The MOST Important Shoulder Muscles

I’ve gotten a lot of e-mails and messages asking for advice on taking care of hurting shoulders and if there is a good way to prevent the little dings we all get from working and exercise (and sometimes not even from those things).

Luckily, about 4 months ago, my Ju Jitsu coach (Gene Click)……

……..shameless plug for Gene……

Great coach, highly knowledgeable and loves helping people. If you’re in the Sevierville TN area please stop by and give him a visit! https://fitfactoryonline.com/

Gene showed me a movement sequence he learned years ago in a clinic taught by a physical therapist. You have probably seen all these moves before but she said the magic was in the order of these movements.

I can really tell a difference in my own shoulder stability and have added this to my daily warm-up routine.

This sequence takes less that 2 minutes, use only 1-5 pounds per hand (you are working the small stabilizer muscles of the shoulders, so not a lot of weight required), and move in a slow and controlled manner.

1. Elbows pinned to side, arms at 45-degree angle, move from center of body to just outside of hips (10 reps)

2. Arms at shoulder height, elbows at 45-degree angle, move from hands at eye level (surrender position) down to chest level (lying them on a high table) (10 reps)

3. Hands at belt buckle, thumbs pointed up. Raise arms up to eye level and outward at 45-degree angle. (10 reps)

4. Same as #3 but with pinkies pointed to celling.

5. Arms at shoulder height, elbows at 45-degree angle (like resting on high table). Move to center of chest (like doing a Bench press movement with dumbbells). (10 reps)

6. Using a light stretch/resistance band, hold arms strait out in front at chest level. Squeeze scapula (center of back, between shoulder blades) pulling band apart, keeping arms parallel to ground. (20 reps)

I call this (in my workout book) Gene’s 70 (for the 70 reps in the sequence).

Recommend doing this every day to hit the most important muscles of the shoulder (those internal stabilizers)!!