The information-solution quandary

How do you solve an unresolved challenge e.g. injury, when one is applying the same information the caused the problem?

Go back two generations ago and you struggled to find answers to training questions. Information was difficult to obtain. But it was usually good information when you did find it. There was in that generation an unwritten code that you needed to have the runs on the board to justify publishing your ideas.

In the current generation it’s easy to find answers to your training questions. And that’s even before AI!  The question is, how good is that information. The old unwritten rules of you have to have proven you are an expert in the real world before you should publish are gone. Everyone with a keyboard is sharing training guidance.

With the current generation swimming in information, there is another challenge that is in part tied to the quality of the information. How do you solve an unresolved challenge e.g. injury, when one is applying the same information the caused the problem

Here’s a real-world example of that quandary….it was not created with the intent to share, but the insights and lessons are too powerful not to be shared.

Q. Greetings KSI Team, I genuinely hope this message finds you all well.

In the past, I have contacted you a couple of times to express my gratitude for your consistent efforts to provide unique insights for athletes/coaches, and for leading the industry in a way that I have rarely seen before.

With that said, I understand how busy you are, and I was genuinely hesitant about writing this email because I did not want it to come across the wrong way. However, I decided to reach out.

Long story short, in May 2025, I injured my right shoulder for the second time while performing overhead hanging. The diagnosis was subacromial impingement, bursitis, and rotator cuff tendinopathy. The first time (2018) I was diagnosed with impingement and a rotator cuff tear.

Thankfully, my right shoulder eventually recovered significantly. However, in March of this year, I injured my left shoulder while performing overhead dumbbell pressing. An ultrasound subsequently showed shoulder bursitis and rotator cuff tendinopathy, specifically involving the supraspinatus.

After extensive research and learning from individuals such yourself with experience in this area, I have come to understand that the factors contributing to this type of problem are far more complex than I initially thought. 

 As a result, I began paying more attention to scapula control/stability, direct rotator cuff work, and from a programming perspective, structural balance—a concept I had never intentionally incorporated into my training to this extent during almost a decade of training.

 The imbalances I have discovered in my body are quite significant. However, over the past year or so, after following what I believe to be a well-structured programme in which I train the basic fundamental movement patterns on a 1:1 ratio, some of these imbalances have improved.

My left shoulder is now around four months into rehabilitation. It has progressed considerably, but it is still occasionally painful, particularly when exposed to overhead positions involving either full abduction or full flexion, especially when the scapula is fully elevated and my arm is in a vertical position.

Moreover, after repeatedly observing my movement during different exercises, I have noticed that during bench pressing, my left arm—the side currently affected—appears to elevate more than my right at the top position. I have noticed something similar when performing bilateral trap 3 raises on an incline bench, as well as during prone T raises.

Perhaps I am simply being impatient, or perhaps what I am missing is hidden in plain sight. I completely understand that trying to identify the underlying issue without assessing someone in person is extremely difficult.

Nevertheless, it would genuinely mean a great deal to me if you could suggest anything that you think might be worth considering, whether that is something I may be overlooking or a different way of approaching the problem.

At this point, my best hypothesis is that there may be an issue with the coordination and balance of the scapulohumeral musculature. I have also noticed that my T-spine appears to have a slight clockwise rotation, although I appreciate that this is simply my own observation and may not be clinically meaningful.

I have wondered whether this rotation could be influenced by factors such as my writing position I have maintained since childhood, my preferred posture, my habitual sideways sleeping position, etc…

I understand this is a lot of information, and I certainly do not expect you to diagnose anything remotely. I am simply trying to learn from the best people with considerably more experience than myself and see whether there is something I may be overlooking.

Once again, I genuinely enjoy all forms of your work, and I want to thank you for being willing to share your knowledge and experience with the wider athletic and coaching community.

Keep up the excellent work, and if this is something that is difficult to respond to due to your busy schedule, please do not worry at all. I completely understand.

Kind regards.–xxxx.

P.S. After learning about your perspective on kettlebells, do you think using kettlebells or dumbbells for overhead pressing would make any significant difference in improving shoulder stability?

A. To answer your questions can I ask:

Overhead hanging – to confirm – you are holding vertical bar such as a chin bar with both hands using a prone grip (palm facing away from you) and your feet are not touching the ground?

Can I ask where the influence for this exercise came from?

The diagnosis was subacromial impingement, bursitis, and rotator cuff tendinopathy. The first time (2018) I was diagnosed with impingement and a rotator cuff tear.

Should I assume the first time you injured was doing the same exercise?

