... but I KNOW it's my fault. I'm supposed to be doing my shoulder exercises. In and out with the band. I think I have that somewhere. In the garage maybe?
First of all, that exercise is boring. Helpful, but boring. Second, go find your bands, because there is a lot more they are good for. Ok, and third, that is not a complete enough strengthening program to help anyone prevent shoulder problems long-term. Ideally, you want to:
1. Strengthen the muscles that give you stability
2. Balance out the rotator cuff so the shoulder is held tightly in the joint
3. Strengthen in the arc of motion that you need for your sport (ie overhead vs just by your side with a band)
4. Strengthen at faster speeds that mimic the quickness of your overhead motion 5. Stretch the shoulder so it can start in a good position
That being said, here are a few of my favorite exercises:
Plank
Why it works: It uses a lot of muscles at once (do just one and count the areas you get a good burn in... it hurts sooo good), the muscles are acting all at once emphasizing stability, and it gets the muscles that hold your shoulder blade steady as your arm moves through an overhead motion, namely the serratus anterior. So much bang for your buck.
What to do: I love the basic forearm plank. On your toes, body all in one tight line, avoid arching your low back, keep your shoulders rounded, and don't forget to keep your head in line with your body, too. I like to do a total of 3 minutes with patients (ex 3 x 1 minute, 6 x 30 seconds, etc). Test out one plank for time to assess where you are at before you start.
If you get bored: Plank on hands (don't lock elbows), side plank (forearm or on hand), adding pushups in between holds, walk hands up/up/down/down on small object, walk on hands with weights, legs on a Swiss ball, hands on a Swiss ball...
Spiderman
Why it works: The muscles in your rotator cuff each have their own individual functions (turn in, turn out, pull out, pull in), but when they all work at the same time, the resulting force is a pull that hugs the shoulder close to the joint, protecting it from banging around as you move. If you consistently perform the same overhead motion of hitting, serving, swimming, or paddling, the muscles that turn your shoulder in are going to be way stronger than the ones that turn it out. This throws the balance off, and the shoulder loses stability. This exercise is overhead (sweet), requires rotator cuff stability (sweeter), and is tough on the external rotators (sweetness).
What to do: Take out that exercise band, hopefully one with light resistance, because this is deceptively difficult! Keep your entire forearm flush against the wall, in little steps inch your way up the wall and back down, keeping the arms parallel or slightly turned out. Climb the wall like Spiderman. Go to fatigue 5 times.
If you don't have a band: Buy one, or get creative. Most gyms have them. Any garment with an elastic waist is potentially the right size and enough resistance. A head band would work. Tie some panty hose...
Upper cuts
Why it works: The plank helps strengthen the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blade (and therefore the shoulder) in a nice, steady, fixed position. This exercise kicks in the same muscles but in motion, and although you're cutting from underneath, it is still gets overhead.
What to do: Use just your fists or add some weights like this fellow. You can emphasize endurance here (ex: moderate weight 3-7 pounds for 5 bouts of 30 seconds), or you can max out a bit (3 sets of 10 of a resistance that has you all out fatigued by the 10th rep). I always prefer the endurance route, but it depends on your purpose and your preference. Or wale on a punching bag until fatigue, especially after a stressful day.
Basic pect stretch
Why it works: Daily life is forward: we sit all day at computers, driving, slumping in front of the TV. Overhead sports are forward, too. The shoulder is in that forward position so often that for most of us the muscles on the front of our chests get so tight that they are stuck here. If the shoulder starts out more anterior, it is already in poor biomechanical alignment before you even begin to preform an overhead motion.
What to do: Find any good doorway and give yourself a nice, long stretch. Anything over 30 seconds does the trick, but I usually do a 1-2 minute hold. Stretch all the time. Whenever. Wherever.
Make it a part of daily life: Pick a doorway in your house that you must stop and stretch in every time you walk by, stretch in the shower where you actually have a moment to yourself no matter how busy you are, or find a nice foam roll and stretch at the gym after every workout.
Remember, you should not start any exercise or exercise program if you are limited by your health. These are meant to help prevent problems in healthy, pain free individuals, and must be done with good form. If anything causes pain, stop immediately.
Strengthening can be very boring and hard to get in if you are a busy human being. I personally work these things into my routine by doing power yoga (which I adore), working out with an exercise buddy who can challenge me, stretching in the shower, and devoting 3 minutes every morning to the plank.
Next post will be a few ideas for some higher level plyometric drills and a few different ideas for those exercise bands. Then, I will share some insight on common mistakes and poor mechanics that predispose volleyball players, tennis players, swimmers, and surfers to shoulder injury!
M
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