Count yourself lucky for having been born in such extraordinary times. We still haven't found a way to cure every single disease, and there is no cure for HPV, however, the rate of progress is improving dramatically, and with modern science, we're discovering more and more ways to, if not kill HPV off for good, we can at least take steps to prevent contracting HPV, and to prevent passing it on.
There is a bit of a misconception that HPV is an entirely sexually related disease. Just to get this clear: It is not. HPV includes genital warts, but there are literally dozens of different types of HPV. To put it simply, all warts are caused by HPV, and there are some forms of HPV that don't actually show any visible signs on the surface of the skin.
Most forms of HPV are merely uncomfortable or unsightly, warts are a form of tumour, but they are generally benign tumours, meaning, ugly as they are, they're of no risk to your life or long term health. However, a few types can lead to cancer or other major complications.
If you've spotted an unsightly wart on your hands or feet, or your doctor has informed you that you have been infected with HPV, you'll need to take measures to treat the hpv symptoms, of course, but you should also take measures to prevent passing it on.
Common warts or hand warts
Because of the protein "shell" surrounding an HPV cell, HPV can lay dormant for longer than most viruses even on non-absorbent, dry surfaces. If you're dealing with hand warts, just make sure to spray down surfaces such as countertops and doorknobs with disinfectant and keep a generally sanitary environment at work and at home.
Luckily, most common wart hpv treatment options will have you putting a band-aid or other medical adhesive over the infected area, so as long as you wash your hands and reapply the bandages as needed, there's not too much risk in passing on common hand warts.
Plantar warts
Unless you're swapping socks with your friends, plantar warts are kind of hard to pass on in your normal routine.
If you go to a gym or health club and use communal showers, just make sure to wear rubber shower sandals. This is generally recommended whether you're dealing with plantar warts or not, as you can keep from contracting HPV and foot funguses, as well.
Venereal HPV
There's a misconception that if you don't see any warts, you can't pass HPV on. This is not true though. Not only can you pass venereal types of HPV on when there are no symptoms, there are also venereal HPV types which have no visible symptoms, but can lead to cervical cancer and other complications nonetheless.
In this day and age, you have to be living under a rock to not have heard about the many, many options for safe sex out there. The only form of safe sex that has much potential to prevent HPV, though, is using a condom. There is no cure for genital warts or HPV in men or women.
Know the sexual history of every sexual partner you become involved with, no exceptions. Unless you and your partner have both had HPV tests conducted and you know for a fact that you are both clear, use a condom every time. Condoms take only a few seconds to apply, and it just isn't worth the risk to go without.
HPV Health is dedicated to bringing you the most current information on HPV. We are dedicated to helping you. For more information on symptoms and treatments visit HPV.
For more information click here
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sports Bra from hanes
Long before, exercise was an activity limited to Men only. The trend has changed dramatically. Nowadays, Girls and Women are increasingly into Gym, Exercise and Performances for a healthy body. The biggest issue while doing exercise or performance is that the breasts may get hurt due to the uneven bounce - both up and down as well as side to side. Sports Bras play a very important role in keeping the breasts unhurt while allowing freedom of movement. Sports Bras help girls and women to take up exercises, aerobics and performances without worrying about the well being of their breasts.
Sports Bras are available for low impact, medium impact and high impact activities. Hence, the selection of bra should be decided based on the activity that you are going to do. Running or any other athletic activity and Working out at Gym are considered High Impact Activities.
Different Styles of Sports Bras are available today. Racerback Sports Bra is one among them.
The best features of a Sport Bra are supposed to offer utmost support your breast. It should have an extremely good fit. The molded cups should be used to offer the best support for high impact activities. While doing exercise, one will sweat a lot. Hence, the bra should be made of moisture wicking fabric, so that the fabric could suck the sweat thereby giving you freedom from odor and could keep you cool, fresh and dry. A Sport Bra should be tag free to give you ultimate comfort. Soft and Stretchy bra sides could ensure the ultimate comfort. It should move along with you. Comfort Bottom Band helps eliminates chaffing. Straps for any Sport Bra would be wider than used in the usual bra. Some Sports Bras offer great shaping too.
Hanes is a leading lingerie manufacturer for women. They are number two in terms of sale of bras and panties. Hanes Sports Bras are more affordable and trustworthy.
For more information click here
Sports Bras are available for low impact, medium impact and high impact activities. Hence, the selection of bra should be decided based on the activity that you are going to do. Running or any other athletic activity and Working out at Gym are considered High Impact Activities.
Different Styles of Sports Bras are available today. Racerback Sports Bra is one among them.
The best features of a Sport Bra are supposed to offer utmost support your breast. It should have an extremely good fit. The molded cups should be used to offer the best support for high impact activities. While doing exercise, one will sweat a lot. Hence, the bra should be made of moisture wicking fabric, so that the fabric could suck the sweat thereby giving you freedom from odor and could keep you cool, fresh and dry. A Sport Bra should be tag free to give you ultimate comfort. Soft and Stretchy bra sides could ensure the ultimate comfort. It should move along with you. Comfort Bottom Band helps eliminates chaffing. Straps for any Sport Bra would be wider than used in the usual bra. Some Sports Bras offer great shaping too.
Hanes is a leading lingerie manufacturer for women. They are number two in terms of sale of bras and panties. Hanes Sports Bras are more affordable and trustworthy.
