazilians.

[cougjunkie]

That's why I artificially limit my bench presses to 500 so that I don't get worn out and drop the bar.

For Donuthole, maybe I'm old fashioned, but I've always been told to work larger muscles and do compound lifts before smaller muscle groups and/or single-joint lifts for that reason. Another option is to avoid gyms with Brazilians.

He was only lifting 275 at the time.