Thankfully, my right shoulder eventually recovered significantly. However, in March of this year, I injured my left shoulder while performing overhead dumbbell pressing. An ultrasound subsequently showed shoulder bursitis and rotator cuff tendinopathy, specifically involving the supraspinatus.

There is a message here – either you have a genetic weakness in the shoulder structures, or you have allowed them to become degraded over time. When I say degraded this could be any of the structures of the joint and connective tissue that contributes to the function and health of the joint.

After extensive research and learning from individuals such yourself with experience in this area, I have come to understand that the factors contributing to this type of problem are far more complex than I initially thought.

Yes, the shoulder joint is a very complex joint, due in part to the freedom of movement it has been afforded in our evolution. With this comes the burden of complexity and the great responsibility to support and control a joint with so much freedom.

As a result, I began paying more attention to scapula control/stability, direct rotator cuff work, and from a programming perspective, structural balance—a concept I had never intentionally incorporated into my training to this extent during almost a decade of training.

From this statement I see support for my earlier observation – that perhaps in the past you had not done so. Any athlete that has started their training career with me has been exposed to a high level of this joint health focus from the outset. That high standard of training is becoming less and less from what I observe. 

The imbalances I have discovered in my body are quite significant. However, over the past year or so, after following what I believe to be a well-structured programme in which I train the basic fundamental movement patterns on a 1:1 ratio, some of these imbalances have improved.

Two things – firstly a 1:1 ratio (assuming you are talking about opposing lines of movement (is not adequate when the imbalances have become advanced. That ratio is for ‘clean skins’ from the outset.

Secondly, there is more to joint health than strength exercise. I believe you have been exposed to my four pillars of joint health, however it is unlikely you have internalized them or have the skill set to implement them with the level of discernment needed to recover the condition you have created in a timely or fully effective manner.

My left shoulder is now around four months into rehabilitation. It has progressed considerably, but it is still occasionally painful, particularly when exposed to overhead positions involving either full abduction or full flexion, especially when the scapula is fully elevated and my arm is in a vertical position.

This time frame is not unusual but at the same time it is not ideal. With higher level guidance I believe the time frames can be shorter.

Moreover, after repeatedly observing my movement during different exercises, I have noticed that during bench pressing, my left arm—the side currently affected—appears to elevate more than my right at the top position. I have noticed something similar when performing bilateral trap 3 raises on an incline bench, as well as during prone T raises.

Firstly, great that you have become more observant, aware. Secondly, I am not surprised that the shoulders are acting asymmetrically. Thirdly, at a higher level of guidance you would be advised to avoid any movement and or range that results in postural deviation so to speak.

Perhaps I am simply being impatient, or perhaps what I am missing is hidden in plain sight. I completely understand that trying to identify the underlying issue without assessing someone in person is extremely difficult.

You are being impatient so to speak but if you were not you would be possibly complacent. The key is less about the emotion, and more about how you use it. You could use it get better guidance or you could use it be become more frustrated.

Yes, it is difficult so to speak without more information / assessment, but I have been involved in enough shoulder rehab to confidently know you and your current in person treatment professionals do not have the higher level skills to create a faster and more effective rate of recovery.

Nevertheless, it would genuinely mean a great deal to me if you could suggest anything that you think might be worth considering, whether that is something I may be overlooking or a different way of approaching the problem.

I definitely do not play guru from a distance. I know you will be missing something—more than one thing actually – and I know there would be things that you are doing but not doing with optimal understanding and application.

But that level of troubleshooting and individualized guidance is not something I believe should be done flippantly from a few paragraphs of text.

At this point, my best hypothesis is that there may be an issue with the coordination and balance of the scapulohumeral musculature.

Absolutely there is something ‘wrong’. But it it a structural issue and your x-rays / scans have not indicated you have torn ligaments or tendons off bone) or is it a functional issue – the way you are moving it in your attempt to rehab it is more likely the problem. What movement, when, how, etc. – and what other modalities being applied – this is most likely where the errors are being made.

I have also noticed that my T-spine appears to have a slight clockwise rotation, although I appreciate that this is simply my own observation and may not be clinically meaningful.

If it is relevant is it the chicken or egg? Was it there before the injures and contributed to them, or was it a result of the injuries? Was it like this a few years back before you first injury? And it may not be relevant to the shoulder, but it is relevant.

I have wondered whether this rotation could be influenced by factors such as my writing position I have maintained since childhood, my preferred posture, my habitual sideways sleeping position, etc…

Any spine deviations have many potential contributors – but it does help to reach a hypothesis, work on it, and see if you can correct or reduce it.

