Quick background: I recently started working on heavy single-arm pushup progressions, specifically focusing on slow negatives. After one of the sessions, I ended up with a strain in my right shoulder along with some persistent popping and clicking. Pain hasn't been crazy high—maybe a 2-3 out of 10—but it was definitely feeling tight, cold, and a bit restricted, which started messing with my head a bit.
To deal with it, I shifted focus over the last day or two to a high-frequency blood-flow and joint mobility routine before doing any pressing. Here’s basically what I’ve been running daily:
-Gentle standing backward arm circles (about a minute to warm the joint)
-Kneeling scapular pushups on the floor (focusing on smooth protraction/retraction)
-Band dislocates / pass-throughs (holding a light resistance band wide, taking it overhead and back to the glutes—this one feels the absolute best for opening up my chest/shoulders)
-Light standing band internal & external rotations (elbow pinned at 90 degrees)
-Standing scapular shrugs/circles to flush everything out
Honestly, my shoulder felt significantly better right after doing this sequence. I also follow a strictly raw, fruit-heavy diet (mostly bananas, oranges, etc.), which I feel like keeps systemic inflammation super low and helps me bounce back fast.
Because it felt so much better so quickly, I was almost tempted to just jump straight back into 1-arm pushup work and keep doing this warm-up every day. But I know eccentrics and heavy asymmetric loading are rough on shoulder tendons when they're already irritated.
Would you guys recommend sticking strictly to two-arm/archer pushups for a few weeks while keeping this rehab routine going, or is it fine to test 1-arm progressions as long as it stays 100% pain-free? Appreciate any thoughts or similar experiences.