Shoulders are bothering me from lifting while getting back on the mat.

[teamventure09]

Back on the mat after lifting for a while and now my tight inflexible shoulders are bugging me.

My brother's advice is to only lift every other week to maintain while continuing grappling but that would mean missing out on mat time to let my shoulders heal after I lift.

I'm thinking of switching back to calisthenics for any pressing movements and doing the rest of the strength stuff on machines. Does this sound like an easy fix?

 

[ChickenBrother]

You need to decide if you want to be a 1) lifter first and grappler second, or 2) grappler first and lifter second. I do the latter and train grappling 3-5 x week with 2 lifting days where I lift lighter than I would if I was focused on lifting. YMMV but I've found I can maintain a decent amount of strength and muscle by continuing to lift relatively light every week. You definitely don't want to be pumped up and sore AF from lifting during your other training because that will compromise your grappling for sure.

 

[Baby Hanma]

I'm usually not one to speak about injuries or prehab, but this is something I have value to say on...

If something is hurting in a bad way, in a way that isn't merely soreness or lactic acid buildup, you have to stop it and find something else that has the same purpose. If heavy pressing exercises give you shoulder pain, you have to abandon heavy pressing exercises in favor of, as you suggested, calisthenics for your shoulder, chest, and tricep development. As long as the alternative no longer gives you the pain, of course. You just gotta make sure that you apply as much volume and intensity to your weighted calisthenics as you did in your barbell pressing movements.

It doesn't take an expert to say all that, yet all true experts will agree to it. A basic rule in weight training is that if something is hurting, stop it and do something else that hurts less while still giving the same benefit. No education involved.

Trust me.

 

[KnightTemplar]

Back on the mat after lifting for a while and now my tight inflexible shoulders are bugging me.

My brother's advice is to only lift every other week to maintain while continuing grappling but that would mean missing out on mat time to let my shoulders heal after I lift.

I'm thinking of switching back to calisthenics for any pressing movements and doing the rest of the strength stuff on machines. Does this sound like an easy fix?

1)See a professional - Sports Doctor or Physiotherapist if possible - to get your shoulders checked for any serious issues, such as impingement etc.

2)If Grappling is your main goal, lift twice a week. It doesn't have to be anything too fancy; a basic Push/Pull split for example, with the majority of the session based on compound free weight movements.

3)Swiss Bars, Safety Bars and Trap Bars allow you to Bench, Squat and Deadlift with your hands in a neutral grip, which is much easier on the shoulders.

 

[maximus__]

Back on the mat after lifting for a while and now my tight inflexible shoulders are bugging me.

My brother's advice is to only lift every other week to maintain while continuing grappling but that would mean missing out on mat time to let my shoulders heal after I lift.

I'm thinking of switching back to calisthenics for any pressing movements and doing the rest of the strength stuff on machines. Does this sound like an easy fix?

What exactly is causing the issue and pain? Seeing a good physio aside, you need to work out what the particular issue is.

BJJ is a but unique in that we do do some much pulling, but so little pressing that you can get away with more pressing than a lot of sports.

Define what you mean by shoulders. Best advice is to see a doc, but I have found working accessories hard has been a good way to fix these issues.
In the end it's your training and we can't diagnsoe from the internet, but can give personal experience that has helped us.
I don't think calisthenics and machines is the answer though, maybe just an adjustment in volume/exercise choice.

 

[teamventure09]

You need to decide if you want to be a 1) lifter first and grappler second, or 2) grappler first and lifter second. I do the latter and train grappling 3-5 x week with 2 lifting days where I lift lighter than I would if I was focused on lifting. YMMV but I've found I can maintain a decent amount of strength and muscle by continuing to lift relatively light every week. You definitely don't want to be pumped up and sore AF from lifting during your other training because that will compromise your grappling for sure.

1)See a professional - Sports Doctor or Physiotherapist if possible - to get your shoulders checked for any serious issues, such as impingement etc.

2)If Grappling is your main goal, lift twice a week. It doesn't have to be anything too fancy; a basic Push/Pull split for example, with the majority of the session based on compound free weight movements.

3)Swiss Bars, Safety Bars and Trap Bars allow you to Bench, Squat and Deadlift with your hands in a neutral grip, which is much easier on the shoulders.

I'm thinking of adjusting it to push/pull/squat all in one workout three times a week so I don't get as sore in addition to making the pushing a calisthenic.

Excersizes:
close grip pushups
Inverted bodyweight rows
zercher squats

I appreciate your guy's insight.

 

[Rigg9]

Dynamic shoulder complexes with a band would probably be smart idea for warming your shouldered up good before every grappling session. I might cut out barbell movement completely for a while in place for calisthenics, mobility exercises, and conditioning. After your body has adjusted to the new stress start adding back the strength training in small doses untill you find your sweet spot. "Squats and grip strength is king and bench don't mean shit on the mat from my experience"

 

[ChickenBrother]

I'm thinking of adjusting it to push/pull/squat all in one workout three times a week so I don't get as sore in addition to making the pushing a calisthenic.

Excersizes:
close grip pushups
Inverted bodyweight rows
zercher squats

I appreciate your guy's insight.

