by Brett Jones RKC, CSCS

As the most mobile and frequently used joint in the upper body, the shoulder is a common are of concern. Tendonitis, bursitis, rotator cuff and even the dreaded "frozen shoulder" can derail even the best-laid plains. The first draft of this article included a lot of anatomical information and some rehabilitation. What you have before you is a distilled version that seeks to provide advise on preventing shoulder problems. We will seek to Keep It Super Simple or KISS the situation.

First and most importantly, is to always remember that the shoulder in involved in every upper body motion. Every push (military press, bench press etc) in addition, every pull (pull-ups, rows etc) involves the shoulder. Throw in Kettlebell ballistics and you have thoroughly punished the shoulder. It should be easy to see that since it is a part of every motion of the arm, it is the most easily over-trained joint. Since most routines follow a bodybuilding based isolationist philosophy, it is common to see the shoulder singled out for its own set of exercises. What these routines fail to appreciate is the fact that the shoulder was already hit during the chest day, back day and even arm day. You could even say that it was stressed during leg day by the squat and or the dead lift.

Even those following the Party Line can fall prey to thinking that they have not preformed any direct shoulder work. Nevertheless, keep in mind that every press, every pull, every swing, every snatch, every clean, every jerk and even front squats will stress the shoulder. Follow the Party Line and simply pick a press, pick a pull and cycle your KB ballistics. Com. RobL. And others have made the valuable recommendation of keeping your KB reps low (five and under) and going with short rest periods. Also, pay attention to overall volume. Just because you are only doing two sets of a press, you cannot leave out the 100 reps per arm of KB swings. Stress and work is cumulative Comrade!

Second, always seek balance in your training. Your pushing should equal your pulling. If you are training exclusively with the KB, then you should balance your overhead pressing with the KB bent-over rows or pull-ups. Even go so far as to cycle rows and pull-ups so that you are not constantly working overhead. I would even recommend doing slightly more work for your back than your front; dead lifts and pull-ups to go with your bench press.

Third, emphasize proper position of the shoulder. The chest up and out and the shoulder blades down and in. This will place the shoulder blades in a position where they can rotate, not elevate. The latismus dorsi and other scapular stabilizers will also get involved. And a tip for the bench press, simply hold your arms out level with your shoulders and pull them back to your sides. Like doing a pushup and hold that position. You will discover the proper elbow/shoulder position for your bench. The shoulder and elbow will fold at an angle not with the elbow away from the body and in line with the shoulders.

This applies to pulling motions as well. During pull-ups, especially if you do not keep the chest up and out and the shoulder blades down and in, you cannot effectively pull with the lats. You end up doing a good bit of internal rotation and impingement of the shoulder. This is why the pull-down machine has never built a strong back. Once you sit and stabilize the legs underneath the pad, you will initiate a flexor pattern where the hip flexors, abs and anterior musculature will seek to override the back musculature. It is difficult at best to achieve and maintain the proper position and it usually requires reducing the weight to the point of being unproductive.

Fourth and perhaps the oddest tip, is to pay attention to how you are sleeping at night. If you are sleeping on your arm while it is extended above you or you sleep on your stomach with your arms over your head, you are simply grinding and impinging your shoulder all night. Try hugging a pillow in order to bring your arms down into a more shoulder friendly position.

Fifth, you must keep in mind your previous injuries. A good example is an injured sternoclavicular joint from a car accident where the seat belt saved your life but injured your SC joint. This will have a major impact on your shoulder joint since the SC joint at the top of your sternum where your collarbone starts is the only bony attachment of the shoulder. Once the SC joint is injured you will have to make up for or stabilize extra motion out at your shoulder. This can be the root cause of a recurrent problem. So think back and try to remember any falls or other accidents where the shoulder or any surrounding upper body area was injured and see if it could be related.

Possibly the best piece of advice concerning the shoulder or any injured or painful area is that if it hurts - do not do it! Find a way to work the involved area without causing pain. This is not permission to take a month vacation from working out but it does mean that you should not intentionally inflict pain.

I hope that the information contained above is helpful to every Party member in avoiding and overcoming any shoulder problems. It is far from an exhaustive discussion of the subject and it should always be kept in mind that an inch of knowledge makes you a foot dangerous.

Brett Jones is a Senior Russian Kettlebell instructor based near Pittsburgh, PA. He found In Motion Athletics, which is a group and individual conditioning service utilizing movement based solutions to release the athlete inside of you. You can check out his website at www.inmotionathletics.com.