Whether you are a climber, swimmer, hockey player, ball sport enthusiast, dog-ball-thrower, or are simply looking for a few upper body exercises to add into a comprehensive strength routine, this series of stabilization exercises is a good place to start. They are great for working the posterior rotator cuff and scapular retractors as well as thoracic and cervical stabilization. The primary muscles targeted are:
The infraspinatus, and teres major
Lower, middle, and upper traps
Thoracic paraspinals
Cervical multifidi and paraspinals
Here are some great reasons to incorporate these exercises into your life:
Shoulder stabilization and strengthening
Warm-up to prep for higher level upper body strengthening
Postural correction
Improving shoulder and upper thoracic mobility
If you are experiencing pain with these exercises, you may consider consulting with your doctor or physical therapist before continuing.
Pay attention to the specific cueing discussed in the videos
Please comment below or email endurancephysio@gmail.com with any questions!