Post by Karin on Aug 17, 2007 15:20:37 GMT -5
Here are some explanations and pictures of common rotator cuff exercises.
I do several rotator cuff exercises; I have ever since I had an overuse injury and an injury resulting from when I tried to catch a big chain link fence gate that came off its track.
I do several sets of internal & external rotations with your elbows bent at 90* angles rotating externally from the hip bone/waist then from internally across the torso from the hip bone/waist.
I do several more sets of what I call upper/lower rotations with the arms at bent at shoulder level with hands in front of body...I rotate up so that my palms are facing forward then repeat for reps.....then I switch from the starting position and rotate from shoulder level downward with palms facing down (backward).
For the internal/external rotations I use 2 small 5# weight plates for those and put my fingers in the holes...something I just prefer personally...but others use 5#dumbbells. I use 1-2 5#weight plates for the upper/lower rotations.
I also do a unilateral "shoulder retraction" on the FreeMotion Cable Machine. I remove the attachments and hook. I grasp the "ball" of the cable and move away from the machine. I usually do 4 sets total with the lever set on #4 for 2 sets and #5 for 2 sets. You basically stand with knees bent, arm extended straight, then pull back with your shoulder muscle....no "body English" used her at all. It's a very small movement, but it has helped me tremendously with strengthening my subscapularis.
I do several rotator cuff exercises; I have ever since I had an overuse injury and an injury resulting from when I tried to catch a big chain link fence gate that came off its track.
I do several sets of internal & external rotations with your elbows bent at 90* angles rotating externally from the hip bone/waist then from internally across the torso from the hip bone/waist.
I do several more sets of what I call upper/lower rotations with the arms at bent at shoulder level with hands in front of body...I rotate up so that my palms are facing forward then repeat for reps.....then I switch from the starting position and rotate from shoulder level downward with palms facing down (backward).
For the internal/external rotations I use 2 small 5# weight plates for those and put my fingers in the holes...something I just prefer personally...but others use 5#dumbbells. I use 1-2 5#weight plates for the upper/lower rotations.
I also do a unilateral "shoulder retraction" on the FreeMotion Cable Machine. I remove the attachments and hook. I grasp the "ball" of the cable and move away from the machine. I usually do 4 sets total with the lever set on #4 for 2 sets and #5 for 2 sets. You basically stand with knees bent, arm extended straight, then pull back with your shoulder muscle....no "body English" used her at all. It's a very small movement, but it has helped me tremendously with strengthening my subscapularis.