Well Rounded Shoulders

Shoulders

How many times have you heard someone ask, “How much can your hamstrings curl?”, or “how much can your posterior delts move?”  We don’t see the back side of our body in the mirror so most of the time it gets neglected.

Mostly Type I (slow twitch) fibers so train light and long

Exception to slow twitch are the fast twitch infraspinatus muscles of the rotator cuff

1. Boney Anatomy
   1. Bones
      1. Glenoid of Scapula
      2. Humerus (Upper Arm)
      3. Acromium from Scapula
      4. Clavicle (Collar Bone)
      5. Scapula (Shoulder Blades)
      6. Thoracic Spine (Upper Back)
   2. Joints
      1. Gleno-humeral Joint (Shoulder)
      2. Acromio-Clavicular
      3. Scapulo-Thoracic (Shoulder Blade and Upper Back)
   3. These joints require efficient communication and coordination of the deltoids, rotator cuff, erector muscles, and rhomboids.  A dysfunction of the boney anatomy, or their muscular attachments could cause a weakness that leads to injury.
2. Muscle Anatomy
   1. Deltoids: The primary movers (work horses) of the shoulder
      1. Anterior Deltoid: Flex arm by lifting it in front of you
      2. Lateral Deltoid: Abduct arm by lifting to the side
      3. Posterior Deltoid: Extends arm and some external rotation
   2. Rotator Cuff: Position the joints for specific motion to occur
      1. Supraspinatus: located on top of the shoulder and is responsible for the first 30 degrees of abduction
      2. Infraspinatus: located on the back side of the shoulder and responsible for external rotation
      3. Teres Minor: located on the back side of the shoulder and responsible for external rotation
      4. Subscapularis: located under the scapula and runs to the front of the shoulder to produce internal rotation
3. Positional Changes
   1. Anterior Deltoid
      1. Front Raise (palm up), Lateral Raise in Scapular Plane (30 degrees horizontal adduction)
   2. Lateral Deltoid
      1. Lateral Dumbbell Raise on an incline bench (takes out the anterior deltoid recruitment) 15 to 60 degree angle (lower angle = posterior deltoid)
      2. Front Raise (palm down), Reverse Fly c External Rotation
   3. Posterior Deltoid
      1. Reverse Fly c Internal Rotation, any motion pulling the elbow behind the back c shoulder at 45 degrees
         1. The lats can’t extend the shoulder beyond anatomical position
      2. Front Raise (palm down), Lateral Raises on Incline bench (low angle)
   4. Supraspinatus
      1. Cable Lateral Raise to 30 degrees, control first 30 degrees of dumbbell lateral raises for lateral delts instead of jerking the weight and ducking under
   5. Infraspinatus
      1. Side Lying External Rotation 0 degrees abduction c towel under arm (82% recruitment), Standing External Rotation in Scapular Plane (53% recruitment), Prone External Rotation at 90 degrees of abduction (50% recruitment)
         1. www.MedBridgeEducation.com/blog/tag/teres-minor/
   6. Teres Minor
      1. Side Lying External Rotation 0 degrees abduction c towel under arm (82% recruitment), Standing External Rotation in Scapular Plane (53% recruitment), Prone External Rotation at 90 degrees of abduction (50% recruitment)
         1. www.MedBridgeEducation.com/blog/tag/teres-minor/
         2. Not enough studies to prove isolation from the Infraspinatus
   7. Subscapularis
      1. Cable Internal Rotation elbow tucked in
4. Routine
   1. Compound movement for strength = Overhead Press
   2. Explosive motion for the entire shoulder girdle = Hang cleans
      1. Combination of the two above, hang clean and press
   3. Posterior Delt Movement = Bent over rows, Incline Lateral Raises
   4. Rotator Cuff Circuit = Lateral Cable Raise (cable behind the back) to 30 degrees à External Rotation (elbow tucked in) à Internal Rotation (elbow tucked in) à External Rotation (shoulder abducted to 90 degrees) à Internal Rotation (shoulder abducted to 90 degrees)
      1. 15 – 20 reps each for 1 – 3 sets
   5. Proprioceptive Move
      1. Face the cable stack and stand to the right of it with the handle in your right hand, thumb pointing back, reaching across your body.
      2. Slowly raise the weight like you are pulling a sword from your pocket.
      3. Rotate your wrist so your thumb is pointing up when it is directly in front of you.
      4. Continue to raise your sword at an angle until your right arm is overhead and your thumb is pointing behind you once again.
      5. Slowly lower to the starting position in reverse order and repeat to failure.  1
      6. 5 – 25 repetitions should be performed.
      7. Perform the mirrored motion with your left hand reaching across your body.