Specialization Program

kbaby2020
kbaby2020 Posts: 63 Member
edited December 26 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
I’m wanting to do a specialization program for my back due to the fact that it’s a very weak lagging body part of mine and I’ve suffered an injury in my shoulder because of muscle imbalances.

Anyone know of a good one? Or how to design a program?
I haven’t worked out for a while so I’m not sure where to begin or what I should start with.

Replies

  • wiigelec
    wiigelec Posts: 503 Member
    edited December 2020
    your body is a system and is generally better trained as a system, as opposed to “specialization”, using compound lifts such as squat, deadlift, standing overhead press, etc, all of which are useful for increasing back strength
  • kbaby2020
    kbaby2020 Posts: 63 Member
    wiigelec wrote: »
    your body is a system and is generally better trained as a system, as opposed to “specialization”, using compound lifts such as squat, deadlift, standing overhead press, etc, all of which are useful for increasing back strength

    I’ve done all of that in the past and my back was still weak which led to the injury. Obviously I want to do compound lifts because I do know they work back but yeah just curious if maybe adding in an extra back exercise or two every upper body session would help 🤷🏼‍♀️
  • wiigelec
    wiigelec Posts: 503 Member
    what training were you doing in the past and what training are you doing now?
  • kbaby2020
    kbaby2020 Posts: 63 Member
    wiigelec wrote: »
    what training were you doing in the past and what training are you doing now?

    I was doing a four day split, two upper and two lower. Powerlifting focused, so obviously very squat, deadlift, and bench heavy.
    Now, nothing haha. I kind of fell off the wagon for a bit due to a huge surgery and pregnancy.
  • wiigelec
    wiigelec Posts: 503 Member
    was your previous training moving you towards your goals?
  • kbaby2020
    kbaby2020 Posts: 63 Member
    wiigelec wrote: »
    was your previous training moving you towards your goals?

    At the time, yes. I’m no longer pursuing powerlifting though (or won’t be for a while) and due to my shoulder I can’t really bench without discomfort or squat with a bar on my back so I’m just trying to figure out what I can do and what would help with my rotator cuff while slowly building size and strength again.
  • wiigelec
    wiigelec Posts: 503 Member
    edited December 2020
    i can’t really help you with your injury, but would suggest sticking with what has worked for you previously as much as possible
  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    kbaby2020 wrote: »
    wiigelec wrote: »
    was your previous training moving you towards your goals?

    At the time, yes. I’m no longer pursuing powerlifting though (or won’t be for a while) and due to my shoulder I can’t really bench without discomfort or squat with a bar on my back so I’m just trying to figure out what I can do and what would help with my rotator cuff while slowly building size and strength again.

    Your injury sounds like one I had a few years back - inflamed supraspinous tendon in my left shoulder. I could not bench , overhead press, or hold a bare bar on my back for a squat. I could deadlift fine. The injury was a result of over aggressive bench press training. If that sounds like your injury you might want to see a doc,
  • kbaby2020
    kbaby2020 Posts: 63 Member
    ecjim wrote: »
    kbaby2020 wrote: »
    wiigelec wrote: »
    was your previous training moving you towards your goals?

    At the time, yes. I’m no longer pursuing powerlifting though (or won’t be for a while) and due to my shoulder I can’t really bench without discomfort or squat with a bar on my back so I’m just trying to figure out what I can do and what would help with my rotator cuff while slowly building size and strength again.

    Your injury sounds like one I had a few years back - inflamed supraspinous tendon in my left shoulder. I could not bench , overhead press, or hold a bare bar on my back for a squat. I could deadlift fine. The injury was a result of over aggressive bench press training. If that sounds like your injury you might want to see a doc,


    Yes that’s exactly the reason I got it. I used to bench and do push exercises WAY more than doing pulling/back exercises.
    How long did it take your injury to heal and what were some top moves that helped? Were you able to do any pressing exercises at all? Or when could you do them again?
    I have been checked out by a chiropractor and physical therapist and they didn’t give me much advice 🙃
  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    It was months before I could press OK . I should have gotten the cortisone shot , but I didn't.
    It's important to pull as much or more then you push. I will super set benches with a row - overhead press with pull up , I train at home, so that's no problem. I get some deadlifts in there too.
    You might want to see a Ortho Dr.
  • kbaby2020
    kbaby2020 Posts: 63 Member
    ecjim wrote: »
    It was months before I could press OK . I should have gotten the cortisone shot , but I didn't.
    It's important to pull as much or more then you push. I will super set benches with a row - overhead press with pull up , I train at home, so that's no problem. I get some deadlifts in there too.
    You might want to see a Ortho Dr.

    I’ve had this issue for almost 3 years. The most I feel nowadays is an occasional tight, achy feeling. It’s not painful, just an irritation. But I’m definitely wanting to prioritize rows.
    In the past I would do like 7-8 pressing exercises to 4-5 pulling :P should’ve been the other way around, if not MORE for pulling. I even had a coach who did my programming and she didn’t seem to catch that haha 🤷🏼‍♀️
  • kbaby2020
    kbaby2020 Posts: 63 Member
    The pressing to pulling ratio I did before was over the course of two days haha not one - sorry just needed to clarify 😂😅
  • ecjim
    ecjim Posts: 1,001 Member
    edited December 2020
    You can push one day pull on another. I treat the bench as a strength move - lower reps, I do higher reps with dumbells , I row at 8 -12 reps. Same idea with the overhead press heaver weights / lower reps with barbell, higher reps with dumbells. The dumbells are easier on my cranky joints.
    It's probably a good idea to pull more then you push.
    I hope you got rid of that coach
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