For more information click here
Shoulder Exercises for Joint Stability
Exercising the shoulder joint involves not just one, but 3 complex joints, therby increasing the risk of overuse injuries to the shoulder girdle.
? The sternoclavicular joint is the only place that the upper extremity is actually attached to the rest of the skeleton.
? The acromioclavicular (ac joint) joint at the shoulder, joins the scapula with the clavicle.
? The glenohumeral or shoulder joint joins the humerus with the scapula.
The bones of the shoulder girdle are joined together at these 3 articulations where shoulder exercises begin.
Movement at any one of these 3 articulations may produce movement in other segments as they are all interconnected. Unfortunately, any shortening of a muscle group may cause restricted range of motion in the whole shoulder complex.
As you do shoulder exercises the muscles act in combination to produce motion. For instance, the combined motion of the scapula and humerus is called scapulohumeral rhythm and is necessary for the arm to achieve 180 degrees of elevation.
The first 30 degrees of abduction is accomplished by the humerus alone, then the scapula joins in to about 120 degrees, and finally the clavicle (collarbone) participates in the remaining 60 degrees of elevation.
Some muscles act as stabilizers for the bony parts of the shoulder complex to prevent unnecessary motion.
For instance the trapezius muscles are involved in stabilizing or depressing the scapula so you are able to more efficiently raise your arm for overhead shoulder exercises without putting the shoulder joint at risk for injury.
-------------------------------
Because the shoulder is a ball and socket joint it rotates in many different directions and involves various different shoulder exercises muscles and positions.
? Shoulder Extension moves the upper arm down and backward working the muscles of the triceps, teres major, posterior deltoid, and latissimus dorsi. Effective exercises to work these muscles include triceps extension with an overhead cable machine and chest expansion on the Pilates reformer or Cadillac.
? Shoulder Flexion lifts the upper arm forward and upward working the muscles of the anterior deltoid, pectoralis major, and biceps brachii. An effective exercise to work these muscles is the overhead shoulder press.
Rotating shoulder exercises work the muscles of the rotator cuff. These rotate the arm both internally and externally.
? External rotation involves the muscle groups; infraspinatus, posterior deltoid, and teres minor. External shoulder rotation using a band or cable is effective in working these muscles.
? Internal rotation of the shoulder involves the muscle groups; subscapularis, teres major, latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, and anterior deltoid. Internal shoulder rotation using a band or cable is effective in working these muscles.
? Shoulder Abduction moves the arm laterally away from the body working the supraspinatus and middle deltoid. An effective exercise is a side or lateral arm raise using a dumbbell.
? Shoulder Adduction moves the arm toward the midline of the body and involves the muscle groups; pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, teres major, and posterior deltoid. To effectively work these muscles pull a band or cable with your arm extended out to the side and pull it straight down toward your thigh.
-------------------------------
What is it about those shoulder blades?
Well, Without the shoulder blades (scapula) our arms would hang off the end of our shoulders and either have too much range without control or a lack of range because the muscles would attach directly to our ribcage.
The shoulder blades act as a stable foundation for the arm to move freely. Muscular imbalances in the shoulder girdle will cause dysfunctional movement patterns throughout the body.
The actions of the scapula not only move the shoulder blades but they assist the arm in flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, as well as lifting and lowering the shoulder girdle.
? Scapular rotation downward moves the outer tip of the scapula down and assists the arm in extension, adduction, and internal rotation. This shoulder exercise involves the muscle groups of the rhomboids, levator scapula, and pectoralis major.
? Scapular rotation upward moves the outer tip of the scapula upward and assists the arm in flexion, abduction, and external rotation. This exercise works the muscles of the serratus anterior and upper and lower trapezius.
? Scapular protraction moves the shoulder blades forward on the rib cage and shoulder girdle in a forward direction. The muscles involved are the pectoralis minor and the serratus anterior.
? Scapular retraction moves the shoulder girdle and blades together toward the vertebral column. The muscles working here are the rhomboids and middle trapezius.
? Scapular elevation moves the shoulder girdle and blades up the back toward the ear, like a shoulder shrug. Muscle groups involved here are the levator scapula and upper trapezius.
? Scapular depression moves the shoulder girdle and blades down the back and involves the pectoralis minor and lower trapezius.
------
Jennifer Adolfs is a certified Pilates Mat and Equipment Specialist who works with people needing back and joint stability. Her new Pilates Ebook outlines exercises designed specifically for back and joint function and stability. Check out more articles at her web site http://www.Pilates-Back-Joint-Exercise.com
For more information click here
? The sternoclavicular joint is the only place that the upper extremity is actually attached to the rest of the skeleton.
? The acromioclavicular (ac joint) joint at the shoulder, joins the scapula with the clavicle.
? The glenohumeral or shoulder joint joins the humerus with the scapula.
The bones of the shoulder girdle are joined together at these 3 articulations where shoulder exercises begin.
Movement at any one of these 3 articulations may produce movement in other segments as they are all interconnected. Unfortunately, any shortening of a muscle group may cause restricted range of motion in the whole shoulder complex.
As you do shoulder exercises the muscles act in combination to produce motion. For instance, the combined motion of the scapula and humerus is called scapulohumeral rhythm and is necessary for the arm to achieve 180 degrees of elevation.
