I bet you’ve dealt with bouts of pain whether It be during a workout, playing a sport, or just moving around throughout your day.
I would say that if I grabbed 100 people off the street 9/10 of them would say they have dealt with some pain in their body over the years.
It sucks.
Pain impedes on our everyday lives.
What’s even worse is when that pain lingers around for days, weeks, even months. But what are you doing about It?
For many people, nothing. Just let It hang around until It lightens up or goes away for some reason.
How about we do something about It. Take a few minutes each day, move your body, and get rid of that damn pain.
Here are 3 things I do for cranky shoulders:
#1: Prayer Stretch
Click HERE for video.
I like this move because It is attacking two things at once. First off It is stretching the muscle under your armpit (your lats). Those muscles, when tight, roll our shoulders forward.
As you drive deep into this move, that area will open up more and more.
The second thing this move does is help mobilize our upper back. The upper portion of our spine has connections to our shoulders. If we can mobilize that area, we are helping free up space for our shoulders to move as well.
#2: KB Scap Press
Click HERE for video.
Now another area of the shoulder that has a big pull on movement and pain is your shoulder blade. For a lot of us It is rolled forward, and for others It is locked back (neither is better or worse).
The issue comes from not having control to move that shoulder blade the way we want.
When you do this move, the goal is to keep your arm straight as possible. Press your arm up as far as you possibly can, then try to dig your shoulder blade back down to the floor as far as you can.
The more you do these the better control you will begin to have over your shoulder blades function.
#3: Shoulder Sweeps
Click HERE for video.
Now our shoulders are made to move a lot. This joint is not like your elbow where It just bends, It’s supposed to be able to move in all directions, so we should work on that right?
This move allows us to rotate the shoulders through each rep. As you do more and more of these you will realize how much easier It is to move.
If you have gotten really good at these and want to progress, try placing a KB or a yoga block by your sides. Your goal will be to do the same motion but not touch the KB or block, making you lift your arms up off the ground even higher to finish the motion.
BONUS MOVE: Bar Hangs
Click HERE for video.
Do these for 5 minutes throughout the week. Just hop up on a bar and hold. Find time throughout the week and just hang.
Along with helping create space for the shoulders to move you are also helping out your grip strength.
Give these moves a shot and let me know how they are working for your shoulders.
In good health,
Jeff
P.S.
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