Here's why I take YOUR shoulder health for granted
it's not you, its me
Since I hang out on twitter and see smart people talk about training all the time, I forget what the average person is doing. So, it’s easy for me to take exercise for granted.
“What’s your exercise routine look like?”
I ask this question to all new clients. It’s important since…
All injuries, with the except of trauma, are training error.
Before I give people the only shoulder rehab program they will ever need…
Here’s 3 tips I’ll give them in regards to shoulder health.
Don’t squeeze your shoulder blades together
Use a slight incline or decline for bench
Use dumbbells (or machines) instead of barbells
#1 Don’t squeeze your shoulder blades together
Squeezing the shoulder blades together was beat into my head growing up, then after learning about how the shoulder actually works, I stopped doing it.
There’s a current PT student in my clinic RIGHT now who instructs patients to do this, so it’s still a thing.
Shoulder blade movement is what MAKES the arms move, so locking them down limits shoulder function.
You still want tension in the muscles between the shoulder blades, but NOT at the expense of everything else.
INSTEAD - make the chest WIDER as you lower the weight down
#2 Use a slight incline or slight decline for “bench” press
The ego loves the bench press, but the shoulder often does not.
Here you see a 25# plate for decline. I’ll use a 45# plate for incline. You will move less weight on a slight incline, but it’s not that dramatic.
Some adjustable benches have a low incline setting (15-20 degrees).
This angle is enough to naturally help the shoulder blades move better, but still low enough to consider it “flat.”
#3 Use dumbbells or machines, not the barbell
This is blasphemy to some but dumbbells and (some) machines are superior to the barbell for shoulder health.
Your arms are free to move through YOUR range of motion. And if that hurts, letting the elbows come down closer to you sides with a neutral grip helps.
Here’s a video example; you can still rotate the dumbbells IN at the top.
I can’t quit the barbell…
The goal of benching for the general population is 1a) general strength and 1b) chest development, but most of the “techniques” used are powerlifting style where the focus in on ….
…Moving MAX weight MAX distance
That goal is not always in alignment with yours. Here’s a few tips if you MUST barbell bench
use a closer grip
aim the barbell for your sternum but…
stop 2-3 inches short of your chest
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