The first 30 degrees of abduction is accomplished by the humerus alone, then the scapula joins in to about 120 degrees, and finally the clavicle (collarbone) participates in the remaining 60 degrees of elevation.
Some muscles act as stabilizers for the bony parts of the shoulder complex to prevent unnecessary motion.
For instance the trapezius muscles are involved in stabilizing or depressing the scapula so you are able to more efficiently raise your arm for overhead shoulder exercises without putting the shoulder joint at risk for injury.
-------------------------------
Because the shoulder is a ball and socket joint it rotates in many different directions and involves various different shoulder exercises muscles and positions.
? Shoulder Extension moves the upper arm down and backward working the muscles of the triceps, teres major, posterior deltoid, and latissimus dorsi. Effective exercises to work these muscles include triceps extension with an overhead cable machine and chest expansion on the Pilates reformer or Cadillac.
? Shoulder Flexion lifts the upper arm forward and upward working the muscles of the anterior deltoid, pectoralis major, and biceps brachii. An effective exercise to work these muscles is the overhead shoulder press.
Rotating shoulder exercises work the muscles of the rotator cuff. These rotate the arm both internally and externally.
? External rotation involves the muscle groups; infraspinatus, posterior deltoid, and teres minor. External shoulder rotation using a band or cable is effective in working these muscles.
? Internal rotation of the shoulder involves the muscle groups; subscapularis, teres major, latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, and anterior deltoid. Internal shoulder rotation using a band or cable is effective in working these muscles.
? Shoulder Abduction moves the arm laterally away from the body working the supraspinatus and middle deltoid. An effective exercise is a side or lateral arm raise using a dumbbell.
? Shoulder Adduction moves the arm toward the midline of the body and involves the muscle groups; pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, teres major, and posterior deltoid. To effectively work these muscles pull a band or cable with your arm extended out to the side and pull it straight down toward your thigh.
-------------------------------
What is it about those shoulder blades?
Well, Without the shoulder blades (scapula) our arms would hang off the end of our shoulders and either have too much range without control or a lack of range because the muscles would attach directly to our ribcage.
The shoulder blades act as a stable foundation for the arm to move freely. Muscular imbalances in the shoulder girdle will cause dysfunctional movement patterns throughout the body.
The actions of the scapula not only move the shoulder blades but they assist the arm in flexion, extension, abduction, adduction, as well as lifting and lowering the shoulder girdle.
? Scapular rotation downward moves the outer tip of the scapula down and assists the arm in extension, adduction, and internal rotation. This shoulder exercise involves the muscle groups of the rhomboids, levator scapula, and pectoralis major.
? Scapular rotation upward moves the outer tip of the scapula upward and assists the arm in flexion, abduction, and external rotation. This exercise works the muscles of the serratus anterior and upper and lower trapezius.
? Scapular protraction moves the shoulder blades forward on the rib cage and shoulder girdle in a forward direction. The muscles involved are the pectoralis minor and the serratus anterior.
? Scapular retraction moves the shoulder girdle and blades together toward the vertebral column. The muscles working here are the rhomboids and middle trapezius.
? Scapular elevation moves the shoulder girdle and blades up the back toward the ear, like a shoulder shrug. Muscle groups involved here are the levator scapula and upper trapezius.
? Scapular depression moves the shoulder girdle and blades down the back and involves the pectoralis minor and lower trapezius.
------
Jennifer Adolfs is a certified Pilates Mat and Equipment Specialist who works with people needing back and joint stability. Her new Pilates Ebook outlines exercises designed specifically for back and joint function and stability. Check out more articles at her web site http://www.Pilates-Back-Joint-Exercise.com
For more information click here
resistance band workout
Overview
Resistance bands, also regarded as exercise bands, happen to be one of the most effectual forms of exercise equipments in the world of fitness. Whether your objective is to build up lean muscle mass or cast off the extra body fat, a proper set of resistance bands can assist you to attain your objective. Researches have established that daily exercises using resistance bands can not only tone and beef up muscles, but at the same time can add to the bone mass. Combust fat through high repetition exercises employing resistance bands and have a toned up body.
Resistance Bands are Gaining Popularity
Resistance Bands are earning popularity day by day. It is because of their cost-effectiveness and capability to provide the same level of resistance as the machine equipments or free weight that resistance bands are being used by a big part of the population.
Though used by the fitness buff now , few years ago physiotherapists used resistance bands to aid ndividuals in rehabilitating their rotator cuff muscles of the shoulders, in whiplashing to their necks and even for those recovering from lower back surgery. Resistance Bands and its Unique Property
The resistance band is markedly characterized by its 'variable elastic potential', a unique trait . The more you elongate the band, the more resistance is applied.
Types of Resistance Bands
Three categories of resistance bands are available. They are:
i) Tube styled resistance Bands: These types of resistance bands are comprised of a stretchable, latex tube consisting of handles on its either end. Usually 48 inches in length, the tube resistance bands can be used to do any type of exercise. While some tube resistance bands feature ordinary plastic handles, the other bands feature-padded handles that take the shape of your hands.
ii) Flat Resistance Bands: These resistance bands are generally long, flat stretchable materials. Unlike tube resistance bands, the flat resistance bands do not possess any handle. 48 inches long, these resistance bands are chiefly used for rehabilitation.
iii) Loop Resistance Bands: These resistance bands are somewhat like the flat exercise bands. Usually flat in shape, the ends of these bands are attached so that the band becomes a complete loop. Good for lower body exercise, the loop resistance bands can be looped along the ankles for an effective mlower body exercise.
