Upper Back Stability

[Arlecchino]

Here goes:

Quite a while ago I suffered numerous injuries, and the one currently interfering with my lifting is my left shoulder. Following extensive damage, a portion of the trapezius was cut and re-connected, as well as portions of the medial and posterior sections of the deltoid. Several screws assist in holding things together. This translates into the following problems:

1. My already weak pressing exercises suck even more, but this is not an issue at this time.
2. Cannot keep my hands close when squatting, or performing good mornings, etc. This is not just a flexibility issue, I have lost range of motion secondary to surgery. Getting my hands back is not an issue (no trouble with behind the neck pressing, for example), but back and down is not just an issue, it has become a subscription.
3. Trouble keeping things stable overhead.
4. Cannot rack a clean right now (flexibility). This is another issue, details later.

#3 is the one that particularly annoys me at this time. It was never an issue before, and was, in fact, someting I never thought I would have to worry about (I long for the days when I was young and knew everything). I still have a decent amount of power (second pull is coming along nicely on both snatch and clean pulls, etc.) but it is hard to pull evenly.

I am aware that part of this is due to loss of skill. For years I could not attempt even a portion of an OL with maybe the exception of the rotation of the snatch, and then pulls, etc, but have not been able to push to any real degree due to numbers 2 and 3 above.

Now, given that I am going to practice quite a few things to clean up my technique as well as develop strength for a strong 2nd pull on both lifts, as well as increased stability, I am interested to see what everyone else would recommend.

Currently perform varieties of power snatch, snatch and clean pulls, snatch balance, etc, as well as working on my overhead pressing. Will also work with DB's to force stabilizers to work harder, and reverse laterals as well.

Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

[fr0stbyte]

This may be way out there. But it helped rehab a shoulder injury I had some time back. I weakened a rotator cuff benching and then hurt it overhead pressing. It did not get better for over a year. I would keep re-injuring it easily. I found I lacked the flexibility for a proper jerk and the supporting muscles were to weak to support any serious weight overhead.

So, I bought a set of rings off of http://www.ringtraining.com and began to work with them. They came with a manual with all sorts of rehab/core/strengthening/stretching exercises. I Just used them for static holds, pushups, ab wheel type stuff, flyes etc... after each workout and it has built in a lot of stability in the shoulder joint. It has been about 6 weeks since I got them, now the pain is mild and numb rather that sharp and stabbing. I am confident I will make a full recovery in another 6 weeks from the additional ring training.

[Arlecchino]

May give those a shot.