Shoulders are one of the most susceptible joints to injury due to their extensive range of motion so it’s important to perform rotator cuff exercises to keep them in good shape! Make sure you deal with those minor aches and pains before they turn into a serious injury that stops you from progressing!
For shoulder injury prevention, it is important to strengthen the muscles which keep your shoulders in proper alignment. The following exercises will help strengthen your rotator cuff muscles and can be performed one after the other as a giant set. We would recommend you perform these exercises twice a week minimum to keep your shoulders in good health.
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Cable Face Pull – 3 x 10-12
- Set up a cable machine just above head height using a rope attachment.
- Pull the ropes towards you into a ‘double biceps’ pose.
- Keep your shoulders pulled back and down throughout.
- Hold the top position for a second with your shoulder blades retracted.
- Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
You don’t need to go super heavy on this exercise – concentrate on getting your form perfect. Stand with one foot in front of the other if you find yourself getting pulled towards the machine.
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Band Pull-aparts – 3 x 10-12
- Start with your arms straight out in front of you holding a resistance band.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows and your shoulders pulled down and back.
- Stretch the band outwards until your arms are out to the side.
- Slowly bring your arms back to the starting position and repeat.
Alternate between an overhand and underhand grip.
Overhand:
Underhand:
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Resistance Band External Rotation – 3 x 10-12
- Start with your elbows tucked into your sides.
- Your hands should be out in front holding a resistance band.
- Retract your shoulder blades and rotate your arms outwards whilst keeping your elbows tucked.
- Slowly bring your arms back to the starting position and repeat.
Alternate between an overhand and underhand grip.
Overhand:
Underhand:
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Alternative Resistance Band External Rotation – 3 x 10-12
- Hold a resistance band with your elbows tucked into your sides.
- This time your hands should be level with your chest holding a resistance band.
- Retract your shoulder blades and rotate your arms outwards whilst keeping your elbows tucked.
- Slowly bring your arms back to the starting position and repeat.
Alternate between an overhand and underhand grip.
Overhand:
Underhand:
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Resistance Band ‘Pull Down’ – 3 x 10-12
- Stretch a resistance band above your head with shoulders back and down and hands about twice shoulder width.
- Pull the band downwards as if you were performing a behind the neck lat pulldown.
- Try to keep your hands at an equal distance apart throughout the movement.
- Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
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