I understand this is a lot of information, and I certainly do not expect you to diagnose anything remotely. I am simply trying to learn from the best people with considerably more experience than myself and see whether there is something I may be overlooking.

You are definitely not doing it optimally. Few do, and in reality, optimal is on a continuum. The main differentiating point is what one is willing to do to find the answers. And in some cases, if one is driven to do anything. Most don’t. there is a reason I have been treated by medical professionals in Canada, or by the founder of ART in Colorado Springs USA before anyone in Australia had even heard about it; or why I travelled with an athlete 10 hours a few weeks ago for a 2 hour consult with Australia’s number one physiotherapist, or why I have had a 40-year relationship with one of Australia’s leading orthopedic surgeon. Because I am a person who will go a long way to find the answers. It’s not cheap, it’s not easy, it is time-consuming – and it is fruitful. And why I have spent a billable period of time responding to your email for free. Because I care, but I am also experienced enough to know that it is not productive or successful to care more than the individual involved, as this is a false economy that leads to dependance and lack for accountability.

Once again, I genuinely enjoy all forms of your work, and I want to thank you for being willing to share your knowledge and experience with the wider athletic and coaching community.

You are welcome. I came into a world where there was so little information, and I felt that personally. So, I have been committed to sharing, giving others what I did not have 50 years ago when I was searching for answers.

The only difference not that there are so many now with a social media account and a desire for attention that are flooding the ether, making it more challenging from individuals to sift through to find the effective and time- tested content. But that is not you. You have found KSI.

Keep up the excellent work, and if this is something that is difficult to respond to due to your busy schedule, please do not worry at all. I completely understand.

I type this somewhere over the Pacific Ocean, an hour out of landing in LA. USA, on a 14 hour flight, one of a number of legs. I typically don’t watch movies on planes. I might spoil myself with one over a meal. But on this occasion I was working on this email before breakfast was served, and went straight back to it after I ate. I just work, sleep and work. If I did not, I would not get to help enough people, such as yourself, with your question in emails. I am enroute to one of my demanding weeks of our annual calendar. But life goes on and people want answers.

I never ‘not respond’ to any genuine, worthwhile request for help. In other words, I have committed to answering every email from genuine people since emails were invented in the 1990s. Emails are an imposition in our life’s that I don’t enjoy, as I know life before them. But I do respect the access it gives everyone to be able to reach out to someone who prior they would have had no access to. Before emails if I wanted this level of interaction I would have to jump on a plane and fly to meet the person, as I have done around the world.

After learning about your perspective on kettlebells, do you think using kettlebells or dumbbells for overhead pressing would make any significant difference in improving shoulder stability?

The first question is not the equipment. This is an example of how you are potentially off-track. This is not a criticism, a reality from my perspective. And you are above average in your knowledge, so God help the rest. Here are a few more pressing questions:

1. Should you be pressing overhead?
2. If so, when should you return to it?
3. What should you be doing before you return to it?
4. Once you return to it what range, load, and SOM to use?
5. What rate of increase in loading should you use?
6. And then, maybe then, we can talk about the mold that the external loading was cast in….

Remember I am not denigrating your knowledge or path. Just helping you see that there are levels of skill set involved in rehab, and there are options above where you currently are. Now I fully recognize that the world is full of false prophets, so it is easy to be misled.

For example, after one US strength coach was exposed to my knee specific injury prevention and rehab, he suffered an ACL tear recreationally skiing. After the rehab of one knee in one person (himself) he felt emboldened to market himself as a knee expert, guiding others to having ‘bullet-proof’ knees. ‘Borrowing’ content from others and publishing them as your own combined with the sum total of one ACL rehab (his own) does not an expert make! Yet I see this all the time and I know the unfounded baseless crap they disseminate as a ‘guru’is not positively contributing to humanity!

I could go on with these examples, especially in this decade, the Decade of the Injury Rehab specialist….So, to all – make sure you review your influences, because unless I was you first and only influence, you are probably doing things that you think I endorse but don’t’….like overhead hanging.—Ian King

Q. Greetings KSI Team, Before I say anything, I would like to deeply express my gratitude not only for taking the time to respond, but for responding in a way that was not only surprising, but also an expression of what kind of individuals you all are.

With that said, after going through your response, I realised that there were certain gaps in the information I provided that I had neglected to mention for better context. Some of them you were able to guess correctly. I did not want my original message to become too long, as I understand even more now what your schedule must be like.

