Day 313- Arm Circles Should Range of Motion with Weight

This exercise adds resistance to a full range of motion in the shoulder socket.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a small weight (1-3lbs).  Start by lying on your side with your knees bent.  Hold a small weight in your top hand and reach that hand and arm toward the ceiling.  Begin making small circles with the arm, and then gradually allow the range of motion to increase.  After reaching the full range of motion notice which direction you are moving and then reverse directions.

Things to think about

In this exercise you want to find your pain free range of motion.  If perchance there is any pinching in the shoulder decrease the range of motion.

Remember that the collarbone and the shoulder blade are part of this motion too! They work together to keep the shoulder safe.

Day 312- Arm Circles Shoulder Range of Motion

This exercise allows the shoulder to find congruency in a sidelying position.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your side with your knees bent.  Reach your fingertips towards the ceiling so that your arm is directly above your shoulder.  Start making small circle with the arm, and then gradually begin to increase the size of the circle until you are at your full range of motion.  Notice which direction your arm is moving and then start small again in the reverse direction.

Things to think about

Awareness of the fingertips is very important to shoulder stability and efficient movement.  As the arm moves behind you try to lead with the thumb, and then use the pinky to lead the rotation of the arm towards the front.  Imagine reaching through the middle finger, and at the same time plugging the arm bone into the socket.

Shoulder stability does not mean stillness.  Be sure that the shoulder blade and collarbone are following the arm to provide it with support.

Day 310- Sidelying Rotator Cuff with Elbow Extension with Weight

This exercise adds additional resistance to strengthen the rotator cuff.

To do this exercise  you will need a mat and a small weight.  Start by lying on your side with your knees bent you can use your bottom arm to support your head and neck.  Place your top elbow on your ribcage with your forearm reaching out in front of it.  Inhale into the back of the ribcage and then exhale as you rotate your upper arm outward and extend the elbow so that the arm reaches for the ceiling.  Inhale as you first bend the elbow and then fold the arm forward.  Repeat 8-10 times. 

Things to think about

Maintaining shoulder stability is key for this exercise.  As you straighten the arm imagine connecting the arm bone even deeper into the socket.

This is still a sidelying exercise.  Even though we are working the upper body, you want to be sure that you are lengthening your spine in every possible way.

Day 309- Side Lying Rotator Cuff with Elbow Extension

This exercise continues working on opening the shoulders to improve posture through balanced strength around the shoulder girdle. 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your side with your legs bent.  Be sure to keep your pelvis, ribs, shoulders and hips in line.  Place your top arm on your ribcage with your elbow bent.  Inhale into the back of your ribs and exhale as you first externally rotate your arm and then once your fingertips are pointing to the ceiling then continue exhaling as you reach your fingertips to the ceiling even more as your straighten.  Inhale as you bend your elbow keeping your fingertips pointing to the ceiling and then lower your forearm.  Repeat 8-10 times.

Things to think about

How wide can your collarbone be? Is your shoulder rolling forward? Is your neck supported?  These are all questions that you can ask yourself to be sure that you are aligning your body properly.  In this exercise the proper alignment and organization of the head, neck, and shoulders is what will make the shoulder move with the most efficiency. 

Wiggle your fingers when you are reaching your hand toward the ceiling.  This can help you find the most length across the front of your chest.

Day 239- Scarecrow with Just Arms

This exercise is intended to isolate the external rotation of the shoulder in a prone position

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your belly with your legs lengthened long beneath you.  Place your elbows to the side of the body directly in line with your shoulders and allow your forearms to be placed at a right angle to the elbows.  Inhale to prepare and exhale as you press the elbows into the ground to lift the forearms.  Inhale as you release the forearms to the ground and then repeat 8-15 times.

Things to think about

This exercise strengthens the rotator cuff.  It is important to maintain a safe organization of the head, neck, and shoulders to make this movement as efficient as possible. 

The wrists will try to do the movement of the forearms for you.  Be sure that the wrists are lengthened and inline with the forearms.

Day 100- Puppet Arms Single on Foam Roller

This exercise works to correct imbalances between the individual shoulders.  It also helps to release tension in between the shoulder blades.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a foam roller.  Start by lying on your back on the Foam Roller.  The Foam Roller should be parallel to your spine.  Your knees will be bent and your feet will be planted in the ground.  Then reach your fingertips towards the ceiling.  Reach one hand up towards the ceiling and then reach the other.  With each reach feel the muscles between the shoulder blades and the spine get longer.  Allow the shoulders to widen.  Alternate sides as you do this exercise.

