Types of Shoulder Mobility Exercises
Adequate shoulder mobility is crucial to most sports and even in day-to-day life. Deficiencies in the shoulder joint can lead to overcompensation in other muscle groups, pain and possibly injury. Shoulder mobility exercises will keep your shoulders in shape and prevent shoulder problems.
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Stretching Exercise
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The first category of shoulder mobility exercise should be fairly familiar to most---stretching. One stretching exercise to increase shoulder mobility is towel circles. Grab a bathroom towel in both hands. Spread your hands as far apart as your arm span will allow with the towel taut between them. Lock your elbows, and raise both arms up to the side, moving the towel over your head behind your body, taking your shoulder through a half-circle range of motion. Reverse the movement (again keeping the elbows locked) to return the towel to the starting position. Complete 10 to 20 repetitions daily, looking to slowly decrease the distance between your hands on the towel as your shoulders become more flexible.
Strengthening Exercise
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Weight training will also enhance shoulder mobility by strengthening the joint. One example is the basic military press. Hold a weighted barbell at chest height in front of the body with hands facing outward and slightly greater than shoulder-width. Press it overhead until both arms are fully extended but without locking your elbows. Slowly lower the barbell back to the chest to complete one repetition. Aim for at least eight to 10 repetitions. Other strengthening exercises include the dumbbell shoulder press, lateral dumbbell raise and front dumbbell raise.
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Static Exercise
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Another option is to hold the shoulder in one location while the rest of the body rotates around it. This increases mobility through stability by forcing the body and the shoulder to work as an integrated whole. The overhead squat does that. Perform a squat (to parallel or lower) while holding a barbell with both arms locked out over your head with arms slightly wider than the shoulders. If you do not have sufficient shoulder mobility at the beginning of the exercise, you won't be able to retain your hold on the bar. However, repeating this drill with an empty bar (or one with light weights) can improve your shoulder mobility quickly. Complete five to eight repetitions, and practice this at least four times weekly to build shoulder mobility.
Dynamic Exercise
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A dynamic shoulder mobility exercise is when the shoulder rotates through its range of motion. The body may or may not be moving while this occurs. The military press, listed as a strengthening exercise above, is also a dynamic exercise. However, another dynamic shoulder mobility exercise is the standing row, in which you begin by holding a barbell in front of your body at waist height. Then raise the barbell to your collarbone by bending at the shoulders and elbows, keeping the bar parallel to the body. Start with eight to 10 reps a few times a week.
Considerations
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The categories of shoulder mobility exercises often overlap. You can perform a dynamic strengthening exercise, a passive strengthening exercise, a dynamic stretch or a passive stretch. When designing a shoulder mobility routine, do not worry too much about how the types of exercises are overlapping. Focus instead on ensuring that you work the shoulder through all four categories of movements to produce the greatest improvements in mobility and strength. Progress slowly to avoid potential injury.
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