Part of the fitness journey includes a few aches and pains along the way. They are never fun, but almost guaranteed as you take your body through new movements, correct years of poor posture, a sedentary lifestyle, mobilize tight muscles, and strengthen weak ones. When muscles are sore, it tells you that you have done something and they are growing and getting stronger. When a tweak or pain comes up, it is also telling you something! It is telling you to slow down and focus on movement quality, spend time mobilizing tight muscles, and strengthen weaker ones so that you become stronger overall.
A tweak or injury should not be a signal to stop moving entirely. If you halt your progress, you also halt the process of identifying and correcting the issue. Use the steps below to keep moving, ask for help when needed, and most importantly, maintain your routine in the gym. Keep moving and stay consistent!
If your shoulder is bothering you during CrossFit, here are three tips to help it improve. These same tips can be applied to any body part not just the shoulder:
- Modify Your Movements:
- Avoid exercises that aggravate your shoulder pain, such as overhead lifts or movements that put excessive strain on the shoulder joint.
- Substitute with lower-impact exercises that still provide a workout without causing pain. For instance, replace overhead barbell presses with lighter dumbbells doing a strict press or use resistance bands for lighter, controlled movements.
- Focus on Mobility and Stretching:
- Incorporate daily shoulder mobility exercises and stretches to improve range of motion and flexibility.
- Spend extra time warming up the shoulders before workouts and cooling down with stretches afterward. Shoulder circles, wall slides, and using a foam roller can be particularly beneficial.
- Check out the GOWOD app for a more detailed mobility protocol. Email Coach Emily for a 10% discount.
- Check out this Shoulder Spin up video to warm shoulders up with no equipment before a workout or even at the office during your lunch break: Kelly Starrett Shoulder Spin up
- Strengthen Supporting Muscles:
- Work on strengthening the muscles around your shoulder joint, including the rotator cuff, upper back, and core. Stronger supporting muscles can help alleviate strain on the shoulder.
- Include exercises like scapular push-ups, band pull-aparts, and external rotations in your routine to build stability and strength in the shoulder area. Dive into all the Bent over rows this week, slow down and work max muscle activation.
- Check out all these different row variations (Video/website), consider switching out a workout movement that hurts for one of these!
Remember to listen to your body and consult with a coach or medical professional (Colby Spence at Exstrom Physical Therapy) if the pain persists or worsens.
Injuries are a part of life. The difference with CrossFit and injuries is you are surrounded by a positive encouraging community to support you along the way to recovery. Most of our athletes get injured outside of the gym and use our CrossFit class as a way to keep moving, healing and staying healthy mentally and physically!
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