Back Injury After Shoulder Press

[Frumpy]

So as of yesterday I can't go to the gym because of injuring my back. At the time I was doing dumbbell shoulder press, 40 pounds each hand. Anyways, as I finished my last set of 4 reps ( pyramid training ) I got up to take the dumbbells to the rack, and as soon as I brought the weight down and got up, I felt a pull in my middle back, and it felt very sore that day. When I move my head down, I feel the ache/pain in my middle back region. Its not a pain that's always there, but only when I do certain movements like above. Anyone know what could have happened? I'm taking the week off till I'm recovered.

[jaries12]

Arching your back during shoulder press.

[Frumpy]

Arching your back during shoulder press.

You think that is it? Because it also happened a few months ago when I was doing shrugs.

[jaries12]

You think that is it? Because it also happened a few months ago when I was doing shrugs.

If it's the same area, then it's very possible that you aggravated it again with shoulder press, especially if your only doing 4 reps - that normally means you're either going pretty heavy or you are very fatigued.

And yes, arching your back during shoulder press is a very common way to injure your back, especially if using heavy weight.

[Frumpy]

If it's the same area, then it's very possible that you aggravated it again with shoulder press, especially if your only doing 4 reps - that normally means you're either going pretty heavy or you are very fatigued.

And yes, arching your back during shoulder press is a very common way to injure your back, especially if using heavy weight.

So you recommend lowering the weight and not arching back? I tend not to arch my back very much, if any when I do shoulder press. How ever you are right on the heavy part. My last set is usually the heaviest, so I will lower it on shoulder press.

[jaries12]

So you recommend lowering the weight and not arching back? I tend not to arch my back very much, if any when I do shoulder press. How ever you are right on the heavy part. My last set is usually the heaviest, so I will lower it on shoulder press.

Arching your back makes your chest stick out, and this results in using your chest during shoulder press, which obviously defeats the purpose of the workout.

Try lowering the weight and keeping your entire back against the vertical bench/seat or whatever you're lifting on.

[gat0rbait]

I just started incorporating Military press into my workout and unfortunately my bench doesnt go 90 degrees, so I would put it at the 75 degrees or so it would go to then just sit up and do my press. I have injured my back doing what I am reading here I was arching my back , its been about a week and I have a sharp pain in my mid left area, kinda to the right of my left shoulder blade. If I put pressure on it, ie sitting in a chair or laying down it usually is a little less painfull. Any ideas on my might injury might be and recover methods?

[XADO]

Friday i trained a begginer for shoulder's ...and i noticed the same thing.....

On light he would do them with good form, on medium the same, on his heavy he would arch his back and bring feet and waist out of position....That said, he was trying more leverage and i was always was pushing his waist back....

Same thing, shoulder press....

Maybe you are going too heavy for what you are used to or you are not passing yourself correctly.....

Might suggest do some stretching and if the pain doesn't go away, go see a doctor.....

But it's probably just a small strain....

Try focusing more on form than to go over the edge with weights....they are just tools, dumbbells....you should be the smart one.

[DavidJr74]

So as of yesterday I can't go to the gym because of injuring my back. At the time I was doing dumbbell shoulder press, 40 pounds each hand. Anyways, as I finished my last set of 4 reps ( pyramid training ) I got up to take the dumbbells to the rack, and as soon as I brought the weight down and got up, I felt a pull in my middle back, and it felt very sore that day. When I move my head down, I feel the ache/pain in my middle back region. Its not a pain that's always there, but only when I do certain movements like above. Anyone know what could have happened? I'm taking the week off till I'm recovered.

Just letting you know back in January I herniated a disc at the L5-S1 doing shoulder press.....looking at surgery next month now. Be careful man....

[Legendarystory]

Aww man, I guess I did that too. I was doing shoulder press and on the lest set, the heaviest set, I was arching my back, which I normally never do. My back hurts like crazy