Shoulder Pre-hab for Coaches
Gina Paulhus, President/CEO, Home Bodies
The shoulder is an unstable joint that is easily injured. No one wants to get hit in the face, and you want kids to have room to pirouette and twist so as coaches we tend to hold (or catch) a great deal of weight away from our body. Obviously a mechanical disadvantage but it is still better than getting punched in the face!
This six-exercise routine will help keep your shoulders healthy. Perform it three times a week and you’ll see your ability to withstand the forces during spotting and come out at the end of the day pain-free. If you already have shoulder problems please consult a doctor or a physical therapist before performing this routine.*
1: LYING ROTATOR CUFF
How to Start: Lie do
wn on your side with your top elbow set at your lower ribcage. Hold a weight across your belly button.
Action: Keeping your elbow stationary, rotate your arm so that weight moves up above your body. Bring the weight as far back as possible keeping good form. You should feel the muscles behind your shoulder working. Think of pinching your shoulder blades together as you perform the exercise.
Do this many: 12-15 reps for 2 sets. A 2.5 lb. weight is a good place to start for most.
2: I, T, Y on FLOOR
How to start: Lie facedown on a mat with arms down by hips, palms facing up. Arms remain completely straight for this entire exercise. Head remains touching the mat the entire exercise (is your mat clean??)
Action: For the ‘I’, raise your arms off the floor as far as possible by pinching the shoulder blades together. If you use your imagination your body looks like the capital letter ‘I.’ For the ‘T’, move your arms out to the sides like the capital letter ‘T’ and raise them as far off the floor as possible. For the ‘T’ your thumbs face up. For the ‘Y’ move your arms diagonally overhead and raise them as far as possible. Palms face down for the ‘Y.’
Do this many: 8 ‘I’, followed by 8 ‘T’, followed by 8 ‘Y’. Each rep is held for 2 seconds.
3. BAND SQUEEZE
How to start: Sit on a mat with your spine straight. Hold a band at your lower ribcage right up against your body. Thumbs should face in and be anywhere from 2 inches apart to 6 inches apart depending on your strength and the tension of your band. You need the be able to pull the band apart.
Action: Pinch your shoulder blades together aggressively and rotate your thumbs outward. As you pull the band apart draw your elbows back and even closer to your body.
Do this many: 25 repetitions, each one held for 1 second.
4. BAND ROW
How to start: Sit up on the mat with a straight spine and legs extended. Wrap a band around your feet.
Action: Draw the elbows back until they are at your sides. Think of pulling your band with your back by pinching the shoulder blades rather than just pulling with your biceps. Keep straight through the wrist.
Do this many: 25 repetitions, each one held for 1 second.
5. SHOULDER ROLL
How to start: Stand straight up with both shoulders even.
Action: Pick one shoulder to start with. Perform a shoulder roll, first pulling the shoulder forward, then up and around to to the back, and finally back to the starting position. Once you have completed the reps for the backward roll, reverse the motion and perform a forward roll. Then switch sides.
Do this many: 10 slow shoulder rolls back followed by 10 slow shoulder rolls forward, followed by the other side.
6. SHOULDER SHRUGS OFF A CHAIR
How to start: Position your hands off the edge of a chair that is about shoulder width or a little smaller. Knees are bent 90 degrees and your body should be able to just clear the chair.
Action: Keeping arms completely straight, allow your body to sink through the shoulder girdle. You might not have much range of motion, but this will improve over time. Once you have sunk as low as you can, press yourself up as high as you can to elongate your neck.
Do this many: 20 shrugs.
Perform this routine once though. It can be completed in ten minutes and your shoulders will be much more likely to stay healthy and strong no matter how many cast handstands you have to spot!
*Be sure to check with your doctor if you have back pain or pain in your abdominal muscles to ensure that it is safe for you to perform these exercises.
