I'm heading up into the woods for a while, doing some powerlifting and going waterfall hunting, among other things...
......... see y'all in a coupla days!!

In the meantime.... here's another in my series of workout posts.

I'll still owe you one on Chest.... it'll wait till I get back
............................................................................  if I don't get ett by a bear first.





(That poor girl better watch out........Where's Tim Treadwell when you need him??)

  Building W I D E and Powerful Shoulders                 

 Of all the muscle groups, the shoulders constitute the most complicated, and requiring the most careful attention to form.

 Rotator cuff and other shoulder injuries will put more guys out of the gym this year than any other injury except Lumbar. 

 But, if you like working upper body, you simply cannot get around working your shoulders.

 Most kinds of presses put tremendous reliance on the shoulders for stability and balance - and a hurt shoulder means you can't do these.

 So you've got to take care of them...

 ........ and if you want to build them, you've got to understand a little about how they work, first.
 
 I said earlier that shoulders were complicated.

 Just think about it....
your spine comes up and passes within a half inch of the bar you're using to back press or squat with,
-----  right there at the point of your shoulders where your clavicle, traps, back and neck meet....

 In this area, there are muscles rotating, moving side to side, up and down, laterally, and even diagonally...

 If this was a machine, Detroit couldn't make it right, 'cause there's too many moving parts.

 You'd have to call the Germans.   (and then, it'd be too damn expensive, and you couldn't read the manual.)  

 When you talk about working shoulders, the major groups you're dealing with will be:

 First, come the Deltoids  - anterior, posterior, and medial ......

 Then, the Trapezius, the Sternohyoideus, the Omohyodeus, the Scalenus , the Infraspinatus.... the.....  oh hell.

 Let's just narrow it down to the Traps, Delts, Upper Chest and the Upper Back-us.  I mean... Back.

 (Hey- don't blame me-- all these muscles got named by a bunch of Roman guys....... )



 Some general rules to remember when working shoulders


1:  One thing you gotta watch out for right away is the potential for hyperextension of the spine....
--- use a bench when doing dumbbell or bar presses when possible.




2: If a certain movement gives you sudden pain, STOP immediately. 

(Here's where the 'see your doctor' stuff usually comes in - if he's on the bench next to ya, why not?
   Otherwise , you aint gonna do it, so I aint gonna waste my breath. )

Once you've convinced yourself that you are not hurt, then ask yourself -
--- was there something off about the way you were doing it  (FORM) ?? 

Lighten up the weight, and try it again nice and slow, making sure you are doing it according to Hoyle. 

If the pain returns, go pay that MD some of yer hard earned cash -
--- cause it's still better than losing the hard earned muscle you'll lose if you tear somethin.....




3: Your shoulders contain a good deal of pennate muscle- that means, they can lift more, but with a shorter range.

Don't expect your shoulders to rotate more, or raise higher, than they do naturally.

Maybe a yoga expert can learn to extend his shoulder range, but as far as weightlifting is concerned, what you got is what you got.

Start your presses at a comfortable position, and stop before you go beyond your comfort range. Don't push it.

Your rotator cuff muscles are particularly vulnerable to the results of such ego-lifting....
---- and there's all kinds of activities you won't be able to do with your hands if you screw THEM up.  
 
(Oh well, you can always give her MY number...)   




4: Don't go ape-shit on the weight if you want to target your shoulders. 
A lot of the extra weight, sloppy form and all, will be taken by the supporting groups like Teres major and minor, Rhomboids, Pecs, etc...
---- and you won't get the results you want... not to mention you could do some damage. 
(ok, I did mention it... )




5: Stop looking in the mirror every once in a while while you're working, close your eyes, and feel the rep...
------ go for the burn, and once you get it, you've hit on your rep point.




6: How narrow or wide you grip the bar on bar-based movements will tend to have a bearing on which groups the
movement ends up targeting-  for instance, on the front press, a wider grip will hit the upper pecs higher - while a
narrower one will focus on the delts.





  Movements and Implements for the Shoulder  


Upright Rows -
Hits the traps, delts, and biceps. Spread your feet to shoulder width, keep your back naturally arched.
With an overhand grip lift the bar from thigh level to chin level in a smooth motion. Slow on each eccentric. 


Single Dumbbell Front Raises -
Hits the pecs, traps, delts, and biceps. Suck in your abs, spread your feet slightly, and holding one dumbbell
with both hands in front of your beltline, arms straight out, slowly raise and lower the dumbbell to shoulder level and back.
This movement is very effective at building strength throughout the shoulder structure.