Advantages of Resistance Bands
Here are few plus points of using resistance bands:
i) Portable: Resistance bands travel conveniently. You can easily roll up a resistance band and put it in your travel bag, backpack or purse while travelling. The portability of this workout equipment helps you to do a good workout anywhere and everywhere you go. Resistance bands are mostly used in gyms and in physiotherapy centers.
ii) Cheap: Resistance bands are cheaper in comparison to any other workout equipments used in gyms. These bands generally range from $6-$20. The exact price, of course, depends on how many you buy and from where you purchase them.
iii) Suitable for all Fitness Levels: Depending on the way you use them, the resistance bands are greatly effective for beginners. Advanced users can also use these fitness bands. These bands can be used for basic moves and they offer intensity to conventional moves. For more information on resistance bands, visit www. fightforfitness.com. Log in to this website to order resistance bands and other weight training equipments online.
http://www.fightforfitness.com.au
For more information click here
Resistance bands, also regarded as exercise bands, happen to be one of the most effectual forms of exercise equipments in the world of fitness. Whether your objective is to build up lean muscle mass or cast off the extra body fat, a proper set of resistance bands can assist you to attain your objective. Researches have established that daily exercises using resistance bands can not only tone and beef up muscles, but at the same time can add to the bone mass. Combust fat through high repetition exercises employing resistance bands and have a toned up body.
Resistance Bands are Gaining Popularity
Resistance Bands are earning popularity day by day. It is because of their cost-effectiveness and capability to provide the same level of resistance as the machine equipments or free weight that resistance bands are being used by a big part of the population.
Though used by the fitness buff now , few years ago physiotherapists used resistance bands to aid ndividuals in rehabilitating their rotator cuff muscles of the shoulders, in whiplashing to their necks and even for those recovering from lower back surgery. Resistance Bands and its Unique Property
The resistance band is markedly characterized by its 'variable elastic potential', a unique trait . The more you elongate the band, the more resistance is applied.
Types of Resistance Bands
Three categories of resistance bands are available. They are:
i) Tube styled resistance Bands: These types of resistance bands are comprised of a stretchable, latex tube consisting of handles on its either end. Usually 48 inches in length, the tube resistance bands can be used to do any type of exercise. While some tube resistance bands feature ordinary plastic handles, the other bands feature-padded handles that take the shape of your hands.
ii) Flat Resistance Bands: These resistance bands are generally long, flat stretchable materials. Unlike tube resistance bands, the flat resistance bands do not possess any handle. 48 inches long, these resistance bands are chiefly used for rehabilitation.
iii) Loop Resistance Bands: These resistance bands are somewhat like the flat exercise bands. Usually flat in shape, the ends of these bands are attached so that the band becomes a complete loop. Good for lower body exercise, the loop resistance bands can be looped along the ankles for an effective mlower body exercise.
Advantages of Resistance Bands
Here are few plus points of using resistance bands:
i) Portable: Resistance bands travel conveniently. You can easily roll up a resistance band and put it in your travel bag, backpack or purse while travelling. The portability of this workout equipment helps you to do a good workout anywhere and everywhere you go. Resistance bands are mostly used in gyms and in physiotherapy centers.
ii) Cheap: Resistance bands are cheaper in comparison to any other workout equipments used in gyms. These bands generally range from $6-$20. The exact price, of course, depends on how many you buy and from where you purchase them.
iii) Suitable for all Fitness Levels: Depending on the way you use them, the resistance bands are greatly effective for beginners. Advanced users can also use these fitness bands. These bands can be used for basic moves and they offer intensity to conventional moves. For more information on resistance bands, visit www. fightforfitness.com. Log in to this website to order resistance bands and other weight training equipments online.
http://www.fightforfitness.com.au
For more information click here
Avoiding A Bench Press Blowout - Rotator Cuff Training
Another article about the bench press you ask? Whether you agree or not the barbell bench press is one of the most highly regarded weight room exercises period. Have you heard this conversation in the gym lately?
"So how much weight can you use for preacher curls?"
"I'm moving some heavy weight, how much can you use for kickbacks?"
"I've been struggling on those and I have a kickback meet coming up in a few months!"
I'll take a wild guess and say this conversation has never and will never take place. The truth is the vast majority of individuals measure their strength and even their manhood based on how much they can bench. You could be at the gym, or even at a bar having a beer but when the topic of working out comes up people are almost certain to ask the infamous question, "How much you bench?" If you don't care how strong you are then I don't know why you're lifting weights anyway. The bench press is a benchmark of your strength plain and simple.
Back to the conversation we didn't hear at the gym. What our friends above should have been asking each other isn't how much weight they use when doing kickbacks but rather how much weight they use when they're performing a lower pulley external rotation exercise. Did I lose you there? I know, I know we declared the bench press is the true measure of our strength not all these isolation and stabilizer exercises right?
This is true, but have you ever heard the expression, you're only as strong as your weakest link? When you bench press there are four tiny muscles that play a major role in whether your bench press takes off or if you're going to suffer from a bench press blowout. Build these muscles up and you can dramatically decrease the chance of blowing out your shoulder. If you're benching heavy weight and not paying attention to these muscles you run the risk of muscular imbalances, shoulder pain, and getting stuck in a serious plateau.
