Shoulder Pain? Here's Your Fix

If you've made it to your 30s and beyond, odds are your shoulder has started barking. By your mid-50s, half the population is dealing with shoulder pain.

Train hard.
Sit at a desk.
Sleep like a pretzel.
You're on the hit list.

Here's the deal with injuries:
They don't just hurt - they drain you.
Energy. Momentum. Strength.
One bad joint breaks the entire system.

So stop complaining.
Stop pushing through pain.
And for the love of iron - STOP smashing a lacrosse ball into your delt like it owes you money.
It's not helping.

Most lifters walk into the gym with:

• Tight internal rotators (benching, slouching)
• Weak external rotators (skipping pulls, bad posture)

Translation:
Pushing is easy. Pulling sucks.

Result?
→ Imbalanced mechanics.
→ Pain jumps from shoulder to elbow to neck.
Every rep compounds the imbalance and sidelines your progress.

Your shoulders are the most mobile joints in your body and the least stable.
That freedom comes at a cost - you have to earn stability.

When shoulders are off, everything’s off.
Posture collapses. Neck tightens. Mechanics break.
Fix the shoulder, the whole system moves better.

Do these daily. 10-15 minutes.
No gym needed.

Form is the flex.

1. Open Books

• Unlocks T-spine rotation, frees shoulder mobility.
• 8-10 reps per side.
• Slow. Controlled. Don't force range.

2. Isometric Wall Press (External Rotation Hold)

• Wakes up external rotators - your shoulder's stabilizers.
• Hold 20-30 seconds per side.
• Stay tall. Breathe deep.

3. Wall Slides with Lift-Off

• Builds scapular control and overhead mechanics.
• 10-12 reps.
• Ribs down. No arching.

4. Banded Shoulder Retraction (Pull-Aparts)

• Strengthens upper back to support pressing.
• 15-20 reps.
• Precision over power.

5. Serratus Pushup to Downward Dog Shrug

• Retrains shoulder elevation and scapular strength.
• 8-10 reps.
• Smooth. Not rushed.

Phase 1 - Reset (Weeks 1-2)
Do all 5 moves daily (10-15 min).
Form > intensity.

Progress when: Pain ≤2/10, clean wall slides, 30s external rotation hold pain-free.

Phase 2 - Pull First (Weeks 3-4)
Keep the 5 moves daily.
Add banded or cable rows + face pulls 2-3x/week (3 sets of 10-15).
No overhead pressing yet.

Progress when: Full range pain-free, no pinching or compensation.

Phase 3 - Reintroduce Load (Weeks 5-6)
Add horizontal pressing: elevated push-ups or dumbbell floor press (3 sets of 8-12). Keep 2:1 pull-to-push ratio.

Progress when: Sleep unaffected, no next-day stiffness.

Phase 4 - Return to Overhead (Week 7+)
Add overhead pressing: landmine press or dumbbell overhead press (3 sets of 8-10). Start light, 40-50% of old weight.
Keep correctives 3x/week as maintenance.

Stop signs - (regress one phase)
Pain >3/10, sharp pinch, night pain, stiffness lingering more than 24 hours.

Track it: Pain down + range up + training stable = progress.
If you're still stuck? See a PT.

Your shoulder isn't fragile.
It's neglected.
Fix the source. Stay in the game.

Train Hard.
Think Deep.
Live with Intent.

— The CODE