Reverse Pec Deck Laterals - 
Hits the traps, delts and teres minor, and the rhomboids.  Mount the deck facing the back pad.
Bring your elbows back, and bring your shoulder blades as close together as comfortable.
Great for back detail, and lateral power.


Bent over Low Pulley Crossover Laterals  -
Hits the delts hard - also the traps, teres, and rhomboids. Spread your feet about shoulder width,
-- knees bent, back straight and bent over to 45 degrees, hold a handle in each hand with cables crossing in front of you,
---- and raise to a comfortable point above the level of your shoulders.


Low Pulley Raises -
Can you say DELTOID power? Position yourself perpendicular to the low pulley machine, keep your back straight,
grasp the handle, and pull up and out diagonally to a comfortable position above shoulder height.


Back Press -
This is another one that works your delts, but also hits the traps, triceps, and serratus.... keep careful watch on your form.
I like to do these seated on a Smith Machine- as you can really wrench your back if you hyperextend.
Pick a comfortable starting point behind your head that's not too low that it's gonna hurt.
Keep your natural arch, but no more. Push up to a comfortable point above your head, but don't lock out.


Hammer Strength Shoulder Press -
A great machine that will force form if you adjust the seat properly. Works the same groups as Back Press, except more
of the upper pecs, and not so much the serratus. You can go ape shit on the weight if you're careful.


Dumbbell Press -
Works the delts, traps, serratus, and triceps. Again, seated is safest. I know that hottie on the otherside of the gym
might not be able to see ya that way, but your spine is more important. (Ok... it's a close one, but spine wins.)
I like to press them both at the same time to keep my form and balance better, but you can do these one arm at a time. 
Grip the dumbbells with an overhand grip, starting at the elbows parallel to the floor position, and pushing up to extension.
Don't lock out, and don't shove... slow and easy will get ya more results. And don't drop the damned weights on the floor
when you're finished, pleeeeeeze. If you can't put em down , don't pick em up. 


Nautilus Laterals -
I love this machine. You can work the full range, and it doesn't stress the tendons... works the delts, traps, and supraspinatus.
You can go abover horizontal to hit the traps harder... 


Shrugs -
Nothing complicated here.. works the traps, delts, supraspinatus, serratus, but mostly the traps.
Be sure you're maintaining your natural arch, and don't spin your shoulder when loaded.


Double Front Raises -
Here's an all around exercise for the shoulders and upper chest and back.
Grab the dumbbells with an overhand grip, starting at your thighs and raising them to shoulder height.
Feel da burn.



Alrighty.... have a fun time working your shoulders, and I'll see ya in a coupla days. 


 
And don't forget what yer ole Uncle Nuts says: 

                               

STAY AWAY FROM THE SNACK BAR !!!!


 

( note: there's a lot of pics in this post, so give it time to load, and I'll try to make it worth it! )

 I'm heading out for my semi-annual waterfall hunting trip next week, into the Great Smoky Mountains-
(I've got some lifting and paddlin to do while I'm there, but the waterfalls will fill most of the rest of the time.... )

--- so I thought I'd post some pics of waterfalls already 'discovered' recently. 

 There about 5 major areas in North and South Carolina for waterfalls.....

  ... and this blog will focus on the SC UpCountry, and NC's gorgeous Brevard and Transylvania Counties. 

 The reason I know a little about waterfalls is because the same areas are usually close to wicked whitewater, too.  
 


 
            (my daughter and I making the most of a hot August day at Hookers Falls in the Dupont State Forest..............)



One of my favorite sites is one of the most popular in the Pisgah National Forest....

and if you live in North Carolina, you probably know which one that is.........

----------------   Sliding Rock!!



 This is a pan shot I took so you can see the whole slide from the top viewing area.






You can see that the landing is into a cut-back pool about 3 feet deep at the bottom.  Nice ride!!!





 Right down (UP) US-276 from Sliding Rock, about a mile or so, is Moore's Trail Falls. 

 

 This was a pretty steep site, but the National Forest Service has built a bridge,
and it's very much easier to access it than previously. The walk is shorter too.





 Not very far away (another 1/2 miles or so....) is a North Carolina jewel....

 Looking Glass Falls. 


 Here's a spot , not far from the highway, a coupla steps down, and you're wet!! 

