Pain in lats, or somewhere round there

[markamedes]

First ever forum post (any forum), so excuse any schoolboy errors. Anyway...

So I've been lifting for a while and am always really, super careful about form etc. That said, I know I have a bad habit that I have to fight to keep in check. That habit is NOT keeping my shoulders down and back.

After a chest day, I felt discomfort in what I think is the back of my lats (though possibly the Infraspinatus, maybe Rhomboid?) - I'm terrible at locating and describing my own pain. Like I said, it's not so much of a pain as an acute discomfort. It really settled in on the bench.

It's a recurring complaint, and the only thing I can think of is that it's my bad habit at work - so when I'm pressing up I lift my shoulders too.

Does anyone reckon my assumption's right, or shed any more light on this "pain", and how to ensure it gets better not worse? Or does/has anyone suffered similarly?

If I've been too vague please let me know, I'll do my best to fill in the gaps.

M.

[braindx]

Upper body posture, shoulder imbalance pain

Best thing you can do is focus on posture. Hold your shoulders back, retract the scapulas, chest up and out, chin tucked back. Do this all the time. Yes, you will be sore but your body will adapt correctly within a week most of the time.

1. Drop all pressing movements
2. Do lots of horizontal pulling (rowing.... except NOT upright rows)
3. Strengthen ONLY your external rotators... ignore internal rotators
4. foam roll thoracic spine
5. Ice after any exercise/swelling
6. Band dislocates & wall slides (youtube these)
7. Lots of massage/tennis balling/etc. from the scapulae to the anterior shoulders.
8. Stretch chest and lats. A LOT.

Here's a good set of vids on scapular mobility and stability:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4Wo095zPnc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YHIV4a81Os

Also, diesel crew rehab vid is a good one for restrengthening your shoulders once you start getting back into it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ONHZmsFec

Here's a good article series about posture as well (Neanderthal No More):
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459379
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459206
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=462481
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=472224
http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=535872

[markamedes]

That's, like, amazingly in depth advice - thank you very much and I'll take on board everything you said.

Just today I concentrated more on posture - it was annoying cos I couldn't do as many reps as usual but I felt better for doing it 100% correctly. Leaving the ego at the door is hard but worth it.

Thanks again.