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Thread: Pull-ups and Rotator Cuff

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
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    Default Pull-ups and Rotator Cuff

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    Rip,

    In "Strong Enough" you wrote that high volume pullups helped you avoid rotator cuff surgery. Can you fill me in on how the pull-ups help, and if the hand position (pull-up versus chin-up) is of any importance here.

    Thanks in advance.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
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    North Texas
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    Since that book was written, I have had surgery on both shoulders. I used chin-ups and presses as the only rehab exercises I performed. I did NOT ONE SINGLE REP of any PT-type isolation movement for the shoulder. I am about 9 months post-op on the second surgery and I pressed 200 lbs. Monday night. Chin-ups help because they strengthen the whole shoulder under tension, so that the cuff is not impinged during the exercise. In fact, I was doing chins about 4 weeks post-op from the first surgery, a cuff tear repair. The second shoulder was an osteophyte removal/modified Mumford repair with no soft-tissue involvement, so it was much easier.
    Last edited by stef; 05-05-2011 at 02:42 PM.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
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    100

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    Hey Coach! Thanks for all your work here and in your excellent volumes.

    Something isn't adding up for me in this discussion. What caused the cuff tears in the first place? You talk about chinups and pressing being your only rehab, but if pressing and chinups wearn't effective enough PRE-hab to prevent shoulder injury, shouldn't we be looking else ware for rehabilitating and protecting the shoulder for the future? Based on your writings I would assume you were doing pressing and chining regularly before the surgeries.

  4. #4
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    I spent a long time doing only bench presses, which is why I tell you guys not to do that. Bad for the shoulders.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
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    Cali
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Rippetoe View Post
    I spent a long time doing only bench presses, which is why I tell you guys not to do that. Bad for the shoulders.
    So, you learned from your own mistakes and actively advise us to learn from them?

    You're a strange man, Mr. Rippetoe.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    starting strength coach development program
    I must admit to that.

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