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.
Should Your Child be Pitching?
March 24, 2011
Should your child be pitching? That seems like a “no-brainer”…especially if your son or daughter exhibits a natural tendency to excel. But after watching the following videos, you might want to re-think the question. I found the first video on Elite Sports Medicine’s website.
What startled me was the statement that 50% of kids who play overhead sports (softball, baseball, tennis, etc.) have a shoulder or elbow injury every season!! Not only that, but these injuries impact your child’s ability to throw later in life.
It’s All About Fatigue – Young Arms Need Require REST!
Dr. James Andrews, one of the most highly respected orthopedic surgeons, has also noticed the increase of shoulder / elbow injuries …most notably among Little League baseball pitchers and has been a strong proponent of limiting the number of pitches thrown. Here’s a video of Dr. Andrews expressing his thoughts on what he calls an increase of shoulder / elbow injuries of “epidemic” proportions:
Take away notes:
- Pitch counts are important
- don’t allow your child to play “year-round”
- it’s all about fatigue
- have a 2 – 3 month, “no-throwing”, rest period
- don’t allow your child to play in more than one league at a time
- 5 fold increase in shoulder / elbow injuries requiring surgery
