Ok, here is what I propose for now. When your are doing the Laterals if your are not already dong this make it more of a trap thing where there is a shrug involved. There are two different ways to do them, after all, where one is more a delt thing and the other a scapula thing.

On this when your reach the top of the range of motion add a shrug as high as you can to finish it off. Hold it there a second and try to pinch the scpula together then repeat. Concentrate on the movement of the scapula while doing this. Make sense?

I'm actually looking for more PNF patterns that are appropriate. I'm having trouble finding good and understandable info on this.

Basically what I mean by this is stuff that doesn't involve this sore of isolation approach we are using. That's good up to a point but ultimately it's good to have movements that carry the muscles through a pattern of realistic movement rather that isolating certain aspects of movement.

Yes, it makes sense. I didn't log on this past weekend and didn't see this post, so I didn't add this to my last Upper 2 workout. I'll try it next time I do the Laterals.

This sounds good and I look forward to it. As you know, I think the isolations have really helped and this sounds like a natural next step.

Thursday 8/9/07
UPPER 1
Cable Rows -------------------------------- 3x10 112
Dumbbell Overhead Press (Scapular Plane) -- 2x8 80 (40 pounders) 1x8 60 (30's)
Cable Pulldowns --------------------------- 3x12 112
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x20 45
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 2x25

Saturday 8/11/07
LOWER 2
Romanian Deadlift ------------------------- 3x8 225
Dumbbell Stepups ------------------------- 3x8 60 (30 pounders)
Hanging Knee Raise ------------------------ 2x15

I should rename this LOWER 2 workout to the "Arm Lengthening Workout". :biglaugh: All three exercises have weight hanging from my arms. Even the 30 pound Dumbbells start getting heavy during the last set because a set of Stepups takes quite a while to complete.

Sunday 8/12/07
UPPER 2
Pullups ----------------------------------- 5(3)x5(3)x5(3) (Chinups in parenthesis)
Hi Low Cable Pulley Rows ------------------ 3x10 130
Dip Shrugs -------------------------------- 3x20
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (thumbs up) -------- 2x12 12.5
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x25 45
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 2x25

Not much to report for these three workouts. Shoulder and hip are feeling better little by little.

I have workouts like that all the time:). It's part of the reason my grip stays strong.

On the shoulder and hip are you doing the other things? Heating and also stretching on days off. Things like that.

I'm not heating, but I am stretching after workouts and on days off. I have to admit, my hips, back, and lower body get more stretching attention than my upper body.

Yeah I know your are dubious about extending the shoulders.

I'm a big believer in heat for these kinds of things. Especially the hips. Doing it at night before you sleep as well has made a world of difference for me in the past. Also, I regularly use a heat rub on my shoulders prior to working out which also helps a bunch.

Yeah, and I just read your posts to Anuj and you mentioned heat a few times. I'll try it.

Speaking of Anuj, I wish I was brave enough to bring a video camera to the gym so my Deadlift could be critiqued. I don't think my back position is bad, but I sometimes wonder about the rest of the movement.

Yeah I'd like to see it.

Wednesday 8/15/07
LOWER 1
Deadlift ---------------------------------- 1x5 250
Bulgarian Squat --------------------------- 2x11 80 (40 pounders)
GHR -------------------------------------- 5 Negatives
Cable Ab Pull Down ------------------------ 2x15 102
Russian Twist ----------------------------- 2x10

I'm counting my Russian Twists different, so it looks like I went down in reps. I am counting a rep to the left and a rep to the right as one rep, before I was counting it two.

Thursday 8/16/07
UPPER 1
Cable Rows ------------------------------- 3x8 120
Dumbbell Overhead Press (Scapular Plane) -- 2x8 60 (30 pounders) 1x6 70 (35's)
Cable Pulldowns --------------------------- 3x8 120
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x20 45
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 2x25

Saturday 8/18/07
LOWER 2
Romanian Deadlift ------------------------- 3x8 225
Dumbbell Stepups ------------------------- 3x8 80 (40 pounders)
Hanging Knee Raise ------------------------ 3x12

Sunday 8/19/07
UPPER 2
Pullups ----------------------------------- 6(4)x5(3)x5(3) (Chinups in parenthesis)
Hi Low Cable Pulley Rows ------------------ 3x8 145
Dip Shrugs -------------------------------- 3x20
Dumbbell Lateral Raise (thumbs up) --------- 1x8 10 1x6 15
One Arm Dumbbell Scapular Protractions ---- 2x25 45
Scapular Pushups -------------------------- 2x25

Lateral Raise was uncomfortable for my shoulder, so I didn't finish them. I shouldn't have gone up to 15 pounders.

Overall good week of workouts.

Everything OK?