Healthy shoulders matter. If you follow me and my work, you’ll notice how I talk a lot about shoulder and scapular stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. When I refer to shoulder and scapular stability, these parts should remain in a fixed position. Conversely, when I refer to controlled mobility, these parts are moving, and you must be able to control this movement.
This week I am sharing 6 innovative exercises that can help improve the health of the shoulders. If you missed part 1, you can check it out here.
#1) Tall Kneeling Bottoms-Up Overhead Kettlebell Presses + Wall Press
I got this awesome idea from Tony Gentilcore. This exercise involves performing a single arm bottoms-up overhead kettlebell press while simultaneously pressing into a wall with the opposite hand, and actively protracting the shoulder blade (moving it away from the spine and around the ribcage).
This exercise is a great way to help you learn how to establish and own the ever important canister position I talk about all the time. When many people perform overhead pressing movements they compensate by hyperextending their lower back and flaring their ribcage, and essentially resemble an open pair of scissors. You want to be like a barrel!
Coaching Tips:
- Get into a tall kneeling stance. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Grab onto a kettlebell so it is in a bottoms-up position.
- Make a fist and put your hand on a wall, and so it is around the height of your armpit. Push your body away from the wall and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from your spine and around your ribcage). Maintain this pressure against the wall and scapular position for the duration of the exercise.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.
- Now press the kettlebell overhead. Do not move the weight overhead by hyperextending your lower back and flaring your ribcage, excessively shrugging your shoulder, or leaning to the side.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, or torso, spine or hips to rotate.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#2) Hollow Body Dead Bugs With Band Resisted Retraction
This exercise involves performing hollow body dead bugs. However, I added an additional layer to this exercise. For the duration of the exercise, you will hold a resistance band, and will retract your shoulder blades (draw them together). But there is more… In the middle of the band, you will suspend a weight plate. The unstable nature of the weight plate will require even more shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie on the floor. Slide a weight plate through a long band, and hold onto the band in either hand.
- Extend your arms so they are in a vertical position, and so your hands are above your armpits. Now lightly draw your shoulder blades in towards your spine (retract) and lightly press your hands out against the band. There should be tension in the band for 100% of the exercise.
- Lift up your legs so they are in a vertical position, and fully extend your knees.
- Keep your chin tucked, and tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection).
- Before you go, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine). Now steadily exhale through your mouth, contract your anterior core muscles, slowly lower your arms and legs towards the floor, and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Return to the starting position. Reset and repeat.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- 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 leave the floor.
- You can make this exercise easier by keeping your knees bent at a 90 degree angle, or by decreasing the range of the leg lowering. No matter what knee angle you choose to adopt, make sure that your knees remain in a fixed position and that the movement occurs from your hips.
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#3) Single Arm TRX Serratus Slides
To be VERY clear, you should be extremely proficient at performing this exercise using both arms before you attempt the unilateral variation.
Coaching Tips:
- Set your body so it’s in a straight line from your head to knees (or feet).
- Place the strap(s) of the TRX around your forearm, bend your elbow, and position your forearm so it is on an angle and is pointing up towards the ceiling.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.
- First, lightly press your arm and body away from the strap(s). When you do this you should feel your shoulder blade move away from your spine and around your ribcage (protract).
- Now use your serratus muscles to control the movement and extend your arm overhead to a range where you are able to maintain proper form.
- As you are returning to the starting position, your shoulder blade should perform the reverse movements. Imagine you are “rowing” your arm down.
- Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned. It is meant to move.
- For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine, or hips to rotate, hips to collapse or pike, or weight to shift from knee to knee (or from foot to foot).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#4) Single Arm Pallof Presses + Weight Plate
While this Pallof Press variation is also fantastic for developing lumbo-pelvic stability, performing the exercise unilaterally requires significantly more shoulder and scapular controlled mobility.
Coaching Tips:
- Fasten a resistance band around a secure surface, and so it is roughly chest height. There should be tension in the band for 100% of the movement. I also hung a weight plate from the band. The unstable nature of both the band and weight plate makes controlling the movement of the shoulder and shoulder blade even more challenging.
- Grab onto the band with one hand.
- Get into a tall kneeling stance. Place your knees so they are approximately hip to shoulder width apart. 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), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), 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.
- Now perform the reverse movements and return to the starting position.
- Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned. It is meant to move.
- As you bring your arm back in towards your body, stop when your elbow comes into contact with your side. For the duration of the exercise, keep your hand and arm in line with your armpit.
- 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.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#5) Band Resisted Multi-Directional Taps For Scapulae In Bear Crawl Position, And With Feet On Roller
While I am performing this exercise with my feet elevated on a roller, and the slightly unstable nature of the roller makes the exercise more challenging, you may perform the exercise with your feet on the floor. See video.
Coaching Tips:
- Place a resistance band around your wrists. There should be tension in the band for 100% of the movement.
- Place your toes on top of a roller.
- Get into a bear crawl position on your hands and toes. Your shoulders should be directly above your hands, knees bent, and thighs in a vertical position.
- Aim to keep your feet hip to shoulder width apart. Set your body so it is in a straight line from your head to hips.
- Spread your fingers, and pretend you are suctioning or spreading them to the floor.
- Before each rep, take a deep breath in (360 degrees of air around your spine), brace your core (360 degree brace around your spine), tuck your ribs towards your hips (close the space in your midsection), and squeeze your glutes.
- Now reach out with one hand and tap the floor.
- Perform the taps in multiple directions. Do your chosen number of reps, and repeat with the other arm.
- Make sure that you perform all of the movements with complete control.
- Do not keep your shoulder blade pinned. It is meant to move.
- Aside from the arm that is performing the tap, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position for the duration of the set.
- Pay attention to your non-working/supporting side. Push away from the floor and protract your shoulder blade (move it away from the spine and around your ribcage). Do not mindlessly hang out.
- 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, excessively round, or flex laterally, ribcage to flare, torso, spine or hips to rotate, weight to shift from foot to foot, or hips to pike or collapse.
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
#6) Prone Dowel Lifts
Please keep in mind that I have VERY good shoulder controlled mobility. So do not fret if you can’t achieve this range.
Coaching Tips:
- Lie down on a mat. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position.
- Grab onto a dowel. Adopt your preferred hand width.
- While keeping your wrists and elbows in a fixed position, lift the dowel off the ground and to a range where you are able to maintain proper form. Lower the dowel back to the starting position with control.
- Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move.
- 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.
- Keep your core braced (360 degree brace).
- In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.
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