Smith Machine Shrugs.. [Forum Archive]

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Smith Machine Shrugs..

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Posted by: plouffe

I was performing behind the back smith machine shrug about 2 days ago. Now, right below my neck I'm feeling some pain ( not muscular ) The upper part of my spinal cord is hurting a bit, is this from those shrugs? What should I do?

Posted by: P-funk

Go see a doctor. You defenitly don't want to mess with yourself if your spinal cord is hurting you!!

Also, never do anything on the smith machine. To unatural. inhibits natural movements. it is to much in one plane. an accident waiting to happen in my opinion.

Posted by: Mudge

I think behind the neck shrugs are unnatural in and of itself, I think they should not be performed.

Posted by: P-funk

Yeah, I do them occasionaly but I agree, they just don't feel proper to me.

Posted by: Prince

Quote:

Originally posted by Mudge
I think behind the neck shrugs are unnatural in and of itself, I think they should not be performed.

I agree, I tried them a long time ago after seeing Lee Haney do them in a video and they just did not feel right so I never did them again.

Posted by: LAM

Quote:

Originally posted by P-funk
Go see a doctor. You defenitly don't want to mess with yourself if your spinal cord is hurting you!!

Also, never do anything on the smith machine. To unatural. inhibits natural movements. it is to much in one plane. an accident waiting to happen in my opinion.

definetly go see a doctor. injury to the cervical spine can cause some serious problems, especially in your arms.

Posted by: plouffe

Damn. Shrugs behind the back are effective as hell I think. But if they're gonna screw shit up, I might give 'em up.

Posted by: OceanDude

I guess I am one of the lone guys out on this one. I LOVE behind the back smith machine shrugs. It is probably my single favorite exercise. I simply do not have the grip strength and the power to get up the same weight off the rack when I do them from the front with free weights. In fact, when I do conventional shrugs I drop at least 80 lbs. On the smith machine I can sit facing away from the machine on the bar from the lowest position, adjust my wrist straps (“straps”, I can hear mudge cringing…) and use my legs to power up an amazing amount of weight. Then I can shrug an amount of mass that amazes even me for my medium size (190-195 lbs) and small frame. At my peak I was doing 6 plates per side for about 4 reps but because of reduced form and only 90% stretch dropped this to 5 plates per side and upped the # of sets and reps. On the free bar I can only safely do 4 plates per side and often have to stop since I feel like I will not be able to get the bar back up on the rack when I exhaust. I admit it could just be all psychological due to the fear of dropping the bar and embarrassing myself though.

The ONLY time I get neck pains is when I do very heavy lat pulldowns. I do these both to the rear and to the front but prefer the rear since it feels like I can get more leverage and power. When I get the “pinching” sensation in my neck I just put a towel behind my neck and do isometric flexes against the towel to loosen up again. I think it just comes down to what your personal biomechanical framework feels OK with.

-OD

Posted by: plouffe

I like that excerise also, but if its gonna fuck up my back i guess i'll stop. But it may have been something else?

Posted by: Premo55

If it's grip strength that's bothering you so much, why don't you just do shrugs on a calf raise machine? Highly effective IMO and you don't have to worry about grip strength at all.

Peace.

Posted by: OceanDude

Quote:

Originally posted by Premo55
If it's grip strength that's bothering you so much, why don't you just do shrugs on a calf raise machine? Highly effective IMO and you don't have to worry about grip strength at all.

Peace.

... cuz it's capacity is over 200 lbs too light.

Posted by: Prince

or try using straps.

Posted by: sentricyphen

Quote:

Originally posted by P-funk
Yeah, I do them occasionaly but I agree, they just don't feel proper to me.

Do you also avoid behind the neck military? Ive heard those, behind the neck Lat PD, and upright rows all damage the rotator cuff. Then again I "heard" that on BB.com

Posted by: P-funk

I avoid the behind the back pull downs and the press also because if you don't have the proper range of motion back there or you fatigue and let that bar drift even a slight bit you can easily tear your subscapularis (one of your internal rotators).

The only time I do behind the neck presses is if I am going through a training cycle of olympic lifting and I am doing snatches. then there is no way around it. i need to have strength in that movement. even still i start slow and snatch is not my favorite lift anyway so i really don't try and load that one up because my shoulder is banged up as it is.

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