Injury modifications

[KAllen]

About a month ago, I apparently pinched a nerve in my right shoulder/arm. Like a bonehead, I continued my workouts like a Judas Priest album... Hell Bent For Leather. Well, after last week's workout, my shoulder/arm really really hurts. I get alot of tingling in my arm & fingers, nearly constant pain in my armpit. I had to change a tire on my squad car and pulling on a 4-way lug wrench, I thought my arm was on fire. So, I've decided that I'm gonna take about 2 or 3 weeks off my upperbody workout hoping it'll heal. Then I can ease back into a whole workout.

Now, my questions are what workouts can I do w/out any or limited upperbody workout?

I'd like to do more cardio but lots of cardio workouts routines I've seen are using kettleballs and dumbells. I know I can do abs, but I need some help planning an alternate routine. Also someting that would burn some body fat wouldn't hurt. But if I get off the extra fat off now, my beefing up might be easier later.

My gym has all the good stuff (free weights, dumbells, kettleballs, & 4 squat racks), it has the bad stuff (weight machines) and the ify stuff ( treads & elipticals). I went this morning and it was like I was a newbie and no clue what to do.

Any suggestions on routines would be greatly appreciated.

[chasely]

As someone who's trying to deal with a gimpy ankle, did you go and see the doctor? I'm assuming you did since you know that you pinched a nerve.

The advice given to me was pretty good, which is go an ask a physical therapist what you can do, since they deal with this stuff all the time. They're also more likely than your primary care physician to know what deadlifts, clean and jerk, etc are.

[cianalas]

I just got over a bad shoulder, so I know the confusion of everything I was doing involved arms/shoulder in some way. Mine was muscle related though.

For cardio, I just ran, although jump-rope would probably work as well.

Core was me doing bicycle crunches, sit-ups, hip-ups, russian twists, flutter kicks, etc. I also did planks, but that would depend on your shoulder.

Lower body, I just did pistol squats and lunges with whatever weight I could hold.

Also, several times a day, just work through your ROM on your shoulder to ensure it doesn't heal wrong (may not help with a pinched nerve, but it can't hurt either).