Here’s an excellent new shoulder rehab video from Jim Smith (CSCS) ( a frequent contributor to Men’s Fitness Magazine ) and the guys over at Diesel Crew.  Basically it’s a sweet variation of face pulls that morphs into an external rotation movement with an added “twist”.

If you have any questions, visit “Shoulder Rehab – New Facepulls” – Smitty walks you through the movement, step-by-step.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Give them a try and let me know what you think!!

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Post tags: rotator cuff strengthening, shoulder exercises, shoulder rehab

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Shoulder Performance & Rehab becomes Shoulder Rehab & Performance

If you’re a frequent reader of this blog, you may have noticed the name has changed – okay, really it was just rearranged.  A couple of months ago, I installed a “plugin” to add some additional features to this blog.  That didn’t work out as I had planned – BUT – by the time I discovered the problem, nearly all of my Page and Post titles had been altered and caused a drastic drop in our Google ranking and and our blog traffic.

Since we had fallen off the map, so to speak, we thought it would be a good time to change the name.  Not a big change, but one that should help us in search rankings.

4 Powerful Rotater Reviews

Our shoulder rehab device – the Rotater – is receiving the attention of notable professionals in the fields of both shoulder rehabilitation and sports medicine / performance.

Patrick Ward - Sports Performance Coach and Licensed Massage Therapist

Who is Patrick Ward?

• he has a Masters Degree in Exercise Science
• he is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA)
• he is a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT)
• he is a Performance Enhancement Specialist (PES) through National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM)
• he is a USA Weightlifting-Certified Club Coach
• he is also a licensed massage therapist in the State of Arizona
• he specializes in clinical, therapeutic and sports massage and is certified in Active Release Techniques (ART) for the Upper Extremity
• he is the Co-founder of Optimum Sports Performance

Patrick Ward had this to say in his Review of the Rotater:

The Rotater is versatile in that it allows the client to move in a variety of planes in order to obtain a stretch.  It is very comfortable to use and the 6-holes easily allow you to adjust the wrist strap or thera-tubing for any size arm.  Because of the design, clients can comfortably attain a stretch position and hold for extended period of time with ease.

and he closes with this final thought:

If you work with people who need help with either external or internal shoulder flexibility or strength, you may want to consider The Rotater for your clinic or gym.  Or, as a supplemental piece for the clients to keep at home as part of their self-care program.

Mike Young - Sports Medicine Professional

Who is Mike Young?

• he is the founder and owner of ELITETRACK
• he is the co-owner of Human Performance Consulting
• he is the coach of the HPC Elite Track Team
• he has an undergraduate degree in Exercise Physiology
• he has a Master of Science degree in Athletic Administration
• he has a PhD in Biomechanics
• he has been on 6 NCAA National Championships staffs
• he is a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist
• he is a certified USA Weightlifting Club Coach

Mike Young recently wrote an article about the Rotater and Shoulder Injuries where he says:

It’s use is not super intuitive at first. I had to look at the pictures but when I did I was actually quite impressed with what you could do with it.

and…

…I think it’s one of the few products I think could be valuable for increasing the performance and decreasing the likelihood of injury in athletes that need to do high velocity, ballistic overhead movements.

he concludes with:

Disclaimer: The Rotater was sent to me for review and testing but they did not request any type of review or endorsement in return. I only wrote this review because I thought it might be useful for some of the overhead athletes on the site.

All Things Strength

Scott Bird is the owner of the website Straight To The Bar

Scott (and his father) recently reviewed the Rotater, here are their thoughts on the Rotater:

The Rotater is a brilliant thing.

Scott’s father tried the Rotater and says:

The results of my test of the Rotater are surprising, amazing, & in my case stimulating.

Scott’s closing remarks:

If you’ve ever experienced shoulder pain, you’ll understand just how frustrating it can be. Apart from the pain itself, it’s perhaps the fact that it prevents you from doing your normal exercise routine that’s the biggest source of aggravation.

In my case – and in my dad’s – The Rotater ended that frustration. An incredible feeling.

Donnie Kiernan of Combat Fitness Blog posted this video Review of the Rotater

Click here to view the embedded video.

I would like to thank Patrick Ward, Mike Young, Scott Bird and Donnie Keirnan for taking the time to express their thoughts about the Rotater.