When bench pressing it essential to have stability and strength in the shoulder. The four relatively small muscles predominantly responsible for stabilizing the shoulder - teres minor, infraspinatous, supraspinatous and sucscapularous - are known collectively as the 'rotator cuff'. When these muscles contract they pull on the rotator cuff tendon, causing the shoulder to rotate. While bench pressing you may experience some rotator or shoulder pain, during part of the movement. This is likely due to weak muscles in this area. Weak muscles are often but not always the cause of rotator cuff impingement syndrome and associated rotator cuff tears. If you have the rotator cuff strength of a little girl, your body has no choice but to limit the amount of weight you can stabilize and move to prevent injury. It's not uncommon to see an individual break through a bench press sticking point simply by incorporating direct rotator cuff training.
OK maybe now I have your attention. So how do you make sure your rotator cuff isn't the weak link in your bench press? Or even more importantly how will you prevent a bench press blowout where you damage the rotator cuff? Like we discussed you need to strengthen the muscles, so let's take a look at this workout routine. Remember if you already have an injury you should not use this routine as a rehab program but rather visit a sports medicine physician. If you want to prevent a future injury and break past a bench press sticking point then follow this routine twice a week. If you're not in pain now, that's an even better reason to follow my advice. Trust me if you have a nagging injury you're not going to be growing or getting any stronger. Train smart, so that you can hit the weight hard when you do bench.
The first thing you need to do is stretch the muscles you are about to train. Make sure you have warmed up for a good five minutes on the bike or treadmill before you start stretching. This will help you acquire greater flexibility. You already know stretching is important so just do it. You don't need any equipment for this stretch. You can do it one arm at a time or with both arms at the same time. Extend your arms out from the torso at a right angle. Now bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Place your forearms on the frame of the doorway and lean forward. You will feel the stretch in your pecs and the back of your shoulders. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds. Next I want you to hang from a pull up bar for 20-30 seconds. This isn't a grip strength test so no you don't have to hang on for the full 30 seconds.
Cuban Press Rotation
Grab an EZ Curl bar and perform a wide grip upright row until the bar is a few inches below your collar bone. Now keep your elbows stationary while you externally rotate the bar as if you were trying to tap your forehead. Next you will press the bar overhead. Lower the weight along the same plane and repeat for ten reps. You will not be able to use the same weight you use for standard overhead presses due to the external rotation. This exercise won't build your ego right now, but you'll be thanking me when your bench press increases.
Cable External Rotation
Raise the pulley until it is even with your elbow. You'll be standing sideways next to the weight stack so if your right hand is holding the handle, your left foot should be closest to the weight stack. Grasp the cable attachment with your far arm while keeping your elbow close to your side and forearm across your stomach. Your palm should be facing in. Pull cable attachment away from body by externally rotating your shoulder. Return and repeat. Turn around and continue with opposite arm.
Cable Internal Rotation
Again raise the pulley until it is even with elbow. You'll be standing sideways next to the weight stack but this time if your right hand is holding the handle your right foot should be closest to the weight stack. Grasp the cable attachment with the closest arm. Keep your elbow close to your side with your palm facing in. Pull the cable attachment across your body by internally rotating your shoulder. Return and repeat. Turn around and continue with opposite arm.
90-Degree Dumbbell External Rotation
To finish off the infraspinatus, hold a dumbbell in each hand, and perform a lateral raise to 90-degrees while keeping the elbows bent at 90-degrees. Once your upper arms are parallel to the floor, externally rotate your arm so that your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. It will look like starting point of a dumbbell military press. Now lower and repeat. Remember to use light weight. The infraspinatus is a tiny muscle so it can't handle a heavy load. The shoulder horn is a great piece of equipment that keeps your arms in place while you perform this motion.
Do three sets of ten repetitions for each exercise. Perform the routine once a week in conjunction with your current workout. This is important so listen up. The last thing you want to do is pre-exhaust your rotator cuff before training the bench press. Never do this workout prior to a heavy bench press or shoulders session or you run an even greater risk of aggravating the area. You can give these exercises a try at the end of your workout, but be sure you always give your rotator cuff muscles 48-hours rest after a workout before training chest or shoulders.
Points To Remember:
The muscles of the rotator cuff are very small. Even if you're pushing five bills on the bench press you'll still be using five-pound dumbbells for many rotator cuff exercises. So leave your ego at the door!
Avoid lat pulldowns and military presses behind the head as they place the shoulder in a poor biomechanical position which enourages impingement.
Training your rotator cuff muscles can help you avoid pain, prevent future injuries, and fix muscular imbalances.
It's not uncommon for a trainee to add 20+ pounds to their bench press simply by strengthening the rotator cuff muscles.
Never perform a rotator cuff routine prior to bench pressing or overhead pressing movements.
If you feel serious pain in your shoulder it may be too late. Go see a sports medicine physician.
We all know people who were really into bodybuilding/powerlifting and looked forward to bench pressing only to eventually drop out after a few years of hardcore training. Why? In many cases nagging injuries especially those of the shoulder, simply took the fun out of it. This doesn't have to happen to you so you're ahead of the game. The best thing you can do to keep your shoulders healthy, and make sure your bench press continues to improve is strengthen your rotator cuff muscles so that they will never be your weakest link! After all your bench press will be going nowhere fast if you're injured. Pick up the girlie weights for a few sets once a week so you'll experience a bench press blastoff instead of a bench press blowout.
