3 Shoulder exercises to prevent common training injuries

Don’t let shoulder injuries slow down your fitness in 2015. Make these 3 shoulder exercises part of your regular fitness program.

Photo: Cable pulley machine set at the level of the elbow. Arm across the body.

Do these shoulder exercises to prevent injury.

A lot of people decide to get fit for summer and with that decision they start into gym programs after they have been sedentary for a few months.

Great! The more people who get active the better.

It’s important to work on shoulder stability and posture when you begin a training program.

We’ve seen many people with shoulder injuries that have developed over time from doing poorly designed training programs.

Below are 3 shoulder exercises to prevent common training injuries. These exercises will strengthen some of the smaller muscles that support the shoulder.

If you have any specific concerns about any shoulder pain please get in touch with us for a consult or see your health provider.

Shoulder exercises

Do 3 sets or approximately 10 repetitions of these 3 shoulder exercises. Photos included at the end.

External shoulder rotations
1. Using a cable pulley machine set at the level of the elbow begin with the arm across the body then pull the weight across to the outside as shown in the start picture to the finished picture position.
2. A point to keep in mind is to keep the elbow pressed into the side to ensure rotation as the only movement.
3. This can be done while lying on the side also holding an appropriate weight.
Internal shoulder rotations
1. Using a cable pulley machine set at the level of the elbow begin with the arm turned away from the body (beginning photo) then pull the weight across to the body as shown in the finished picture position.
2. A point to keep in mind is to keep the elbow pressed into the side to ensure rotation as the only movement.
3. This can be done while lying on the side also holding an appropriate weight.
Wall shoulder squat

This is a difficult exercise for most, its specific to improve shoulder and head posture. This can be done on any wall and as many times as possible throughout the day. Yes it will feel strange when performing the exercise but you will get used to it.
1. Start with the head, shoulders and hips against the wall trying to draw the head along the wall and reducing the gap between the lower back and the wall.
2. Put the hands up on the wall in a “hi five” position with the elbows and hands flat on the wall at a 90 degree angle.
3. From here slowly bend the legs and squat down the wall as far as comfortable or until you start feeling the hands or elbows losing contact with the wall.
4. Then slowly come back up to the starting position. This is difficult to do and you will feel a great stretch all through the shoulders.