5 Exercises For A More Durable Rotator Cuff

Here are 5 exercises for a more durable rotator cuff. Some of these exercises are fairly innovative. Many also require next to no equipment. Enjoy!

#1) Overhead Barbell Hold + Single Hanging Kettlebell⁣⁣

This exercise improves shoulder and scapular stability, lumbo-pelvic stability, and grip strength.⁣ ⁣Loading just one side of the bar makes these very anti-lateral flexion in nature.

Coaching Tips:

Hang a band around one end of a barbell, and attach a weight to the band. Adopt your prefer hand width.

Press the barbell into an overhead position (or start with barbell in an overhead position).

Once you are in the overhead position, your entire body should remain in a fixed position.⁣ Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. ⁣

⁣Keep the barbell over your head. It should not drift ahead or behind of your body.

Keep your wrists in a neutral position.

Now hold for the target length of time.⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug. ⁣

⁣For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.⁣

⁣In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.⁣

#2) Superman Tosses

This is a fantastic exercise for warming up the shoulders. This exercise is also great for hand-eye coordination.

You will not need to use much weight to make this challenging and effective. ⁣ This exercise would be great for baseball players, other athletes, and the general population.

Coaching Tips: ⁣

Lie down on the floor (or on a bench) in a prone position. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position. ⁣

Keep your elbows at a 90 degree angle, and forearms pointing straight up. ⁣

Perform small tosses and catches with the weights. As you get used to the exercise, you’ll likely be able to increase the range of the throws.

For the duration of the exercise, look straight ahead. Do not turn your head to look at the weights. ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or shoulder blades to elevate.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to excessively hyperextend (a slight arch is ok), round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.⁣

In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.

#3) Tall Kneeling Single Arm Ball Circles

This exercise strengthens the rotator cuff.

Coaching Tips: ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Elevate a ball on a wall so it’s about chest height. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Fully extend your arm, and place one hand on the ball. ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Get into a tall kneeling position. Your body should be in a straight line from your head to knees.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

While keeping your arm fully extended and hand about chest height, perform circles with the ball. You can do them in any direction. ⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

The entire time, press your body away from the ball and protract your shoulder blade (move your shoulder blade away from your spine, and around your ribcage).⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulders to shrug, or shoulder blades to elevate.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to knees. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.⁣ ⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine). ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

In terms ⁣of breathing, do what works and feels best for you. ⁣⁣

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#4) Single Arm Pallof Presses + Weight Plate

This exercise improves lumbo-pelvic stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.

Coaching Tips: ⁣⁣⁣

Fasten a resistance band around a secure surface. There should be resistance in the band for 100% of the exercise. ⁣⁣⁣

⁣Grab onto the band with one hand. Your hand should be in line with your armpit. ⁣⁣⁣

⁣Get into a tall kneeling stance. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

⁣Now extend your elbow. Once you get to your end range, lift your arm so your hand is at least eye height. ⁣⁣⁣Pause for a count. ⁣⁣⁣

⁣Now perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

As you bring your arm back in towards your body, stop when your elbow comes into contact with your side.

⁣Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned. It is meant to move.⁣⁣⁣ When you lift your arm, your shoulder blade should upwardly rotate, protract, and elevate (move away from your spine, around the ribcage, and away from the opposite hip). When you lower your arm, your shoulder blade should perform the reverse movements.

For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your shoulder to shrug, or shoulder blade to excessively elevate. ⁣

For the duration of the exercise you head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine, or hips to rotate.⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, keep your core muscles braced (360 degree brace around your spine), and squeeze your glutes.⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

⁣In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.⁣⁣⁣

#5) Single Leg Isometric Glute Bridge + Bottoms-Up Kettlebell Screwdrivers + Single Leg Lowering

This exercise provides a huge bang for your buck and strengthens the glutes, improves lumbo-pelvic stability, shoulder and scapular stability, and grip.⁣

Coaching Tips:

Lie on the floor. Your head, torso, and hips should be in a stacked position.

Set yourself up as you would when you are performing regular glute bridges.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣Your shin should be in a vertical position.

Hold a kettlebell in a bottoms-up position, and perform a bottoms-up press.

Make sure your shoulder blade remains in a protracted position for the duration for the exercise (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage).⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣

Extend your hips by pressing through the back portion of your foot and squeezing your glutes, NOT by arching your lower back. Your body should form a straight line from your knee to shoulders.⁣⁣ Maintain this position for the duration of the exercise. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣

Extend your other leg so it is in a vertical position. If you cannot fully extend your knee, or if you are unable to maintain proper form, you can keep your knee bent at a 90 degree angle.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection/wrinkle the front of your shirt).

Now slowly lower your leg to a range that allows you to maintain proper form.

Once you hit your end range, return your leg back to the starting position.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

⁣⁣For the duration of the exercise, perform kettlebell screwdrivers. In the starting position your palm should be in a neutral position. While looking at the kettlebell the entire time, rotate your wrist, forearm and elbow so your palm is facing away from you. Pause for a count, then perform the reverse movements and rotate the kettlebell so your palm is facing you.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣

For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso, and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, or hips to drop.