Please find below my responses to some of your well-thought-out questions:

“Overhead hanging – to confirm – you are holding a vertical bar such as a chin-up bar with both hands using a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) and your feet are not touching the ground?”

“Can I ask where the influence for this exercise came from?”

My first shoulder injury (right shoulder in 2018) occurred while performing a gymnastic rings L-sit supinated narrow-grip pull-up. The second injury (2025) occurred after performing L-sit alternating pronated-grip hangs from a pull-up bar which I haven’t attempted for years (immature and stupid). The third shoulder injury (2026) this time involving my left arm, occurred while performing overhead dumbbell pressing.

As for the influence behind these exercises, since my training discipline is calisthenics, most of it came from the internet.

“Two things – firstly, a 1:1 ratio (assuming you are talking about opposing lines of movement) is not adequate when the imbalances have become advanced. That ratio is for ‘clean skins’ from the outset. Secondly, there is more to joint health than strength exercise. I believe you have been exposed to my four pillars of joint health, however it is unlikely you have internalised them or have the skill set to implement them with the level of discernment needed to recover the condition you have created in a timely or fully effective manner.”

Yes, I was referring to the lines of movement and I have been exposed to your four pillars of joint health. However, I am confident that I do not implement them correctly. Since my shoulder problems started last year, I have not performed any upper body stretching because so-called experts on the internet advised that stretching an injured area is not a good idea. Additionally it feels a bit painful on the currently injured shoulder when performing stretches mainly for lats and shoulders like dead hang.

It’s worth noting that your overall response really made me think about a lot of things. Once again, I understand that I know nothing. And although I genuinely appreciate the compliment, I do not think I even know how to walk on all fours when it comes to knowledge and experience compared with people like yourself.

I personally responded to what I felt needed further clarification, because everything else while I was reading it, felt like being in real life and shutting my mouth (forgive my language), because that is exactly what you have repeatedly achieved throughout your response.

I could definitely keep writing and share more, but I genuinely respect your time. At the end of the day, as you rightly said, it is best for these things to be evaluated in person which I completely agree with.

The truth is that I currently live in xxxx, and I cannot travel abroad due to a visa decision that is still awaiting a decision. I would definitely like to meet in person, but for now, my current circumstances, although they may sound like an excuse, do not allow this.

However, if traveling to the xxx is something that may be within your future schedule, I would be honoured if you could let me know. You and your team are genuinely good people, and I know that sometimes positive comments can make someone settle and stop striving. However, you do not, which is a character trait I personally find quite admirable.

Thank you for every single word, thing, and act that you have done, continue to do, and will continue to do. It goes a long way.

God bless and hopefully we will meet one day. Kind regards.–xxxx

A. xxxx – Thanks for clarifying some points, and confirming you found value in my response.

When I said in person, I meant at least a person with appropriate expertise looking over your body on zoom.  Secondly, I was not suggesting myself. I am hoping that one of my higher-level coaches can look after you. I never seek to solicit work. In fact, my approach is completely the other way around.

What I was aiming to impart is that there is a level of information that if a consultant exceeds without the specific information of the individual, it can be misleading, in accurate, and in some cases potentially raise injury risk.  So, I am a big proponent of individualization in training, and this includes rehab.

I believe at least a one-off consult via zoom with one of my high level coaches would be a good start and you can receive more individualized guidance, and determine if there is value moving forwards in this approach.–Ian King

Q. Greetings KSI Team, and thank you once again for getting back to me.

Everything mentioned above has been well received, understood, and agreed with.

If you don’t mind, I would like to know what this process involves and what financial investment would be required.

In the meantime, I genuinely wish you a great day.

Kind regards.–xxxx

A. xxxx – our coaches work with our clients on a needs basis. After a pre-qualification chat, if agreed to move forward, the commitment is for the next consult only, and the rates are provided. Following that experience, you decide if you sant subsequent service

Let me know if you want to set up a call with one of my coaches.

Can you also advise – What of the KSI materials you have purchased to contribute to your education? Thanks.–Ian King

Q. Greetings KSI team. Once again, I genuinely appreciate you getting back to me with such a willingness to help.

 I would like to explore your recommendation, but I am not particularly interested in coaching. 

What I am interested in is learning more about structural balance in the body, and more specifically in the shoulder.

If there is a coach who can be trusted to guide me with this, it would be an honour to arrange a meeting. 

As far as the content forgive me, but I haven’t purchased anything yet, although it is definitely on my list. 

Speaking of content, I have been exploring more of your work and came across The Guide to Shoulder Injuries book.

Does this book contain practical applications that could help restore balance in the shoulder and help better understand it?

