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Definitely stay away from presses behind the neck at any age. This exercise was the primary cause of my shoulder arthritis. My advice is to focus on maintaining your shoulder mobility throughout your life. Once you lose it, you can’t get it back.

I appreciate you taking the time to change lives.

68 yr old female and personal trainer here. Thank you for this information! It will help me preserve my own shoulders and my clients' as well.

1:45 behind the neck press 2:51 upright row (narrow grip)

I hurt my shoulder over one and a half years ago doing upright rows, and I'm just over the last couple of months starting to get full range of motion. I'm 68.

Fantastic ! You’re an absolutely phenomenal teacher 👍, thanks are simply not enough!

50-something lifter with shoulder issues here, this is right in my wheelhouse :) Thanks in part to previous videos of yours, I use dumb bells rather than bars for almost everything now. It's safer and as you say you can use the angle of your elbows to protect weak areas.

Love these alternative exercises! I'm 60 yrs old & had rotator cuff surgery, ( complete surgery,) when I was only 32 yrs old. My shoulder had been fine up until about 10 yrs ago when i started to have pain again. The doctor who took exrays said it was soft tissue damage & there's nothing to be done about it. I tried these exrecises you recommend & I have to thank you, the pain seems to be subsiding since doing them every other day!! Thank you for these videos!!

I'm an obese gent of 60 and I recently took on an allotment to get some exercise. I love being outdoors but my lack of flexibility and mobility means I'm constantly suffering from some kind of muscle pain. My bugbear is horrific shoulder/mid back pain that literally seizes me up with spasms until I just have to lie down flat. The slightest cough, or God forbid a sneeze, will send agonising pain through my back - even taking a deep breath will cause sharp, knife like pain in my ribs. I've been using some of your exercises and it is making a difference but even getting up and down to a floor mat is a challenge when you're twenty odd stone! I just wanted to say thanks for the vids - I'll get there or die trying :-)

Thank you I really love your channel. Could you please do a video on exercises after a frozen shoulder. I had a frozen shoulder seven years ago and still have a lot of pain. I still do the exercises that my NHS physio gave me at least four times a week but although I now am back to full motion just can't seem to get strong and be out of pain. I'm 62. I know a frozen shoulder is very common for the over 50s 👍

I did a new workout this morning with some wonky shoulder presses and upright rows. So glad for these alternatives (and the explanation of why they are better)! Thanks Will!

To prevent injuries, both exercises should be avoided at any age. Great video, clear explanation 👍

Thank you so much for your work!

Excellent advice, thank you

Thanks for the advice Will! I will incorporate both exercises into my shoulder routine and add them to the list of exercises I have learned from you. See you in your next video.

If you ever saw me in the gym doing a movement that was iffy then please don't hesitate to suggest a better alternative.

Doing dips fixed and strengthened my damaged left shoulder. Im 58 and im long and lean 5'10", 152 lbs.

The three morning mobility exercises you did a few weeks ago really helped my shoulder. I hope to get my light weight bells out and continue the progress.

Thanks for the wonderful informative videos. I am above 50 and one thing I wanted to share in my experience when I do dumbbell press it feels better doing alternate arms, rather than doing both arms together. But this video was very very beneficial. Thank you once again.

I had shoulder pain for 4 years. I changed my exercises and now it's gone. I have tried the 3 alternative exercises and they are great. For the last one, I have to use 5 lbs of weight. I'll work my way up. Thanks, Will.

Thank you. I love your videos. I am 64 with shoulder bursitis and want to continue using weights, even light ones to keep up strength. Not sure which to avoid. 🤔

Thanks for sharing alternatives. I have been struggling to do these shoulder exercises. Will do the alternatives instead.

It’s July and I’m still recovering from damaging my shoulder in December doing upright rows

I’m 51 and started working out again several months ago. Making decent progress and now my shoulder started acting up. Taking a short break before getting back at it. I appreciate this advice on alternative shoulder exercises. Thank you!

Thank you Will. I'm 77 and trying to keep fit at home. I don't use weights at all, mostly I use resistance bands and sometimes I just 'imagine' the weights, which seems to work pretty well. Am I ok doing this?

Well presented, I've learnt a lot watching your vids especially this one as I am having a slight problem with my shoulder... thanks.

Thank you for your knowledge 😊

I appreciate your videos, thank you. I have a lot of arthritis everywhere including my neck. However, the bursitis in my left shoulder has become significantly worse, not sure if there us another pain or injury that has somehow occurred. Which exercises would be good for shoulder bursitis? Anything I should be wary of?

