Max W

I’m a 21 year-old male with an AC joint injury. Although I don’t know exactly what the injury is, I consulted with a physiotherapist who ruled out a separation. As a result, I suspect it may be arthritis of the joint or ‘weightlifter’s shoulder’, the product of poorly performed bench pressing/power cleaning early on in my lifting journey (prior to Starting Strength). Whenever I bench with too wide of a grip or too little of an arch, I feel a grinding sensation at the top of my shoulder, and when I perform assisted dips too deep the joint feels very sensitive for a few days. The workaround has been close grip benching and cutting out dips.

My main concern is about pressing, though. I’ve recently come to greatly appreciate the press and would like to specialize in it, performing it 3-4 times a week and using the bench as an assistance exercise. So far this has resulted in my press numbers going up pretty drastically, and my shoulders feel more stable than ever. I was wondering if I should be concerned that this volume of pressing might exacerbate my AC joint symptoms over time? I cut the ROM at the bottom very slightly (the bar is still below chin level) and my AC joint feels fine, but I’m concerned that I might make things worse without even realizing it, until it is too late.

Do you think pressing will make my symptoms worse, or does the shrug also protect against AC joint irritation? Thanks & happy fourth!

Mark Rippetoe

There is an illustration in the blue book that deals with the shoulders during a press -- 2 or 3 actually. I see no mechanism by which the properly-performed press can aggravate the shoulder.

gadders

I saw this write up on the BBC of a report by the UK Sports Councils Equality Group: "Transgender inclusion, fairness and safety often cannot co-exist" says major review

Some key quotes:

It says the governing bodies for each sport should work out their priorities, and choose whether they will focus on inclusion or "competitive fairness" - and safety if relevant - within the current format of their sport.

So for example, contact, collision and combat sports which choose to prioritise safety - or sports based on strength, stamina or physique which choose to prioritise "competitive fairness" - could create extra "universal admission" categories for transgender athletes.

It concludes "testosterone suppression is unlikely to guarantee fairness between transgender women and natal females in gender-affected sports" and there are "retained differences in strength, stamina and physique between the average woman compared with the average transgender woman or non-binary person registered male at birth".

I have to say it seems fairly sensible (even commonsensical) to me. Which these days is quite a surprise.

I don't think anyone would object to additional Open or Universal "free for all" categories.

Mark Rippetoe

We've already suggested it. They are merely catching up.

John-Riley Bush

So transgender-women versus transgender-women. Wouldn't that just be male sports?

Mark Rippetoe

The uniforms would be different.