Bad Shoulder - Which soft style?

[stieg]

I am interested in taking up a martial art. However, I have bursitis in both shoulders, but mostly my left. I used to study Karate but had to quit because of my shoulder.

Since then I have had surgery and my shoulder is better. I left weights and can do other things. But it still hurts when used repetitively (bursitis is a repetative stress injury -- I did too much swimming in my youth).

So I'm thinking that a soft style such as aikido or tai chi may allow me to take up a new style and do it for the next 20 years. I really like the idea of a good workout and a good mix of speeds, so I am considering the Chen style of tai chi.

Does anyone have advice as to which soft arts would be easier on my shoulder? Since it's a repetitative stress injury, I would like to minimize the amount of fast and repeated punches and blocks like karate so I can practice more than once a month!

I am in this for a the long haul, so I'd like to make a good decision and be able to stick with it.

I am looking for some defensive ability, challenges to overcome, and a good workout.

If it matters, I live in Seattle and am 32 and in good physical shape (as much as possible with bad shoulders and knees anyway).

Thanks for your input!

[WhiteWizard]

My advice would be to go and try out different things and see how you get on as you never actually know how someone elses injury will react in a certain style plus it has a lot to do with how your are taught as well as what you are being taught.

Best of luck with your search.

[SPAWNPAIN]

:p Have you tried tai chi? it is not as hard as karate in trainning but as a war art it is incredible and wont hurt your shoulders or back. :)

[johndoch]

I'll second that try the Tai-chi.

It is a internal (soft) art but there are martial applications.

[David]

Tai Chi is an easy answer. If you're up for it and willing to stay th distance then it's arguably the best activity you can do with your clothes on.

I used to have permanently messed up shoulders and after a year and a half I finally solved it. My issue stemmed from never doing warmups. Getting loosened up should never be underestimated. Could this be you, too?

Rgds,
David

[Virtuous]

Aikido can be fairly rough on the body. There is alot of rolling, breakfalling, and joint manipulation all of which can put alot of stress on the shoulder. I would suggest trying a few aikido classess and talk to the instructor, most of the times they can work around injuries. I wish you the best of luck and keep us updated.

[zun]

Originally posted by Virtuous
Aikido can be fairly rough on the body. There is alot of rolling, breakfalling, and joint manipulation all of which can put alot of stress on the shoulder. I would suggest trying a few aikido classess and talk to the instructor, most of the times they can work around injuries. I wish you the best of luck and keep us updated.

I met a friend of mine who's a 1st Dan in Aikido. She had to quit because of neck injury she sustained from falling awkwardly.

Go for Taiji. Besides the internal strengthening may help your shoulder.

[stieg]

Thanks all.

When I first started thinking about Taiji, I figured it would help strengthen my shoulder. After the surgery it still hurt a lot. The doctor gave me some rubber tubing and told me to do weeny exersizes. They didn't help and my shoulder hurt for a few years afterword.

My shoulder didn't get truly better until I started (carefully) lifting weights. Now it's *much* better. It still gets sore pretty easily and the only way for it to heal is for me to not use it for awhile. So it's important that I find the right style.

[God]

the "martial" side of taiji is using fa-jing, dim mak points etc., right?

[Kinjiro Tsukasa]

Just curious, stieg, how much weight did you use when you started lifting? I recently recovered from a shoulder injury, and I have been doing those therapy band exercises. Wondering where to start with weights.

[stieg]

I started with a set of dumbells with maybe 10-15 pounds a peice. This was a couple years after the surgury, though. I don't really do specific shoulder exercises (though I probably should do more). I mostly do bicep, tricep, lat, and back exercises. But these strengthen all muscules involved.

I also do chin-ups, three sets of 8-10 several times a week.

My bursitis in in the front delt and upper bicep head, I understand that most people get it in the middle deltoid.

Sometimes (not often enough) I do exercieses where I extend my arms from my sides (keeping arms straight) out to the side to about 50-60 degrees and to the front to about 90 degress (level with floor). When I do these I use really light weight -- about 5-10 pounds.

Start light and work up as you are able. And if you have bursitis like mine, try to keep your arms from going above your head as much as possible.

I think taiji will help my shoulders in flexibility and strength.

[Kinjiro Tsukasa]

Thanks for the info, stieg. I'll probably start with lightweight dumbells as I'm rather wimpy in the arm strength department. No bursitis to deal with, though.

Tai Chi is great for flexibility. My Tai Chi class will be starting work with the waxwood staff soon. I understand that is very good for developing strength (The staff I'll be getting is 7 ft 2 in long. There's a ten foot staff, but I simply can't transport anything that big to and from the school).

{{Kinjiro proudly displays her 1-pound pink dumbbells)}}

[dashao]

just one small thing about soft styles be carefull sure they are soft but in hard styles you actually hurt your body less for the reason it is external but if you where to hurt yourself in a soft style it is an internal injury more difficult to heal you might say
so just be carefull on the style of tai chi thats all. Just trying to help
with what little i know.

[zun]

Originally posted by God
the "martial" side of taiji is using fa-jing, dim mak points etc., right?

Depends on the style, but generally yes.

The good thing about the martial is that it automatically improves your health as u learn to beat up bad guys. ;)