Thank you so much for your time and continued assistance. I look forward to hearing from you. Kind regard.–xxxx

A. 

I would like to explore your recommendation, but I am not particularly interested in coaching. 

If there is a coach who can be trusted to guide me with this, it would be an honour to arrange a meeting.

A bit confused by these two statements.  Can you help us understand what you are looking for in terms of service?

What I am interested in is learning more about structural balance in the body, and more specifically in the shoulder.

Structural balance is not a concept we use.

As far as the content forgive me, but I haven’t purchased anything yet, although it is definitely on my list.

That would explain many of the training methods and terminology you use. They are not reflective of the KSi way, which is an insight into your current injury status.

 I have been exploring more of your work and came across The Guide to Shoulder Injuries book

Book? We are not aware of this ‘book’. Can you share the url to this book?

Does this book contain practical applications that could help restore balance in the shoulder and help better understand it?

We can’t comment on that because we don’t know what book you are referring to.–Ian King

Q. Greetings, Reading again my statements at the beginning, I can see that they do in fact sound confusing.

To reiterate, I’m not looking for coaching packages, but simply some guidance that could perhaps be provided through a virtual conversation.

However, you made it clear which I appreciate, that structural balance (for the whole body and shoulder specifically) is not something you use at KSI.

It turns out that The Guide to Shoulder Injuries is not a book but a series of recorded videos, so that’s entirely my mistake.

https://kingsports.net/product/ian-kings-guide-to-shoulder-injuries/

Regardless, could this help someone learn more about shoulder health? Not just theory, but also practical application in training?

Many thanks once again.-–xxxx

A.  xxxx – thanks for seeking to clarify

Can I ask:

I’m not looking for coaching packages

What is a coaching package? Had I offered or suggested that? (I hope not because I don’t know what it is.

 guidance that could perhaps be provided through a virtual conversation.

When you say this do you mean a free chat? Ie. I arrange one of my coaches to set a time to chat at no cost?

The Guide to Shoulder Injuries is a video

Yes.  It definitely could help someone learn more. But we have put a prerequisite on the sale and are selective as to who sells sell it for. We want to ensure that learning is optimized through a better understanding of injury prevention before individuals are supported by us to ’solve the problem’. The problem Is only truly solved when one knows how to prevent it in future. And you don’t have any of our resources to our knowledge along these lines.–Ian King

Q.  Dear KSI Team, No you haven’t, but predominantly that is how coaching nowadays works.

It would have been a good start to arrange a meeting with a coach, but as you said, you don’t deal with structural balance, or specifically with the shoulder.

As far as the rest, I totally get it. I will definitely take this into consideration.  Kind regards.–xxxx

A.  Thanks for confirming we have not mentioned the words ‘coaching packages’.

I started out providing coaching services in 1980. There was no industry. The word ’strength & conditioning coach’ had not been coined. The word ‘personal trainer’ had not been coined.  There was no role in the Australian society of being paid to physically train someone, outside of say the military. I formed my company in 1986 after having build my client base to in excess of 100 elite athletes, as the first commercial entity to me knowledge in the world committed exclusively to athlete preparation and coach education. There was still no industry or profession at that time in Australia.

Thanks for enlightening me about how ‘coaching nowadays work’. I must admit, I live a sheltered life. But it did have my wondering why you would assume I would change the approach I formed before there was a ‘profession’ or ‘industry’, to conform with whatever the ‘industry trends’ are now. However, I appreciate you may not be that familiar with my professional journey or me as a person.

I simply help people. If a person fears that I am setting a trap to sell them an overpriced service that they don’t need, I cannot take responsibility for that.  I started out helping people. And the demand for my services exploded. Boring as it may seem, I still do the same thing  help people. Only now it seems some peoples perception of what I do, what I have been doing for 47 years now, is prejudiced by what newcomers to this ‘profession’ do. That’s unfortunate but it is what it is.

Yes, I did say that ’structural balance’ is not a term I use. It was, I suggest, a term that was coined in response to my teachings about the need for balance in program design supported by my Lines of Movement concept. It was a knee-jerk reaction to a challenge to the lack of balance in program design by a certain person. That makes it a greater irony for me. If you dress up a pig, it’s still a pig. A fancy name doesn’t change things.

If that is interpreted as we don’t deal with our interpretation of what causes imbalances and or we don’t deal with the shoulder joint, what can I say.

It’s been an interesting journey, and I thank you for giving me insights into how the dominant trends and thinking. I learn new things every day and I learn from everyone, and for this I am grateful to you.–Ian King