YMMV but I've tried many different routines over the years and I keep coming back to a basic 3x5 full body barbell routine twice/week, alternating between two workouts:

Day 1:
3x5 barbell squat
3x5 bench
3x5 BOR

Day 2:
3x5 barbell squat
3x5 OHP
1x5 DL

I typically do Day 1 workout on Tues and Day 2 on Sat, with my other training on other days, which like you, is primarily BJJ and wrestling, but with occasional Judo at another gym. I also do light barbell snatches on lifting days as part of my warm up and sometimes sub in barbell cleans for BOR.

As you probably already know, in combat sports ROM and good technique are MUCH more important than static strength once you're "kind of strong." My objective is to maintain "intermediate" strength on calculated 1RM on the big lifts while prioritizing combat sports. Strengthlevel.com has decent baselines:

Strength Level - Weightlifting Calculator (Bench/Squat/Deadlift)

Calculate male/female ability in exercises like bench press, squat and deadlift. Compare your max lifts against other lifters at your bodyweight. Compete with friends.

strengthlevel.com

However, as I age this is getting harder to do and right now I'm below intermediate which is annoying to me. But if your lifting is making you feel tight and sore during your combat sports training, you're doing it wrong. Lift lighter weight if you have to + stretch every day and stay limber.

 

[KnightTemplar]

What exactly is causing the issue and pain? Seeing a good physio aside, you need to work out what the particular issue is.

BJJ is a but unique in that we do do some much pulling, but so little pressing that you can get away with more pressing than a lot of sports.

Define what you mean by shoulders. Best advice is to see a doc, but I have found working accessories hard has been a good way to fix these issues.
In the end it's your training and we can't diagnsoe from the internet, but can give personal experience that has helped us.
I don't think calisthenics and machines is the answer though, maybe just an adjustment in volume/exercise choice.

I've heard more than one grappler say that, "pulling strength" is more important than the ablity to press heavy weights in relation to Grappling.

 

[Stargazer Rex]

Dynamic shoulder complexes with a band would probably be smart idea for warming your shouldered up good before every grappling session. I might cut out barbell movement completely for a while in place for calisthenics, mobility exercises, and conditioning. After your body has adjusted to the new stress start adding back the strength training in small doses untill you find your sweet spot. "Squats and grip strength is king and bench don't mean shit on the mat from my experience"

I started doing band work for my shoulders before every workout a few months ago and it was a game changer. Shoulders feel like they have a little pump before benching that makes it feel better to lift with. Shoulder pain is minimal now and I think it even helped a nagging pec injury a little bit. It's just some basic internal, external and abduction work but damn they helped a lot. My dumb ass should have been doing these years ago lol

 

[maximus__]

I've heard more than one grappler say that, "pulling strength" is more important than the ablity to press heavy weights in relation to Grappling.

It definitely is overall. Pushing in grappling is generally a bad idea unless the risk of subs is outweighed by getting punched in the face.

 

[teamventure09]

Dynamic shoulder complexes with a band would probably be smart idea for warming your shouldered up good before every grappling session. I might cut out barbell movement completely for a while in place for calisthenics, mobility exercises, and conditioning. After your body has adjusted to the new stress start adding back the strength training in small doses untill you find your sweet spot. "Squats and grip strength is king and bench don't mean shit on the mat from my experience"

I like that answer cause I'm stronger on squats than bench and that has helped my grappling.

 

[teamventure09]

YMMV but I've tried many different routines over the years and I keep coming back to a basic 3x5 full body barbell routine twice/week, alternating between two workouts:

Day 1:
3x5 barbell squat
3x5 bench
3x5 BOR

Day 2:
3x5 barbell squat
3x5 OHP
1x5 DL

I typically do Day 1 workout on Tues and Day 2 on Sat, with my other training on other days, which like you, is primarily BJJ and wrestling, but with occasional Judo at another gym. I also do light barbell snatches on lifting days as part of my warm up and sometimes sub in barbell cleans for BOR.

As you probably already know, in combat sports ROM and good technique are MUCH more important than static strength once you're "kind of strong." My objective is to maintain "intermediate" strength on calculated 1RM on the big lifts while prioritizing combat sports. Strengthlevel.com has decent baselines:

Strength Level - Weightlifting Calculator (Bench/Squat/Deadlift)

Calculate male/female ability in exercises like bench press, squat and deadlift. Compare your max lifts against other lifters at your bodyweight. Compete with friends.

strengthlevel.com

However, as I age this is getting harder to do and right now I'm below intermediate which is annoying to me. But if your lifting is making you feel tight and sore during your combat sports training, you're doing it wrong. Lift lighter weight if you have to + stretch every day and stay limber.

Ya I'm already pretty strong so I'm going for range of motion primarily maybe from now on. That's my biggest weakness.

 

[teamventure09]

I've heard more than one grappler say that, "pulling strength" is more important than the ablity to press heavy weights in relation to Grappling.

I like that thought too cause Rows and squats are more my thing anyway.

 

[teamventure09]

I started doing band work for my shoulders before every workout a few months ago and it was a game changer. Shoulders feel like they have a little pump before benching that makes it feel better to lift with. Shoulder pain is minimal now and I think it even helped a nagging pec injury a little bit. It's just some basic internal, external and abduction work but damn they helped a lot. My dumb ass should have been doing these years ago lol

Sweet. I just found a basic three exercises for resistance bands.

 

[teamventure09]

Also I read that vertical pulling can lead to bad shoulders and not just overhead pressing.