What's happening lately with training

[Jack Tragic]

Many thanks, P.S. I don't give myself that much credit... It doesn't take any great discipline or effort for me to continue. I can't imagine life without some sort of vigorous training. It's just too much a big part of who I am and what I'm all about.

Indeed! We must be twins that were tenaciously sepporated at birth! There are all but 2 things that will follow me to the grave. 1) getting laid!  and 2) weight training ( all forms !). 

[muscle_n_blood]

2 thumbs up for those, Jack. 

[Bad Bob]

Jack DOES have a way with words!

[p.s.]

Indeed! We must be twins that were tenaciously sepporated at birth! There are all but 2 things that will follow me to the grave. 1) getting laid!  and 2) weight training ( all forms !). 

I gotta agree here BBing/lifting is like eating and breathing for me. It's just a part of my life and who I am.

[mntbikedude]

I know I never reached the levels you guys have, but I don't believe I love it any less. Unforunately I tore my rotator cuff in Oct. Had surgery in January and I still can't really do any lifting. It has depressed the hell out of me and really affected my self-confidence.

[muscle_n_blood]

Patience is golden. What sucks is that you think you can train legs, but then realize you can't carry a bar for any kind of squat and that you can't anchor yourself in the leg press well enough to use any weight at all... leg extensions/curls alone just won't cut it.
You must be patient and do what you can. Walk a lot. Keep your diet in check so you don't get really fat. Rehab sucks but be diligent... the more thoroughly you rehab, the better your end result will be.

[Jack Tragic]

    "Smith machine" squats and, or bench squats. Also please do NOT forget to train your back/lats and certain tricep/bicep excersizes as these will all help recovery of the delts (RC's)

[muscle_n_blood]

You can't do these things with a rotator cuff tear, Jack. I've done both shoulders. For a Smith machine squat, it still puts pressure on the bad side. I tried doing them sideways in the machine with the bar on my healthy shoulder. All I accomplished was bending the bar and goofing up the machine (I wonder if anyone figured out how that happened?) The back and delt work would have to be one sided, neglecting the injured side.
If the surgery was in Jnauary and rehab has gone OK, you should be about ready to start lifting again. I used dumbells and Hammer Strength machines, and don't let your ego stop you from starting out ridiculously light. That's what it takes. I was training more or less normally but very light at 6 months. It took a year to get back to "normal".  I never got back 100% of what I had prior to the second surgery, but thee was a lot more wrong with it than rotator cuff. I was told I would need a complete joint replacement in that one, but I haven't had to so far.
I strongly recommend aginst using any anabolics until you get back to at least 75% of your natural ability. Patience.

[Jack Tragic]

We are thankfully all different M&B. To this day i can barely "flat bench" 135 lbs. w/out red-zone shoulder pain, but yet can do inclines @ 225lbs for 15, 10, 8, 8 and 3...go figure. for legs try walking DB lunges (w/straps). Do them slow and controlled but don't over-rep. Also perhaps "front squats" w/ moderate to light weight on the Smith (can ya' tell i like the Smithey?). For pecs try high cable flyes...only work the range of motion that has the least amount of pain until you strengthen that area. Also...Heavy shrugs can strengthen/ thicken and benefit the entire shoulder area.

[muscle_n_blood]

You brought out one specific point that is vitally important when it come to working with damaged shoulder joints. You have to find your own groove for shoulder and chest work, be it flat bench, incline, or decline; be it with bar, dumbell, or smith machine. It takes some experimentation and time. All the things you suggest are good, if MBD is ready to do them. I can do things now that I couldn't do a year after surgery and thought I never could do again.
It takes desire and a willingness to try different things. I found I can incline bench again as long as I use a slightly wider grip and bring the bar down to my collarbones and finish up in front of my eyes. If I do a normal DB press, my shoulders click and pop, but if I turn my palms in some and open up my chest I can do something in between a press and a flye that doesn't hurt and seems effective.  I do military press with an underhanded grip. I still can't do front squats but I worked out a new trick:
We have one of those goofy assisted dip/chin machines.... I drop the knee pad out of the way and step up onto those separated foot platforms. Hang a 150 dumbell from the weighted dip belt and squat away. Get 50+ of those and not only are the quads/glutes lit up, but I'm a-huffin' and puffin' pretty good too. Ya gotta want it and be creative.