What-a-ya-mean I'm not 38 anymore!?

[YoungOpa]

Moderately bummed with the lack of progress in resolving the pinch I'm feeling in my left shoulder. This second physical therapist doesn't want me to do anything above shoulder height even though I experience no discomfort with pulling (135 lb sets of 10 lat pulls are pain-free; chins/pull-ups are strength limited, but I can do multiple sets of two with my shoulders all the way up to the bar), but a press with even a broomstick handle causes a "pinch" on the way up, and again on the way down from lockout. Especially noticeable on the way down, I can see my left elbow wanting to spontaneously wander out to the side in anticipation of the pinch in the shoulder joint. A recent X-ray shows nothing unusual, but there is definitely a tightness in that shoulder -- getting a proper low-bar position for squats takes some effort, even with a wider grip.

So, for the next week or two, it'll be silly physical therapy exercises before I can resume a linear progression of squats, presses, and deadlifts.

[YoungOpa]

No change with the shoulder issue, but it's time to get back to the gym more regularly than to the physical therapist. It's been 6 weeks (with the exception of 3 light days in the middle somewhere). Too advanced in years to want to risk doing anything stupid, so I'm starting back at a substantial reset...

Sleep: abt 6 hours
BW: 189 lbs
Age: 68

Lat pull-downs:
1x12 at 60 lbs
1x12 at 75 lbs
5x10 at 90 lbs

Squats:
2x5 at 45 lbs
1x5 at 75 lbs
1x3 at 95 lbs
1x2 at 115 lbs
4x5 at 135 lbs

No change in upper arm and shoulder while holding the bar, despite 6 weeks of physical therapy. First therapist assumed impingement, then after 3 weeks of little/no progress thought it might be arthritis. Second physical therapist also assumed impingement until after two weeks I pointed out a shoulder asymmetry -- now he suspect a tight lat -- wants to try functional dry needling. I told him I'd rather have a more definitive diagnosis before getting randomly stabbed.

[umairsemail]

Perhaps it's time to get an MRI on the shoulder? It could be something that needs surgery if PT didn't help at all.

[YoungOpa]

Sleep: abt 8 hours
BW: 188 lbs
Age: imperceptible change only

Lat pull-downs:
1x12 at 60 lbs
1x12 at 80 lbs
3x10 at 100 lbs

Squats:
2x5 at 45 lbs
1x5 at 65 lbs
1x3 at 85 lbs
1x2 at 125 lbs
3x5 at 140 lbs
note: left shoulder pain still requires a wider bar grip and keeps me from pushing the elbow back (and really makes the wrist position look awkward), but the bar weight is carried on my back, so it's not like I'm going to drop the bar. Forearm length probably also contributes to the seemingly wider grip -- still a work-in-progress.

Dead lift:
2x5 at 135 lbs
1x5 at 150 lbs
1x3 at 165 lbs
1x1 at 180 lbs
1x5 at 195 lbs

comments: Tried an overhead press with a broomstick handle to see if there has been any difference with the "catch" in the left shoulder. Still there; no change. Left elbow also tends to track outward when coming down from lock-out -- probably an autonomic avoidance response to the shoulder catch. Interestingly, there is no shoulder "catch" with chin- or pull-ups -- if I can just figure out a way to reverse gravity and pull the bar down from lock-out... I saw in another forum log a cue to "bend the bar" on coming down from lock-out. Although that was to correct elbow flare on the bench press, I'm going to experiment that over the next few days to see if that has any effect on either the elbow flare or the shoulder catch.

Second physical therapist hasn't been any more help than the first. Each one started with a slightly different assumption, then changed their assumption when their "magic" didn't work. MRI and ortho are on deck. Meanwhile, I'll keep working with the broomstick to see if I can fix the elbow tracking somehow. I'd really like to get back to a pressing progression.

[YoungOpa]

Sleep: abt 8 hours
BW: 190 lbs

Lat pull-downs:
1x12 at 60 lbs
1x12 at 75 lbs
1x10 at 90 lbs
1x8 at 105 lbs
3x8 at 110 lbs

Squats:
2x5 at 45 lbs
1x5 at 65 lbs
1x3 at 85 lbs
1x2 at 125 lbs
3x5 at 145 lbs

Dead lift:
2x5 at 135 lbs
1x5 at 150 lbs
1x3 at 165 lbs
1x1 at 185 lbs
1x5 at 205 lbs

Still no presses... I tried a couple of reps with the empty bar, but couldn't work around the shoulder twinge.

I actually did a fourth set of squats, concentrating on keeping knees out. My main objective right now is to get back on track where I was before the physical therapy interruption, using the reset opportunity to make sure my form is in the ballpark.

I do feel like I've earned a little afternoon nap, though.

[waistline warrior]

Naps are highly underrated!

Instead of the press how about a real steep angle incline bench press? Not the same but gets you closer to a shoulder press.

[YoungOpa]

[QUOTE=waistline warrior;1285261]Instead of the press how about a real steep angle incline bench press? Not the same but gets you closer to a shoulder press./QUOTE]

The only presses I can do with any semblance of "good form" is a seated press (machine), but then only using a neutral grip. Standing at a counter reading a magazine, and just flipping the page made me wince, but BW chin- or pull-ups are fine. I'll find out tomorrow how soon I can get in for an MRI.

[YoungOpa]

Shoulder MRI scheduled for later this afternoon.

[Farback]

Shoulder MRI scheduled for later this afternoon.

Good luck with it.

[YoungOpa]

Sleep: abt 8 hours
BW: 192 lbs (must have been from last night's Jambalaya -- Mmm-mmm)
Age: still stuck at 68 (seems like it'll be months before I can nudge this)

Lat pull-downs:
1x10 at 75 lbs
1x8 at 90 lbs
1x6 at 105 lbs
3x8 at 120 lbs

Squats:
2x5 at 45 lbs
1x5 at 65 lbs
1x3 at 85 lbs
1x2 at 135 lbs
1x5 at 150 lbs*
3x5 at 155 lbs

Dead lift:
2x5 at 135 lbs
1x5 at 150 lbs
1x3 at 165 lbs
1x1 at 185 lbs
1x5 at 205 lbs**

*I was planning a 150-lb squat workset (5-lb bump from previous session), but the first set did not seem as challenging as I had imagined it might be. I can probably switch back safely to 10-lb workset bumps -- at least until I'm back to where I was on my initial progression at the beginning of last month (I guess a little caution comes with age).

**Hmmm... I've got to blame the apparent lack of dead lift progress on my StartingStrength App -- I did not check my last session workset ahead of time, assuming the app would increment for me. I'm still trying to play "catch-up" to where I was before being side-tracked with physical therapy. [Note to self: Next Tuesday's dead lift workset will be 215.]