For more information click here
"So how much weight can you use for preacher curls?"
"I'm moving some heavy weight, how much can you use for kickbacks?"
"I've been struggling on those and I have a kickback meet coming up in a few months!"
I'll take a wild guess and say this conversation has never and will never take place. The truth is the vast majority of individuals measure their strength and even their manhood based on how much they can bench. You could be at the gym, or even at a bar having a beer but when the topic of working out comes up people are almost certain to ask the infamous question, "How much you bench?" If you don't care how strong you are then I don't know why you're lifting weights anyway. The bench press is a benchmark of your strength plain and simple.
Back to the conversation we didn't hear at the gym. What our friends above should have been asking each other isn't how much weight they use when doing kickbacks but rather how much weight they use when they're performing a lower pulley external rotation exercise. Did I lose you there? I know, I know we declared the bench press is the true measure of our strength not all these isolation and stabilizer exercises right?
This is true, but have you ever heard the expression, you're only as strong as your weakest link? When you bench press there are four tiny muscles that play a major role in whether your bench press takes off or if you're going to suffer from a bench press blowout. Build these muscles up and you can dramatically decrease the chance of blowing out your shoulder. If you're benching heavy weight and not paying attention to these muscles you run the risk of muscular imbalances, shoulder pain, and getting stuck in a serious plateau.
When bench pressing it essential to have stability and strength in the shoulder. The four relatively small muscles predominantly responsible for stabilizing the shoulder - teres minor, infraspinatous, supraspinatous and sucscapularous - are known collectively as the 'rotator cuff'. When these muscles contract they pull on the rotator cuff tendon, causing the shoulder to rotate. While bench pressing you may experience some rotator or shoulder pain, during part of the movement. This is likely due to weak muscles in this area. Weak muscles are often but not always the cause of rotator cuff impingement syndrome and associated rotator cuff tears. If you have the rotator cuff strength of a little girl, your body has no choice but to limit the amount of weight you can stabilize and move to prevent injury. It's not uncommon to see an individual break through a bench press sticking point simply by incorporating direct rotator cuff training.
OK maybe now I have your attention. So how do you make sure your rotator cuff isn't the weak link in your bench press? Or even more importantly how will you prevent a bench press blowout where you damage the rotator cuff? Like we discussed you need to strengthen the muscles, so let's take a look at this workout routine. Remember if you already have an injury you should not use this routine as a rehab program but rather visit a sports medicine physician. If you want to prevent a future injury and break past a bench press sticking point then follow this routine twice a week. If you're not in pain now, that's an even better reason to follow my advice. Trust me if you have a nagging injury you're not going to be growing or getting any stronger. Train smart, so that you can hit the weight hard when you do bench.
The first thing you need to do is stretch the muscles you are about to train. Make sure you have warmed up for a good five minutes on the bike or treadmill before you start stretching. This will help you acquire greater flexibility. You already know stretching is important so just do it. You don't need any equipment for this stretch. You can do it one arm at a time or with both arms at the same time. Extend your arms out from the torso at a right angle. Now bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Place your forearms on the frame of the doorway and lean forward. You will feel the stretch in your pecs and the back of your shoulders. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds. Next I want you to hang from a pull up bar for 20-30 seconds. This isn't a grip strength test so no you don't have to hang on for the full 30 seconds.
Cuban Press Rotation
Grab an EZ Curl bar and perform a wide grip upright row until the bar is a few inches below your collar bone. Now keep your elbows stationary while you externally rotate the bar as if you were trying to tap your forehead. Next you will press the bar overhead. Lower the weight along the same plane and repeat for ten reps. You will not be able to use the same weight you use for standard overhead presses due to the external rotation. This exercise won't build your ego right now, but you'll be thanking me when your bench press increases.
Cable External Rotation
Raise the pulley until it is even with your elbow. You'll be standing sideways next to the weight stack so if your right hand is holding the handle, your left foot should be closest to the weight stack. Grasp the cable attachment with your far arm while keeping your elbow close to your side and forearm across your stomach. Your palm should be facing in. Pull cable attachment away from body by externally rotating your shoulder. Return and repeat. Turn around and continue with opposite arm.
Cable Internal Rotation
Again raise the pulley until it is even with elbow. You'll be standing sideways next to the weight stack but this time if your right hand is holding the handle your right foot should be closest to the weight stack. Grasp the cable attachment with the closest arm. Keep your elbow close to your side with your palm facing in. Pull the cable attachment across your body by internally rotating your shoulder. Return and repeat. Turn around and continue with opposite arm.
90-Degree Dumbbell External Rotation
To finish off the infraspinatus, hold a dumbbell in each hand, and perform a lateral raise to 90-degrees while keeping the elbows bent at 90-degrees. Once your upper arms are parallel to the floor, externally rotate your arm so that your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. It will look like starting point of a dumbbell military press. Now lower and repeat. Remember to use light weight. The infraspinatus is a tiny muscle so it can't handle a heavy load. The shoulder horn is a great piece of equipment that keeps your arms in place while you perform this motion.