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Post tags: external rotation, internal rotation, shoulder exercises, shoulder injury, shoulder rehab, shoulder stretching, the Rotater, throwing

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…and sometimes a lot less!

Let’s get something straight – I’m not:

• a shoulder expert / guru
• a physical therapist
• an athletic trainer
• a physician

…please note the disclaimer box at the top of the far right column.  This blog is meant to provide you with sources of information that will allow you to make educated decisions about your shoulder and its’ care.

Scary Shoulder Exercise Video

Click here to view the embedded video.

This video scares me.

• notice the grimace on the face of the student / client within the first 3 seconds
• the weight used is obviously too heavy
• the instructor has to help the student / client at the end of each rep

Lack of Understanding is Dangerous

A major issue for me is the lack of understanding ( by the instructor ) that the rear delts ( used in the first stage of the exercise ) are far stronger than the rotator cuff ( used in the second stage of the exercise ).  This lack of understanding is causing the student to struggle as he attempts to perform the exercise correctly.  Imagine doing a lying dumbbell press with a heavy weight and then at the lockout position transitioning into a flye – it would feel like your chest is ripping apart – and it might.

Muscle Strength Imbalance

The rear deltoids are strong pulling muscles and the weight used in this exercise is probably appropriate for the inital movement.  However, the rotator cuff muscles are not nearly as strong as the deltoids – and it shows on the face of the student as he tries to rotate the weight in the second stage of the exercise.

This exercise should be broken into two parts:

1. a rear delt movement such as a rowing exercise – this would allow the student to use the weight shown.
2. a rotator cuff strengthening exercise – with far less weight – which is preferred.

Final Thoughts

I do like this shoulder exercise – just not as shown.  The amount of weight used should be decreased until the student can perform the exercise without pain.  Always use common sense.  If an exercise hurts you, then stop and  re-examine why and how  you’re doing it.

• are you performing the exercise correctly?
• are you using the “right” amount of resistance ( weight, band, etc. )?
• are you doing too many exercises for the same body part?

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Post tags: rotator cuff, shoulder exercises

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Sometimes, I do stupid things!

Don't do stupid things!

Like most men, I’m prone to acts of stupidity.  That’s right, testosterone induced bravado – though not as much as I grow older.  At least I’ve progressed beyond the stage where alcohol is involved.

My stupid shoulder trick

About five years ago, my two workout partners and I devised a complex contest to motivate us during our workouts.  Basically, we did several exercises and recorded our max weight and and the max number of times that we could perform that lift.

For example:

• how much can you bench press for a minimum of 15, 10 and 5 reps?
• how many chins can you perform with how much added weight for a minimum of 15, 10 and 5 reps?

We limited the exercises to multi-joint exercises – bench press, squat, leg press, seated dumbbell press, weighted chins, incline dumbbell press, etc.  We recorded our starting weights / reps and then pushed ourselves over a 60 day time period.  The winner would be determined not by who did the most weight / reps, but by who had made the largest percentage increase in weight / reps.  This put us all on a level playing field.

Contest takes its toll

Because we were monitoring so many different lifts, it took about a week to get the final results.  On chest day, we would do our chest maxes.  On shoulder day, we would do our shoulder maxes.  So, it took about a week to determine the winner.  In fact, it came down to the last day.

Weighted Chins for the Win

The last day was back day and it was close – only percentage points separated us.  In order for me to remain in contention, I had to perform 6 wide grip chins with an additional 35 lbs.  I didn’t want to waste any energy, so I did about 5 quick warmups and strapped on the necessary weight and started pulling like I was in the “World’s Strongest Man” contest.

I did the needed six reps, but not without pain.  About the time I reached four reps, I began to feel intense pain in my left shoulder – but like the guy in the picture, I just kept going.

We all win – I lose

The contest was very close.  In fact two of us tied for the win, but in reality, we all won because we had driven ourselves to the best shape of our lives.  We had also monitored our bodyweight/fat composition and it played a part in the contest.  I told you it was a complex deal.

The cost for me was huge.  I could barely lift my left arm.  Lat pulldowns with 50 lbs resulted in me “crying like a baby”.  I was out of commission.  It took months before I could begin serious training again.  But the big loss for me is that I can no longer do wide chins.  If I try to move beyond shoulder width, its agony.