 

 

 

 This area in Brevard County is pretty much a waterfall paradise.... and I'm not even trying to cover em all.


 About a mile or so from the Fish Hatchery, Cedar Rock Creek Fall is often overlooked, but sweet. 

 






Heading about 40 miles south-southeast in Cleveland County, we hit High Shoals Falls.....
in the South Mountains State Park south of Morganton, NC. 

                     

  ( do you see the log that looks like an alligator on the bottom of this pic? Cool, huh? )
           

 A beautifully maintained and immense piece of preserved mountainous nature, this park is special.

 About the falls.... Only 1 series of falls, about 80 feet vertical ......  although a coupla nice ripples and riffles to play in, too. 

 There is a 2.3 mile trail loop to and from the falls, and on the day we went, it was 92 degrees, but
the shade and water made it feel much cooler.......

................that is, until the steps. 

 But, I'm getting ahead of myself.

 Before the falls, you encounter a 30's era CCC-built picnic-ground that is
absolutely lovely, with old shade trees and plenty of room for fun...... Wow, I wished I'd brought
some steaks and some charcoal along.... but I figured I didnt want to hike all the food up that mountain, ya know? 

 But I coulda easily walked from the parking lot to the picnic area, it turns out....  who knew?

 The main primitive campground is close to the falls, and very cool and quiet - and accessible from the falls loop.

 ( There is, of course, about 15,000 acres of unexplored, wild, undeveloped, mountainous wilderness in the park as well,
if you like getting OFF the trail a bit. Along with food and water, bring your compass, a very good map,
and extremely good hiking boots. The elevation gets up around 2800, and it's rough country. )

 Anyway.....

 Then you take a leisurely hike along the river.... splash around in some riffles, play around on the
rock slide area..... called Hugo Rock (cause Hurricane Hugo caused the slide.... )  and then a bridge....


               

                       ( the view from the bottom )


 You can see the bottom of the falls from here...... and a trail leading to some steps.

 There are about 120 CCC-built steps straight up to the top of the falls......

................Oh sure, you can see a bit of it from the bridge and the main trail that runs along the
Jacobs Fork River, but if you are a waterfall freak like me, the hike UP is a must.

 So , up you go. 



 
 
           Here's me at the top of the steps.



 Pant.  Pant.  Pant.   Whatdayamean SMILE????    


 Ok... it ain't exactly the great wall of China, and I'm in shape, but whew !!! 




 It was a beautiful set of falls, though..... dangerously slippery, but fun to climb around on.


 















 

 There were some other brave folks also climbing around the falls......









 The amazing thing was, there were kids jumping 15 feet off the rock in the foreground, into a
6 feet deep eddy pool below, that was about 4 feet from the main drop of the falls..........

 

 That is, until the mean ole mistah Ranger came along and told em to beat it, tout suite.



  Ah well.  Don't want anybody getting hurt in such a beautiful spot such as this. 



 

 But here's another one worth mentioning up in Brevard County :

 Connestee Falls.

 (actually, a special favorite, despite the negligence on the part of the State, not making this a State Recreation Area.) 

 


 Granite cliffs, multiple falls, sheer drops, all make Connestee Falls a sight worth seeing. If you can get to it. 

 And therein lies the rub.




 

 There's a damned 'gated community' that completely blocks the view unless ---

   you like climbing around fences.....

   ignoring no trespassing signs..... 


  

  
    and sliding down old, long abandoned trails. 


      


  (  and me, I don't mind doing THAT at all .........  )


 It's pretty... even from the top. 

 


 I'm pissed off that the State doesn't open access to this site for the citizens of North Carolina.....

 The rich, privileged few shouldn't be able to block it.... it belongs to the people. DAMN IT.

 I can only hope a coupla those rich bastards are jumping off the top of the falls with this stock market thing.....


 grrrrrrrr...............


 Ahem.


 Did I mention Hookers Falls, in the nearby Dupont State Forest? 

 

 This is a great spot for some swimming in and around the falls..........


 You might even see somebody ya know!!! 

 
 
 LOL!!!  

  Hey - you try to look good with a gazillon gallons of water pourin down on ya
   while you're trying to keep your butt from sliding off them slippery rocks!!! 





 Up off the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most famous and purty of all the NC Falls.... 

 


 Linville Falls ..... near Grandfather Mountain, and a lot of other groovy stuff besides.....