Do three sets of ten repetitions for each exercise. Perform the routine once a week in conjunction with your current workout. This is important so listen up. The last thing you want to do is pre-exhaust your rotator cuff before training the bench press. Never do this workout prior to a heavy bench press or shoulders session or you run an even greater risk of aggravating the area. You can give these exercises a try at the end of your workout, but be sure you always give your rotator cuff muscles 48-hours rest after a workout before training chest or shoulders.
Points To Remember:
The muscles of the rotator cuff are very small. Even if you're pushing five bills on the bench press you'll still be using five-pound dumbbells for many rotator cuff exercises. So leave your ego at the door!
Avoid lat pulldowns and military presses behind the head as they place the shoulder in a poor biomechanical position which enourages impingement.
Training your rotator cuff muscles can help you avoid pain, prevent future injuries, and fix muscular imbalances.
It's not uncommon for a trainee to add 20+ pounds to their bench press simply by strengthening the rotator cuff muscles.
Never perform a rotator cuff routine prior to bench pressing or overhead pressing movements.
If you feel serious pain in your shoulder it may be too late. Go see a sports medicine physician.
We all know people who were really into bodybuilding/powerlifting and looked forward to bench pressing only to eventually drop out after a few years of hardcore training. Why? In many cases nagging injuries especially those of the shoulder, simply took the fun out of it. This doesn't have to happen to you so you're ahead of the game. The best thing you can do to keep your shoulders healthy, and make sure your bench press continues to improve is strengthen your rotator cuff muscles so that they will never be your weakest link! After all your bench press will be going nowhere fast if you're injured. Pick up the girlie weights for a few sets once a week so you'll experience a bench press blastoff instead of a bench press blowout.
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Exercises For Rotator Cuff Injury – Is It The Best Way To Recover?
It does not sound like a good idea, exercises for rotator cuff injury, especially if you have a rotator cuff problem because any kind of movement is probably the last thing on your mind.
But, if you have torn your your rotator cuff muscles, it may be that exercise is the speediest way to get back to full pain free movement. But, before you go dashing off to the gym you do need to be sure that it is the right sort of exercise and is done at the right time. Lifting weights will only mess up your shoulder more.
You can damage your rotator cuff in a variety of ways and the severity of injuries can vary dramatically. A severe partial tear or a full thickness or complete tear is almost certainly going to need surgery to fix it. The good news is that this type of surgery is now starightforward and the success rate is generally good.
Nearly all partial tears and shoulder impingements respond well to the right type of exercise providing that you start it at the right time in the recovery process. Pain in a rotator cuff injury is usually an indication that you are damaging the muscles further so it is important to listen to your body and avoid any movement that causes pain. This is important if you want the muscles and tendons to start healing properly.
It may be inconvenient but you need to change the way that you do things for a while. You might need to modify how you work or even take time off to rest the injured shoulder properly. At the same time you need to be taking anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen to bring down the swelling in the muscle and make it easier to move.
Any type of exercise at this stage must be passive exercises aimed at helping the movement of the shoulder without using the damaged muscles and tendons. One example of this might be to use a stick to raise the injured arm by using the muscles of the healthy arm. Keeping the shoulder moving is important to stop frozen shoulder which can often come about with any shoulder injury.
When you have got the pain under control you can then start to exercise the shoulder using shoulder specific exercises toimprove the rotator cuff muscles. You will be surprised just how quickly the right kind of exercises can get your shoulder moving again. It is important that you do not feel any discomfort when you are doing these exercises. If you do, then stop.
Rotator Cuff Exercises will be exercises aimed at isolating and exercising the muscles that make up the rotator cuff. These are relatively small muscles that will require no weights or very small weights to be used when exercising them. You will probably find that just the natural weight of your arm is enough to start with.
Because these exercises tend to be quite simple exercises without using weights, a lot of them can be done at home which helps a lot with the recovery as it is possible to do them whenever you have a spare ten minutes without the need to go to the gym.
Remember, rest and treat the inflammation, manage the pain before trying any exercises.
For more information click here
But, if you have torn your your rotator cuff muscles, it may be that exercise is the speediest way to get back to full pain free movement. But, before you go dashing off to the gym you do need to be sure that it is the right sort of exercise and is done at the right time. Lifting weights will only mess up your shoulder more.
You can damage your rotator cuff in a variety of ways and the severity of injuries can vary dramatically. A severe partial tear or a full thickness or complete tear is almost certainly going to need surgery to fix it. The good news is that this type of surgery is now starightforward and the success rate is generally good.
Nearly all partial tears and shoulder impingements respond well to the right type of exercise providing that you start it at the right time in the recovery process. Pain in a rotator cuff injury is usually an indication that you are damaging the muscles further so it is important to listen to your body and avoid any movement that causes pain. This is important if you want the muscles and tendons to start healing properly.
It may be inconvenient but you need to change the way that you do things for a while. You might need to modify how you work or even take time off to rest the injured shoulder properly. At the same time you need to be taking anti-inflammatory drugs such as Ibuprofen to bring down the swelling in the muscle and make it easier to move.
Any type of exercise at this stage must be passive exercises aimed at helping the movement of the shoulder without using the damaged muscles and tendons. One example of this might be to use a stick to raise the injured arm by using the muscles of the healthy arm. Keeping the shoulder moving is important to stop frozen shoulder which can often come about with any shoulder injury.
