What upper body muscles would be targeted in this workout?

[spoqen]

I have a torn labrum in my shoulder that is inoperable. Halos have been a huge benefit for mobility and strength, but I’m having a hard time targeting my chest. All pushing movements are essentially a no-go. Anyone have any ideas or use a variation of this exercise before?

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[lennard7anderson]

@spoqen Looks to be primarily traps (upper, middle, and lower in varying degrees), pecs, front delts, and long head of the biceps.

 

[poverduin]

@spoqen Had a SLAP early 2020. Went to a physical therapist as recommended by a Dr.(sports/athlete specialist).Was introduced to a lot of specific exercises that helped rebuild my strength and help heal the tendons. Dr. had said I could get back to 86% of strength on that shoulder without surgery. Still took north of 2.5 years to get any where near where I used to be. But for all intents and purposes I’m back to normal for most everything I can get into as a 40+ male, including BJJ for 9 months. Just take it slow and see a physical therapist. It will accelerate your recovery i to light speed. As for this exercise, it would be good for my SLAP tear, as long as I kept it at a reasonable weight and I never went to failure.

edit: Also had a lot of success with reverse TGU. the shoulder stability required for TGU was great. Keep the max weight around your 5 rep max and lighter. Also bottoms up press for the same reason.

edit2: got back to push-ups when it wasn’t hurting any more. I was able to bench and get back to 225lbs, but kicked the gym membership for just KBs now.

 

[buttercup11]

@spoqen Nope, but did your doctor recommend y’s and t’s?

 

[spoqen]

@buttercup11 Thanks for the reply. Can you elaborate on y’s and t’s?

Basically where we’re at is if it hurts don’t do it. A lot of stretching and standard rotator cuff strengthening exercises as long as it doesn’t aggravate anything.

 

[anon9000get]

@spoqen My doctor had me do those too. You lay down flat on the ground with a rolled up towel under your forehead and use light dumbbells. Arms fully extended perpendicular to your body is T. At a 60 degree angle is a Y and also W is with your elbow bent that gets another position on the same muscles. You squeeze your shoulder blades together to lift the dumbbells off the ground. The position forces you to isolate just those muscles

 

[anon9000get]

@spoqen I have shoulder problems too and the best thing for my problem is farm carry. Lemme think what else. Halos are good too. You ever try Indian clubs?

You ever do bottoms up single arm carries? You clean a kettlebell up to racked position but hold it upside down. That extra stabilization helps the shoulder stability. Err lemme explain that better. You grip it in the center of the handle as strongly as you can and keep the bell balanced upside down but otherwise it’s a normal racked position.

As for pushing exercises, dips or assisted dips are good. If you have a bench, do you know what “batwings” are? I can do bench presses if I REALLY activate my upper mid back muscles first and hold it hard. Mark Rippetoe has a good YouTube video with art of manliness that actually includes that as the bench press buildup.

 

[spoqen]

@anon9000get Thanks for the help! I’m going to try and incorporate the carries into active recovery days and see how they go. The batwing flies are very intriguing. We have an exercise ball that I can use vs a bench. Thanks again!

 

[anon9000get]

@spoqen No prob! Yeah for shoulder stability the “best” place is where farmer carries place them. In the back down position. I forget the term racked or locked…. Not sure. But yeah putting them in that place under tension forcing good posture is really helpful. Then the Batwings and TWYs and other exercises that target the muscles between the shoulder blades also helps bc those stabilize the shoulder and help posture. Bad posture = bad shoulders and vice versa. When you injure your shoulders you naturally form bad posture to protect them. But yeah shoot me a message if you wanna talk shoulder rehab. I have epilepsy and destroyed my shoulders years ago. Constant physical therapy is what I have to do to keep them in the socket

 

[joyfilled]

@spoqen Ys and T as suggested but also band pull aparts and take a lightish KB and try do armbars. These do not target your chest but help build and rehabilitae that shoulder sytrenght mobilty and stability in the long run.

I have not used that exercise before in the video but if you could do that could you not try lying pull overs?

 

[hunter101]

@spoqen Looks like a little bit of biceps, triceps, serraturs, shoulders, lats, teres, traps. Maybe a tiny bit of chest. So, like a little bit of everything, but probably not super effective for any single muscle.

If pushing movements are out of the question, how about flyes? If the problems arise when your elbow gets behind your back, you can do them lying on the ground with dumbbells - that way the floor limits the range of motion.

 

[justenough74]

@spoqen Looks like a standing pullover so will work front delts more. Then squat and curl. Basically no real chest stimulus.

Consider getting a Mark Bell Slingshot. Essentially gives you an external extra pair of pectoral muscles. Since they are elastic bands they will provide more assistance at the bottom of a push movement and less at the top. The bottom is where you are most likely to aggravate your shoulders and this is where you will get some support. This may help you get back to doing all typical presses again.

Other considerations:

Play with hand placement and width. Narrower may be easier on your shoulders.

Mindfulness of external rotation (elbows tucked, not flared) at the bottom of a press helps to avoid putting extra strain on shoulders.

Using rings for push-ups could give your shoulders the freedom to move in a path that suits you better. Start on your knees to make sure the instability is ok on your shoulders.

Assisted Waiter’s press may be something to try. Good upper chest stimulus and may be good on your shoulders. Elbows tucked in to minimise shoulder rotation through the press which may contribute to shoulder pain.

Hope this helps and good luck.

 

[spoqen]

@justenough74 Thanks for advice! I’m going to give the assisted waiters press a whirl. Appreciate it!

 

[alittlebird]

@spoqen Its a Goblet Ground to Overhead Triceps Extension. Just kidding, no idea. But whatever it is, it seems to be working. He is next level RIPPED.