Don’t be stupid – watch the video – warm-up your shoulders

This is a good video that shows you some of the basic exercises that will save you from the dangers of shoulder injury.  Do them!  Before every workout!

Click here to view the embedded video.

My thanks to Lee Hayward for an excellent video.

Photo Credit:  the mad LOLscientist

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Post tags: shoulder exercises

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Radically Different Shoulder Stretching Technique

I’ve seen most traditional shoulder stretching exercises – but this one is new to me.  New in a good way.  After watching the video several times, I went down to the basement to give it a try.

My Shoulder Feels Good

It took me a couple of minutes to get the hang of it, but then you just kind of relax and enjoy the stretch.  My suggestions:

• start with a light kettlebell, especially if you’re not working out regularly and/or you’ve never used kettlebells before
• go slow – there is no rush, in fact I felt better the longer I stretched
• watch the video before and after trying it – make adjustments and try it again

Click here to view the embedded video.

My thanks to Unbreakablefitness.

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Post tags: kettlebells, shoulder exercises, shoulder stretching

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Don't let your age stop you from competing!

Aging doesn’t have to be your excuse

Here’s a great story about Dawn Kirklen who began playing golf at the age of 50.  Now, at 89, she still plays twice a week.

Shoulder surgery doesn’t stop this golfer

Dawn has had four surgeries since 2000:

• two hip replacements
• back surgery
• shoulder surgery

Also, she is scheducled to have cataract surgery in January and hopes to play in a tournament in March.

What’s your excuse?

Daily exercise is one of the keys for living a long, fulfilled and productive life.  We all know it, but seldom do anything about it.

As the new year starts, why not make it a priority to enjoy your senior years by following an exercise program.  As Dawn Kirklen has proved, its never too late to start.

photo credit – AlphaTangoBravo / Adam Baker

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Post tags: exercise, Golf, shoulder surgery

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This shoulder exercise requires no expensive equipment of any kind.  It can be done anywhere – anytime and will increase your shoulder mobility and your external rotation.

How to perform this shoulder mobility exercise

• stand with your back against a wall
• place your hands, forearms and elbows against the wall as shown
• extend your hands and arms overhead
• when any part of your hands, elbows or arms lose contact with the wall, return to the starting position and repeat the movement

Click here to view the embedded video.

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Post tags: external rotation, shoulder exercises, shoulder mobility

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Christopher Warden, CSCS

Today’s post is by guest author Christopher Warden, CSCS – Certified Specialist in Health, Fitness and Performance Enhancement and author of Fitness Philosopher.

Why is My Shoulder Tight?  And Is Stretching the Only Option to Fix It?

To this day, it still seems the most common prescription for a tight or painful shoulder is to stretch it.  The reason is logical enough: if the symptom is in the shoulder, the problem’s likely in the shoulder, so it’s best to treat the shoulder directly.

But is the stiffness in your shoulder the sole problem, or is it the symptom of another underlying factor?

And is stretching an ideal first response, or are there other remedies that can make stretching more effective, if not eliminate the need for it altogether?

Generally speaking, unless you’ve done direct physical damage to a joint, the symptoms you’re feeling are likely a reflection of a bigger underlying condition.  While it’s natural to look directly at the joint in question – the shoulder, in this case – contemplating other factors that are contributing to your stiff shoulder will go a long way toward healing the problem completely, as opposed to temporarily relieving the symptoms.

So, what’s causing your tight shoulder?  It could be the result of any of these three interrelated conditions:

• Poor posture. The body’s ability to function and feel good all starts with good posture.  Without it, you lose movement efficiency while placing additional stress on your joints.
• Faulty Movement Patterns. Mobility and stability work in a continuum with each other and provide the foundation for all movement.  As you age, the activities you do, injuries you experience or habits you’ve formed impact joint mobility and stability and, in turn, your movement capabilities. This, of course, can translate into joint pain/stiffness.
• Strength imbalance. Whether it’s an adaptation to poor habits (ex. prolonged sitting with poor posture) or from unbalanced training, strength imbalances can create stiffness/mobility issues.

What else can be done, aside from stretching, to make your shoulder feel better?