Well explained alternatives. Love them.

You nailed these two exercises to avoid! Great advice!!!

Can you please do a video on rotator cuff rehab. Thanks, Cliff

I've been training in the gym for years. I used to do the Turkish get up - but one time it caused a sharp pain in the shoulder. I presume a shoulder impingement (probably a too heavy weight), It took months of rehab to resolve (dead hangs helped a lot). I don't do the Turkish get up any more.

I included both the dumbbell press and the lateral raise in my strength 3/week routine, but learned the Arnold variation today. Interesting. I seem to learn something new in every new video, and I watched them (almost) all :)

Thank you so much. My 50+ clients will appreciate these exercises.

Two of the best shoulder killers

What about doing the dumbell ptess one arm at a time?

Love your explanations. 🙏

Even when I was younger, that behind the neck lift is a horrible, injury causing exercise - you are right on point mate!

Thank you so much for these exercises

Love these videos, thank you

What would be the besf exercises for the trapezius, please? Your videos have been a tremendous help. Thank you kindly.

Enjoyed this video found it very informative and helpful thanks Will!❤

You can do upright rows with DBs. That’s what I do. And overhead press is king for shoulders.

Yes upright row. Bad old school exercise

I have your book and ,love going back to it when I've forget something. I appreciate all the information you put out for us. Thank-you.

Thank you. Very helpful information!

It is priceless to know in advance what could cause harm. Thank you for this very instructive videocast. I do yoga, and so I try to determine from my yoga sessions which exercises might be making my hip joints sensitive all of a sudden, as has happened out of the blue a few weeks ago. And: sure enough, I believe I have found the culprit and I am now in the process of reducing the number of stretches I do in that area and see if it stops the pain. It's hard to navigate in sports and exercises as time goes on, because the human body seems to be able to only go on for so long with certain ways of doing the bends and stretches etc. I am determined to get my weight back to an acceptable level, I am down to needing to lose a maximum of 3 or 4 kilos, so I am going back to running, because swimming may be my favorite sport, but it is not knocking off the last of the love-handles. But running is something that takes time to get a good routine going, so I am going to start with a very short run and then see how far I can go as time goes on. What I notice with the passing years, Will, is that every single day some part of my body aches and now I see that it's just the way we're put together and I don't let it get to me unless it lingers on like my hip problem. More often than not, the next day, something else is acting up and that goes away as well. It's all in the mind and that is why we must not give in to minor pain; it's the normal breakdown that will eventually get worse, but why let it get you down until it's really time to stop doing something you love to do in sports or at the gym or at the pool? That's why your advice is worth a million!

I need and like these suggestions ❤

Thank you for those alternatives... Just turned 50 this June. Even in my 30s, these 2 exercises along with crunches caused me pain. Especiallly that upright row.

I never knew people still do behind the neck presses and/or upright rows. I stopped doing both of them when I was 21 in 1989, because I felt discomfort with those even back then. Great video

Will I loved these 2 alternative exercises which you have shown for ages above 50 for shoulder are very nice I have a small request for you if possible please upload a video showing some exercises for shoulder tendonitis which I am suffering right now

Excellent job

Hi WIll. Do you ever give advice to your clients about motivation??? I have been watching your movies for a few months now and very inspired. I am a member of the local gym (In China - as it happens) but getting myself down there to follow through with my goals is a continuous sticking point. Any tips or suggestions to help with motivation please? Best wishes Iain

Thank you 😊

Great topic I'm going to use this in my next workout, I'm really getting into the book thanks Will

This is good advice even if you are under 50. Thanks

Very interesting. I’m 57, I’ve never done either of those first two

thank you

Smith Machine press behind the neck have been brilliant for me after decades of Strongman log presses in completion. 56 years young.

I'm 66 and have done the overhead barbell press for 53 years. Once the bar clears the head, it's preferable to push backwards a bit to get the load centered over the body's center of mass. Shrug up with the traps at lock-out. I've also done God knows how many upright rows, but not with a barbell. I use dumbbells and let them rotate as I lift. No problems so far.

I used to press the straight bar 275 lbs for 10 reps over my head back in my D1 college football days. Now, @ 61 and post rotator cuff surgery, all I do is bands. Nothing over the head.

I just started supersetting behind the neck press and upright rows 😅.

Great stuff Will, the book is fabulous too.

