HOW: Begin in a quadruped position hands and knees on the ground. Sit back onto your heels while keeping your arms straight and hands on the ground creating the child’s pose position. From here, bring your chest up and put your hips down while pushing into the ground with straight arms raising your head up as high as you can go. The next step is returning to the quadruped position. Reach one arm through to the other side while rotating your back and keeping the other arm straight pushing into the ground. Perform 5 reps for each of these exercises. 

 

FEEL: You should feel a stretch in your mid back and shoulder while performing these stretches. 

 

COMPENSATION: Don’t rotate your body on the child’s pose. Keep your chest up on the press up stretch. Keep the one arm straight while the other arm reaches through.

HOW: Get a band set-up at shoulder height and you will face the anchor. Bring your shoulder up to 90 degrees, such that your upper arm is parallel to the floor. This is your starting point and you will maintain this position, then rotate your hand up towards the ceiling while trying to keep your elbow and shoulder still. Return your hand back down and repeat at a quick pace.

 

FEEL: You should feel the muscles on the outside and the back of your shoulder working as well as your shoulder blade muscles. Think about keeping your shoulder blade squeezed back as you perform this movement and keep that position as you rotate your hand up towards the ceiling.

 

COMPENSATION: Do not shrug your shoulder, do not move your head/neck, do not lean backwards, do not flare your elbow when your rotate your hand. Try to isolate this exercise to shoulder and arm movement only. Do not lose position of your shoulder, the goal is to rotate on an axis

HOW: Hold a ball in each hand(preferably the same weight) and bring your arms up from your side to shoulder height. Drop the ball and catch it as quickly as you can. Repeat this motion for as many reps as prescribed. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your shoulder muscles working. 

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your body upright, don’t lean to either side trying to catch a ball.

HOW: Begin with a resistance band pulling your arms forward. The anchor for the resistance band should be around shoulder height. Bring your hands close to your ears, this is achieved by rowing and rotating your arms back at the same time. Bring your arms in front of you and repeat, this exercise should be performed a bit more quickly that the other exercises.

 

FEEL: You will feel the muscles in the back of the shoulder as well as the shoulder blades work with this exercise.

 

COMPENSATIONS: Avoid excessively arching of the low back.

HOW: Begin in the push up position with your legs out from your hips, toes pushing into the ground, and hands on the ground with your elbows straight under your shoulders. From here, perform a push up by bending at your elbows lowering your body. When you are low enough, push up fast and land with one arm locked out holding that position for a couple of seconds before you repeat for the other arm. 

 

FEEL: You should feel your chest and shoulder muscles working.

 

COMPENSATION: Keep your back flat, don’t twist your body as you push up and land with one arm.