• Smart training. Ensure this by subjecting yourself to a movement screen designed to measure your quality of motion and enable you to create a training regimen that (among other things) specifically targets your weaknesses.  If you don’t want to take things that far (though I strongly suggest you do!), a bit of common sense will serve you well: if your body is in a constant state of flexion (because you sit all day long), train with a focus on extension!  If you typically emphasize pushing movements while training, pull more often!  Correcting your imbalances will have a positive effect on the mobility of your shoulder.
• Self-massage/Trigger point work. A little imagery to illustrate this point:  When you pull on the ends of a knotted rope, what happens to the knot?  It gets tighter.  The same concept applies to muscle.  Stretch muscles containing knots, and you risk making the knots tighter – not a preferred result when you’re trying to relieve tightness, is it?!  Releasing knots with self-massage and/or trigger point work helps muscle to lengthen naturally, making stretching less irritating and more effective, if not entirely removing the need for it.
• Develop body awareness. This goes well beyond the mind-body connection established in the gym.  Pay attention to how you sit, stand . . . move throughout the day.  Taking the time to develop awareness can help rectify any imbalances you have, and prevent the formation of new ones.

All the above said, the point of this post isn’t to portray stretching as an inadequate modality for treating a tight shoulder complex.  It’s to remind you that the body functions together as a whole – not as an aggregate of individually functioning parts.  Physical factors not immediately obvious as “connected to the shoulder” can (and do) influence shoulder health.  Be cognizant of that and you’ll increase your chances of fixing your shoulder and avoiding injury in the future.

- Christopher is certified in the Functional Movement Screen and is coach in NYC.  For more information on him and his training services, check him out at www.christopherwarden.com

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Post tags: faulty movement, functional movement screen, poor posture, self-massage, shoulder stiffness, shoulder stretching, strength imbalance, trigger point therapy

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What is a SLAP Tear?

Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior Tear

A SLAP Tear is a shoulder injury that often occurs because of repetitive overhead motion – a major contributor being the overhand throwing motion.

Specifically there is a separating of the labrum (the ring of cartilage that circles the shoulder socket and serves to deepen it – in the image above, it is labeled “Glenoid Lig.”) from the glenoid (shoulder socket – labeled “Glen. Fossa” in the image above) in front of and behind the point where the biceps tendon attaches to the the labrum.

How a SLAP Tear Affects Your Pitcher

Here is a very good video by Dr. Charles Metzger explaining what a SLAP tear is, how and why it affects the throwing athlete, how to test your shoulder and what you or your pitcher can do to avoid this shoulder injury.

This video is no longer available – it was hosted on brightcove.tv, which is no longer online.  I’ve yet to find another video which does as good a job of explaining a SLAP tear as Dr. Metzger does.  I will keep looking and post something when it becomes available.  If you know of a suitable replacement, please leave a comment directing me to where it can be found.  Thanks – Chris M.

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Post tags: shoulder injury, shoulder stretching, SLAP tear, throwing

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It’s easy to neglect the small muscles that make up the rotator cuff:

• supraspinatus
• infraspinatus
• teres minor
• subscapularis

They are not “showy” muscles, you can’t see them in the mirror, they’re little – I mean what’s the big deal?  The big deal is that they are responsible for keeping the ball of your arm bone (humerus) held in the socket of your shoulder blade (scapula) – they stabilize your shoulder!  These muscles make every movement of your shoulder possible – and we usually don’t notice them until they start to hurt.

Rotater cuff muscles must be trained

LIke every other muscle, the muscles that compose the rotator cuff must be trained – exercised and then allowed to recover.  Most exercises require light dumbbells or elastic tubing to provide resistance.

Crossover Symmetry introduces Plyometrics to the Rotator Cuff

Thanks to Coach Dan at BaseballStrength.com, who published an article entitled “Counter Dead Arm With Crossover Symmetry” by Jim Moran, a Physical Therapist and Shoulder Specialist.  This article introduced me to the concept of plyometric training for the rotator cuff and here is a video explaining how Crossover Symmetry works and why your baseball and softball players need it.

Visit Crossover Symmetry – they have some outstanding testimonials!

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Post tags: baseball, Crossover Symmetry, plyometrics, rotator cuff, scapula, scapular strengthening, shoulder, softball

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