Cannot stress how important it is for people who go to the gym to get a coach, at least for the first few months to show them how to use the correct technique for each exercise . I tried without a coach and ended up with shoulder and knee problems. Less weights and better technique, you might be able to get away with it in your twenties and thirties but not when you are over fifty. They can also see if you are over exercising one part of the body and neglecting another, in my case I was to focused on the chest which meant my shoulders were being pulled forward as my back muscles were weaker and I was out of balance.

Good information Thank you.

THANKS, Will.

Thank you for the modifications Harlow

I am incorporating several of your tips and techniques in my workouts..thanks👍

Arnold showed me that press when he was 28 years old. He also showed me the db side lateral raise. Same as you did, except he rotated his hands so the thumb side was downward with dumbbells weight side parallel to the body. Just twist the wrist towards the floor. You’ll see your lateral head flair out. I added 1 1/2 inches to my shoulder circumference in less than a year doing those exercises. Your videos are must watch for anyone who wants to protect their joints. Thank you

Excellent advice,probably applies to younger lifters too

Good advice. I do currently find Arnold presses hurt my shoulder so sticking to standard press for now.

Very nice, safer shoulder exercise using dumbbells, excellent 👌

You provide great content and sound advice.I am 50 plus,and I plan to resume my workout program soon after an extended layoff. In addition to weights,I like to incorporate push-up bars for my shoulders,chest, triceps,and I normally use two variations of this exercise.The first one I lower my torso until it is parallel to the floor before returning upward to a near lock-out position,and the second variation I go beyond parallel until my chest touches the floor for an added stretch on the pectoral muscles,pause in that position for a couple seconds before elevating the torso to the starting position. Based on your expertise,is the second variation safe for the rotator cuff?

This is great information, however I am surprised you don't mention dips as a dangerous exercise. As a teen and even into my 40s I did lots of dips. In my 60s however, on two occasions, I developed rotator cuff pain, and had to lay off several exercises that hurt but primarily dips. Please comment, and thanks again.

Thank you for the alternative excecise to the Bar and also the erasons for noy trying to get it behind the headWhat would the weight be for the dumbbells ? Thank you for your videos they are excellent

Thank you for you warning about shoulder exercises. You often say go to bottom of page to sign up for tips but I can never find that area. Could you tell me another way to sign up.? I just have a cell phone and a tablet. Thank you, Rose

My shoulder took the impact of a heavy fall with my bicycle when a car cut across the cycle path on 31st October. I am finally swimming in the sea: it is almost back to 100% 😅. I am 70

Love your videos!

I do dumbbell shoulder presses with 20lbs and 25 lbs and use good form.

Presses behind the neck is out likewise for some machines shoulder presses... upright rows is done incorrectly.

I’m confused. My orthopedic said over 50 should not lateral lift more than half way.

Thank you so much!!!!

How about a version of the dumbell flyes where you start off with straight arms but end up with your arms bent at the elbow by 90 degress at shoulder height?

i couldn't do those when i was in my 20's. lolol

Good job Ana👍👍 Are young men, in the Philippines , required to serve in the military? Take care, friend in Seattle

I would like to add weights... to slowly build muscle while exercising /stretching. Thank you

Which exercise should be avoided when you have AC joint osteoarthritis?? Tq.

Even over 30, I would avoid these two. You might be able to get away with it at age 20 or 25.

Can you suggest exercises for frozen ahoulder

Perfect cheers.

i’m 71 and do seated dumbbell presses with neutral grip. Left rotator cuff is like a snarling dog I have to keep at bay.

Dear Will, can you please advise whether people over 50 should still be trying to lift heavy like younger lifters? How many reps are optimal for muscle hypertrophy for those in our age bracket? I currently deadlift 35 kgs but really struggling to go heavier….I am a 56 year old woman

What about using kettlebells or bands?

Old controversy, but that isn't the Arnold press. The turn isn't there at the bottom of the movement but throughout, from top to bottom. But for shoulder health, performing a military press using a BB is more stable for the joints than a DB.

The quality of the PT after a shoulder decompression is as important as the surgery itself ... in my opinion. Aggressive manipulation of the shoulder joint can mitigate the scar tissues that form and keep, or in my case, increase the range of motion. Once a shoulder joint is "decompressed" why would a person ever have to deal with a "impingement syndrome"??

Right arm good left arm not good hip surgery and using walker 3years pressure on left arm has stuffed it not sure what to do .I got cobalt poisoning from a hip implant gone wrong been great fun. 😢

Never go overhead on anything!

The lateral raise looks more difficult than the upright row.

How come no exercise for rear delts or traps 👎🏻?