Things to think about:

Varying the speed at which you alternate sides in this exercise will vary the feel to the exercise.  If you move very slowly this exercise will feel like individual stretches for the muscles between the shoulder blades.  If you do this exercise quickly then you will feel muscular release due to self massage between your shoulder blades and the log.

Day 94- Snow Angels on Foam Roller

This exercise is intended to increase the range of motion of the shoulder joints by increasing the length in the pectoralis muscles.

To do this exercise you will need a mat and a foam roller.  Start by lying on your back on the foam roller.  The Foam roller should be parallel to your spine.  Your knees should be bent and your feet should be planted into the floor.  Your hands should be on the ground by your hips with your palms facing the floor.  Inhale as you begin sliding your arms along the floor towards your shoulders and then exhale as your arms continue sliding along the floor towards your head.  Take three breaths and then on the last exhale bring your arms down by your sides.  Repeat 6-8 times.

Things to think about:

It is important to keep the fingertips as close to the floor as possible to get the most out of the stretch.  As your arms scoot along the floor it may become impossible to keep them touching the floor.  Use your minds eye and your intention to push the range of motion as much as possible without forcing the joint. 

While you may feel an intense stretching sensation across the front of the chest and in the upper arm, there should be no pain in the shoulder joint or neck.  If there is pain make the range of motion smaller to avoid it.  Gradually as your chest muscles stretch your pain free range of motion will increase.  

Day 92- Puppet Arms

This exercise is intended to loosen the tissue around the shoulder blades and the ribcage for ease in the head neck and shoulders.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted in the ground.  Reach your fingertips and arms towards the ceiling and let your palms face the center.  Inhale as you reach your fingertips to the ceiling lifting your shoulder blades off the floor, and then exhale as you drop the shoulder blades to the ground while keeping your elbows long.  Repeat 6-8 times. 

Day 91- Elbow Circles with Figure 8s

This exercise is intended to increase range of motion at the shoulder joint and find movement across diagonal fascial lines between the shoulder blades.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent, your feet planted in the floor, and the tips of your fingers touching your shoulders. Point one elbow at the ceiling and one elbow at the ground, and then begin circling the elbows in opposite directions. Repeat 6-8 times and the switch the direction of each elbow. 

 

Things to think about

This exercise can begin the process of correcting imbalance between shoulders.  Notice the relationship between the shoulder blades as you do this.  It is rare for our arms to be moving symmetrically and this exercise can help introduce efficient functional movement in the shoulder blades.

Day 90- Elbow Circles

This exercise is intended to move the shoulder girdle on the ribcage, which in turn loosens the muscles around the shoulder blades and can relieve tension in the head neck and shoulders.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted on the ground.  Bend your elbows to place your fingertips on the top of your shoulder, and then continue breathing as you make circles with your elbows.  As you continue drawing these circles notice the movement of your shoulder blades and your collarbones.  Continue to circle your elbows in both directions.

 

Things to think about

Often we think about shoulder movement as being the function of one joint at the point where the humerus (upper arm bone) meets the shoulder blade.  In actuality, the full range of motion of the shoulder joint is the function of three joints.  When you are doing this exercise, think about the humerus meeting the shoulder blade, but also be aware of the point at which the shoulder blade meets the collarbone and the point at which the collarbone meets the breastbone.  All of these joints should be moving.

Day 88- The W

This exercise is also intended to open the chest, but it concentrates on deeper muscles across the front of the chest.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted in the floor.  Your arms are in what is called the “Y” position. In this position your arms are out to the side but slightly above your shoulders as if your spine and your arms are making a “Y” on the ground.  Inhale to prepare and then exhale as you bend your elbows sliding the elbows along the floor towards the ribs.  This is the “W” position.  Inhale as you straighten your arm and exhale as you bend your elbows again.

 

Things to think about

It is important to keep your forearm parallel to the floor.  The tendency will be to let the elbows drop and your hands to lift.  Be sure to keep the chest open so that the arm is even. 

 

Day 87-Snow Angels

This exercise is intended to open the chest and widen the collarbones, which will prepare the shoulder girdle for some abdominal strengthening work

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet planted in the ground.  Your hands will be by your sides with your palms facing the ceiling.  Inhale as you begin sliding your arms along the ground as if you are making angel wings in the snow.  As your arms are becoming even with your shoulders, exhale to continue the slide.  Once you get to your full range of motion then inhale as you start to bring the arms back and then exhale to return to the starting position

Things to think about

It is important to keep the collarbones open during this exercise.  As your arms are sliding along the floor be sure to be aware of the shoulder blades keeping them as flat to the floor as possible.