Sometimes, you just can’t put the toothpaste back into the tube. There are many examples of this in life. In relationships, you can’t un-say hurtful things. In the realm of belief, you can’t “un-teach” ingrained political or religious convictions. Programs such as Microsoft Word offer an “Edit-Undo” option. Life, however, does not.

When a bodybuilder injures his shoulder, there is a good chance this injury will hamper his progress or limit his possibilities for the rest of his life. He’ll always be a bit more apprehensive when going for a max lift. Each workout for anything remotely will have to start with several minutes of stretching the shoulder with a light dumbbell or a 5-pound plate. The weakness in the region will always be there, in the back of your head, for the remainder of your training days. Here are a few factors to consider regarding shoulders strength, integrity, and remaining injury free.

Warm ups

Always spend 60 seconds warming up your shoulder joints before completing any upper-body movement. The shoulder muscles (deltoids) are recruited for a support role in anything you do for back, chest, and triceps. If it’s shoulder day, or if you have injured your shoulder in the past, then 4 to 5 minutes of stretching makes much more sense.

Heavy compound movement timing

Some exercises involve the use of very heavy weights, and recruit several muscle groups in order to be completed. These should always be completed early in the workout, particularly on shoulder day. You do possess a certain level of ‘structural integrity’ when you start the workout that soon dissipates as blood flows into the region, and you stretch between sets. Remember, stretching can be dangerous, as it can loosen up the tendons to a point where they lose strength. Save those 15-minute stretching sessions for immediately after the workout. Train fast and heavy early.

Hold off on traps

Many bodybuilders use the Priority Principle, placing weaker or less developed body part at the start of the workout. This could mean placing hamstrings before thighs on leg day, or triceps before chest. When training the shoulders and traps together, the shoulders should always be trained first. It’s very tough to sustain any injuries to the traps, as their only movement is the up-and-down shrugging motion. Shoulders, however, are much more vulnerable. As mentioned earlier, you should train the most vulnerable area when you’re at your strongest.

Precaution

If you do injure your shoulder in any way, apply ice to the region immediately, and keep it iced on and off for 24 hours. After that, heat, or a product such as Icy-Hot is required for up to a week. If you have pain in the area 72 hours after the strain, visit your doctor and have the area examined. A physician will be able to poke and prod for 60 seconds, and have a pretty good idea if you have rotator cuff damage, or if the injury is simply a strained tendon. An MRI will be performed if your doctor believes serious tendon damage has taken place.

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