When you have got the pain under control you can then start to exercise the shoulder using shoulder specific exercises toimprove the rotator cuff muscles. You will be surprised just how quickly the right kind of exercises can get your shoulder moving again. It is important that you do not feel any discomfort when you are doing these exercises. If you do, then stop.
Rotator Cuff Exercises will be exercises aimed at isolating and exercising the muscles that make up the rotator cuff. These are relatively small muscles that will require no weights or very small weights to be used when exercising them. You will probably find that just the natural weight of your arm is enough to start with.
Because these exercises tend to be quite simple exercises without using weights, a lot of them can be done at home which helps a lot with the recovery as it is possible to do them whenever you have a spare ten minutes without the need to go to the gym.
Remember, rest and treat the inflammation, manage the pain before trying any exercises.
For more information click here
Rotator Cuff Therapy Fixed My Shoulder Without Surgery
Rotator cuff problems come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You can Get anything from a mild sprain to a full thickness tear or a shoulder impingement, all of them are caused by problems with the rotator cuff to some extent and all of them will involve rotator cuff therapy exercises as part of the rehabilitation.
Most rotator cuff problems can be fixed without resorting to surgery. If you have managed to snap one of the tendons completely or have a severe shoulder impingement then you are probably looking at corrective surgery. Surprisingly, I managed to fix a pretty nasty shoulder impingement with rotator cuff therapy.
At the end of last year I managed to tear my rotator cuff. Around a third of us will do this at some point in our lives. I managed to do it by lifting something that was too heavy. Felt a pop in my left shoulder and woke up the next day to restricted movement and shoulder pain that just got worse as the days went by.
I went to the doctor who diagnosed a rotator cuff problem and made an appointment for me to see a specialist. Being stubborn and somewhat pig headed I decided to carry on using my shoulder as normal, despite my doctor's advice. What I didn't know at the time was that each bout of pain I suffered as I moved was an indication that I was doing more damage.
I had a shoulder impingement which is where an inflamed tendon gets pinched against part of my shoulder blade, gradually fraying as I continued to use my shoulder as normal. Fortunately for me, the pain eventually got so bad that I had no choice but to stop using my arm.
Because of the extra damage that I had managed to do, I was booked for surgery to shave away a piece of bone to free up the trapped tendon.
With ten weeks to go until the operation date I began researching rotator cuffs on the internet and discovered just how lucky I had been. Had I continued to use my shoulder I could easily have snapped the tendon completely.
Having a second chance made me rest the arm properly this time. I took to wearing a sling during the day, gave up driving and avoided any movement that gave me any pain. At the same time I was treating the inflammation with anti-inflammatory drugs and gradually the pain subsided.
Once it had I was able to start some Pilates based exercises to gently get my shoulder moving again, starting with gentle stretches and moving on to strengthening exercises. As these exercises focus on control and flexibility they avoid putting any great strain on the muscles.
Gradually over the next few weeks I regained full movement in my shoulder and have now been able to cancel the planned operation. Even though my shoulder is now better I still do shoulder exercises every day just to make sure that I don't suffer another shoulder problem. After all prevention is definitely better than cure.
If you found this article useful and would like more information on rotator cuff therapy check out my blog at
http://www.strongershoulders.com
For more information click here
Most rotator cuff problems can be fixed without resorting to surgery. If you have managed to snap one of the tendons completely or have a severe shoulder impingement then you are probably looking at corrective surgery. Surprisingly, I managed to fix a pretty nasty shoulder impingement with rotator cuff therapy.
At the end of last year I managed to tear my rotator cuff. Around a third of us will do this at some point in our lives. I managed to do it by lifting something that was too heavy. Felt a pop in my left shoulder and woke up the next day to restricted movement and shoulder pain that just got worse as the days went by.
I went to the doctor who diagnosed a rotator cuff problem and made an appointment for me to see a specialist. Being stubborn and somewhat pig headed I decided to carry on using my shoulder as normal, despite my doctor's advice. What I didn't know at the time was that each bout of pain I suffered as I moved was an indication that I was doing more damage.
I had a shoulder impingement which is where an inflamed tendon gets pinched against part of my shoulder blade, gradually fraying as I continued to use my shoulder as normal. Fortunately for me, the pain eventually got so bad that I had no choice but to stop using my arm.
Because of the extra damage that I had managed to do, I was booked for surgery to shave away a piece of bone to free up the trapped tendon.
With ten weeks to go until the operation date I began researching rotator cuffs on the internet and discovered just how lucky I had been. Had I continued to use my shoulder I could easily have snapped the tendon completely.
Having a second chance made me rest the arm properly this time. I took to wearing a sling during the day, gave up driving and avoided any movement that gave me any pain. At the same time I was treating the inflammation with anti-inflammatory drugs and gradually the pain subsided.
Once it had I was able to start some Pilates based exercises to gently get my shoulder moving again, starting with gentle stretches and moving on to strengthening exercises. As these exercises focus on control and flexibility they avoid putting any great strain on the muscles.
Gradually over the next few weeks I regained full movement in my shoulder and have now been able to cancel the planned operation. Even though my shoulder is now better I still do shoulder exercises every day just to make sure that I don't suffer another shoulder problem. After all prevention is definitely better than cure.
If you found this article useful and would like more information on rotator cuff therapy check out my blog at
http://www.strongershoulders.com
For more information click here
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