 The Linville Falls area is a large recreation area, with several good views of the falls, with several nice
cascades as well. 

              



 Sorry to hear about Mildred the Bear.      

 


But, let's just say, you don't feel like doing any walking, or swimmin'... but you don't mind driving......
 what then?



 Ever heard of Bridal Veil Falls in the Nantahala National Forest? 

...........   You can DRIVE under it!!

 





There are also some magnificent waterfalls in South Carolina's Oconee, Pickens, and Greenville counties. 
 these are within 90 minutes driving time of Queen Charlotte!

(There are actually 7 - "Reedy River Falls" is in downtown Greenville behind the West End Market -
   but it's off the track from the others, and not worth a sidetrack.)

They are: Wildcat Branch, Raven Cliff, Rainbow, Moonshine, Jones Gap, and Falls Creek.





 The hardest one for me to find was actually the easiest one to get to........
the access to Wildcat Branch Falls sits along Scenic Highway 11-
the trouble was, noone who worked around there seemed to know where it was-
I finally found the path obscured behind a roach coach selling sno-cones;
I musta passed that spot 6 times on the highway before I figured it out!

(You know, one thing the Great South could learn from them Yankees is something
   called 'signage'......  you know, like:  "WATERFALL  -----> "  )



 It's a moderately easy climb to the top of the falls - slippery as you might expect,
but nice, cool, green and very sweet. It's great for kids, who can play in the cool
water at the base of the falls, and for more energetic types (like my daughter...)
who want to risk breaking their lil necks in pursuit of a wet conquest.

 Not only is the location easy to get to, but it is near all the other listed falls in the area,
and just a mile or so from the cutoff that goes up the mountain into Caesars Head State Park.
Access is about 4.8 miles north of the US 276/11 split on the right side.
(look for the trail behind a SNO-CONE vendor if you see one in this area....
 ....I'm told he's there most weekends.)







 Rainbow Falls is on Cox Camp Creek - at Camp Greenville; it has several beautiful vistas
and viewing perspectives- not really a good one for climbing, and the access trail is treacherous,
but the scene - magnificent! I recommend good boots, at least a canteen of water and a snack,
and somebody to talk to that doesn't mind a tricky trail.









Raven Cliff Falls is accessed from Caesars Head State Park
(there are several great overlooks here - it's worth looking around the park a while-
it's a rustic, old-time park built by the CCC in the Great Depression days... and check
out the cool gift store, too!) ... the trail is about 2 miles long (moderately easy) to the overlook.
An additional 1.25 mile trail will take you from there to the top of the falls via a footbridge.
One of the most impressive falls around!







Moonshine Falls runs off a tributary of Matthews Creek, the body of water upon which
Raven Cliff Falls sits... it is a little hard to find, since, as the name might indicate, the 40 foot
waterfall concealed the entrance to a 30's era moonshine still - the moderately strenuous trail
takes about 2 hours thru the Asbury Hills Retreat- and the Methodist Camp-
you might need some moonshine yerself when you've finished....,
...but it's a sight to see... and because of it's inaccessability, most folks have never seen it!




Jones Gap Falls runs along a series of what my friends in South Carolina call "CASCADES" ;
( I remember a SC nature guide once telling me that "North Carolina has FALLS...
South Carolina has CASCADES." in that little Charleston-esque lilt that she musta learned
somewhere down-state low country - like in Charleston, maybe.)
...... including Dargans Cascade, Ben's Sluice, Misty Cavern Falls, and Walking Fern Cascade...

 So, one could conceivably park the car once, and see 5 or 6 falls in one hike!
Park at Jones Gap State Park - register at the office down in the holler, then start walking!
About 4 miles altogether- BUT- the trail was actually washed out the last time I was down there,
 .. and I couldn't get through , so call ahead!





Falls Creek Falls is a series of cascades, accessed from a 1.5 mile semi-difficult trail...
with more further down - the trail becoming more difficult as you descend. Park (on the left)
on Fall Creek Rd right after the fork in the road.  Save your strength for getting back up.




PS.... I've gotten comments about my weight fluctuating in this pics.... yes, it does.
I bulk up for competitions, and then work hard to get rid of the excess after!
In that one pic, I just went a little ape shit with it.
(aka ....MY WORLD FAMOUS rABBIT fOOD dIET.  oh yum. . )


Hey; GET OUT THERE and ENJOY YERSELF!


but........ stay away from the sno-cones!