Fixing Shoulder for Dips?

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Hey,

Anyone got some tips on how I can make my shoulder handle dips?

I used to be able to do them, but then I had a break from it for some months.

Now, whenever I try to do dips, I’m fine when I dip but the next day my shoulder hurts. It hurts when I move my arm up like a lateral raise.

I generally don’t have this problem with other pressing-movements, like militarypresses, benchpress/CGBP, dumbbell bench etc etc.

Its such an awesome movement so its a shame if my solution is to completely avoid it.

2

I had a similar problem with my shoulder a few years ago. Do some scap work, like YTWLs, and work on external rotation strength. A lot of pressing leads to an imbalance toward internal rotation.

Best thing that helped my shoulders was to balance out my workouts. I now bench 1-2x per week, but do back work 3x every week, on a constantly alternating row-pullup-row-pullup routine. The consistent scap work got rid of the lateral raise pain, but increasing the amount of rows and pullups fixed the impingement I had on both sides.

3

Boatguy’s given great advice, unless your condition is osteolysis of the AC(acromio-clavicular) joint which is an arthritis-like condition. When you do dips it compresses the AC joint. Even if you rest your shoulder until it is totally painfree, do enough dips and it will come right back.

If your shoulder doesn’t hurt with much else, then it may very likely be osteolysis of the AC joint. I try very very hard to avoid telling people that they cannot do an exercise, but osteolysis and dips is one of those cases. If you have osteolysis, do them if you can.

4

Thanks for your replys.

I’ve done some more reading and I believe I have some impingement on the shoulder that hurts. Whenever I try to stretch my chest, its like somethings inhibiting my left shoulder, and I only feel it on the shoulder and not the pectoral.

My arm also “falls asleep” from this. There is also some problems with a couple of overhead arm-positons. Like standing barbell tricep extensions behind the head.

Could this be the root to my dipping trouble?

5

i also have a question regarding shoulder health, my right shoulder is bum and is sore often, i dropped lateral raises and only do nuetral grip db presses (military) and plate raises i d alot of rowing and pulling,

i do light back work on my bench days and heavy bakc work on my squat and deadlift days so i cant say it would be impingement, i do at least 60 reps of external rotations on bench workouts should i up weights for these or keep it low and do lots of reps? i do alot of rear delt work like face pulls and bent over raises to help pull everything back
what else can i do?

6

From what I have read/been told, the rotator cuff and other postural muscles of the upper back(scaps, lower traps, etc) respond best to high reps. I would push the weight a little, but keep the reps high(15-20 per set).