If you’re a member of the “I used to bench X in high school” club, odds are you’ve dealt with some shoulder pain.
At Aspire Fitness we’re huge proponents of thinking…
“What CAN I do” versus “What CAN’T I do”
The benefits of training expand way beyond the scope of any one movement so we want to keep you strong any way we can. When someone says, “No upper body for 6 weeks.” It’s just advice!
So, here are 6 of our go to movements for people who might have had some shoulder issues in the past and are still looking for a way to train hard and keep moving forward.
Our first 3 focus on mobility and stability and are used as warmups and movement prep.
- Foam Roll the Lats & Upper Back
This will help release some of the temporary tension from the muscles that play a huge part in how your shoulder moves. It won’t feel great doing it, but it will free up some range of motion for us to use in the next exercises.
- KB Armbar
Great bang for your buck as you’re getting a great stretch through the front of the chest and shoulder while the stabilizing muscles in your shoulder are working overtime to keep your arm in place. We like to do these for 2-3 sets of 30s each side.
- Bottoms Up Kettlebell Walk
This doesn’t look like much but the bottoms up position will challenge the stability in your shoulder and your grip all at once. Grip strength is one of the most overlooked aspects to shoulder health and longevity!
Now to add some strength.
- Dumbbell Floor Press
This keeps you from getting excessive movement at the shoulder joint but also allows you to load it up to train your chest and shoulders.
- High Incline DB Overhead Press
The slight angle backward allows you to still mimic the overhead press but at a better angle for most people’s shoulder mobility.
- Kneeling Landmine Press
This final variation is a great tool even if you don’t have shoulder pain. Due to the angle of the bar you can still strengthen your shoulder without worrying about the overhead mobility you might not yet have at the shoulder.