Howdy CAMPers, today I felt that is was important to take a brief look into training a powerful and stable shoulder. The secret to a stable shoulder isn’t in the amount of weight you can lift, or the size of your muscles. It has to do with everything on the inside. Shoulder dislocations, impingements, and rotator cuffs are the most common injuries that occur. Nearly half of all shoulder injuries are rotator cuff related, and many of them can be prevented with proper
strengthening. When you think about it, it’s really quite easy to see why the shoulder is at risk for so many problems. Think about the range of motion that your shoulder can handle, even try it if you’d like, but it moves 180 degrees. This is greater than any other joint on your body. The shoulder is so intricate, you might think you know all about it, but chances are you have just scratched the surface.
When most people think of training the shoulder they think about everything on the outside: the traps, deltoids, and rhomboids. Most often when looking for a new workout we “Google” for it, or look on any one of the popular bodybuilding and fitness websites. Of course we all want shoulder that look like these guys, and girls. But having shoulders that are tank top worthy doesn’t make them less prone to injury. The majority of the workouts you will find on these sites will all contain
some version of a military press, lateral/front raises, and upright row. Obviously theses will help with the appearance of your shoulder, but what about the inner workings of your shoulder where
weakness is a factor in the previously stated injuries. These are some great links to help strengthen the rotator cuffs and help with shoulder impingement.
Now there are some injuries that just can’t be avoided. You may suffer a blow during an activity, fall and rely on your shoulder to brace you, or any number of other accidents. But the majority of shoulder issues can be avoided by incorporating some simple internal and external rotation exercises, along with some isometric contractions. If you begin to, or have already begun to have slight feelings of pain in your shoulders, try some very basic exercises to help. If the pain doesn’t go away in a couple days or weeks, see a doctor, you will be glad you did and chances are you will be saving yourself a lot of time and pain.
Sean England General Manager / Performance Specialist CAMP, Building Better Athletes LLC