Shoulder Stretching Tool Reviewed by Pitching Coach
April 21, 2012
Dan Blewett, owner of Dan Blewett Sports Performance and Warbird Pitching Academy, recently posted the following video review of the Rotater shoulder stretching tool. I’ve been reading Dan’s blog for the last few months and can feel his passion for pitching / athletic excellence. I contacted Dan and asked him if he would be interested in evaluating our shoulder stretching tool.
Dan notes several things about the Rotater shoulder stretching tool in this video:
- Shoulder Stretching Safety – it’s safer for an athlete to stretch himself / herself than to rely on a fellow athlete.
- Immediate Feedback – the athlete feels the stretch
- Although an excellent shoulder stretching tool for external rotation, most baseball players don’t need more external rotation
- The Rotater shoulder stretching tool is great for stretching a pitcher’s internal rotation
- Different than the sleeper stretch .. the pitching arm is in a more natural throwing motion
- The Rotater is lightweight, sturdy and easy to take with you
Disclaimer: The Rotater was provided to Dan Blewett at no charge to him, with nothing required on his part.
Scapular Stretch for Shoulder Mobility
January 21, 2012
Most people tend to think of their shoulder in simple terms. I mean it’s just the joint where your arm bone ( the humerus ) meets your body … right? Well, yes …. in the most basic sense. To be honest, your shoulder is really made up of 4 joints:
- the Glenohumeral Joint
- the Acromioclavicular Joint
- the Sternoclavicular Joint
- the Scapulothoracic Joint
So, increasing the mobility of any one of these joints will increase the mobility of the entire shoulder region. In this video, Bucknell University Strength Coach, Jerry Shreck demonstrates how he helps his athletes increase their shoulder mobility by increasing their scapular mobility. He is working directly on the Scapulothoracic joint in this video:
To learn more about this shoulder stretching technique, please read Coach Shreck’s article – Manual Stretch to Increase Scapular Mobility.
More Shoulder Videos and Articles
Here are some of the most recent shoulder rehab and performance articles and videos we’ve posted on our Facebook page. Please join our community of active followers and contributors.
Cross Body, Shoulder, External Rotation – Video
PT-Supervised Exercises Trumps Home Rehab for Improved Shoulder Function Post-Surgery, Study Finds – ptproductsonline.com
Strength Exercise of the Week: Prone External Rotation – Eric Cressey
Tips to ensure (hopefully) a successful outcome after surgery – Dr. David Geier
Baseball Strength and Conditioning Programs: How Much Rotator Cuff Work is Too Much? – Eric Cressey
How to Treat Shoulder Injuries When You Can’t Get to a Doctor – Video – Dr. James Hubbard
Rotator Cuff Tears – Dr. John Post
Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) Injection Therapy: A Musculoskeletal Panacea? – ptsportswellness.wordpress.com
The Rotator Cuff, Shoulder Injuries in Paddle Sports – Physiobench
Bamboo Bar Bench Press – Video
Exercises You Should Be Doing: Standing Half Press – Tony Gentilcore
Shoulder Exercises: Circles and Open Book – Video – Erson Religioso
To keep up with the latest and greatest new shoulder stretching, rehab and performance articles / videos … join the Rotater community on Facebook.
Facepulls with External Rotation…Thanks TRX!
August 16, 2011
Shoulder rehab exercises don’t have to be hard….and you don’t need to invest thousands of dollars in weights and equipment. The TRX Suspension Trainer is affordable, versatile and easy to use. Here are a couple of videos demonstrating how to use the TRX to perform Face Pulls with External Rotation…a great rotator cuff exercise.
…and here’s another view of the same exersice
The TRX Suspension Trainer is a super product that incorporates your body weight into the exercises. The possibilities are limitless.
Can the Rotater Help Baseball Pitchers Fight GIRD?
June 13, 2011
Using the Rotater to Improve Shoulder Internal Rotation of Baseball Pitchers
Developing the Elite Baseball Athlete
We’d like to thank Kyle Boddy at Driveline Baseball for taking the time to evaluate the Rotater. Kyle is the owner of Driveline Baseball, Inc – a training facility specializing in high-speed pitching analysis and strength and conditioning for athletes.
After putting the Rotater to the test for several months, Kyle published this review of the Rotater – Improving Shoulder Internal Rotation with The Rotater. Here’s an excerpt:
“I’ve had the tool for a few months now and have been holding off on reviewing it until I was satisfied that it both did the job and that it was durable enough to keep around. As a guy who generally prefers DIY equipment and used stuff off Craigslist, it takes a lot for more to recommend brand new stuff, but this tool definitely fits the bill. It also helps that Chris and the guys who run the company are stand-up people who really believe in their product and the customer service behind it.”
Overhead Lifting for Animals
June 1, 2011
Lifting any kind of weight over your head requires full-body engagement….everything from your legs, to your core…and of course your shoulders.
If you’re like most people who train, doing the same old shoulder lifts (military presses and seated dumbbell presses) can get so boring!!! Why not add a little variety to your workout routine? Lift some crazy stuff. Want some ideas? Here’s a great video from UnderGround Strength Coach, Zach Even-Esh. Enjoy and let me know what you think.
Do you have any stuff laying around that you could add to your program?
- a keg … leftover from your college days
- an anvil
- build a sandbag or heavy medicine ball
- how about a slosh pipe
You can check out more of Zach’s videos on Youtube. Leave me a comment…let me know what kind of crazy stuff you lift over your head.
