Shoulder Rehabilitation Part III

Following on from part II, we now need to do what every other "personal Trainer" doesn't do - or rather, we're going to do the opposite! Let's leave the external rotators alone, or even subdue them and focus on firing up the lone internal rotator: subscapularis. 

If you - or a client has a specific problem with the external rotator cuffs then this may not apply so much - so test them to find out  - or ask a physio or appropriately qualified person to do so. In my experience many common sports injuries follow the above pattern - external rotators dominating over the lone internal rotator - especially when you consider the deltoid muscle sitting over the top of the 'cuffs' is also an additional external rotator.    

So, my top exercises for helping to fire up and strengthen the subscapularis, serratus anterior and fibres of lower traps (without getting too clinical and complicated with tubing or bands everywhere) are:

• Medicine ball push ups
• Bent over row
• Push up plus variations
• Dynamic hug
• Horizontal bar hang
• Prone cobra (Internal and external rotation of arm variations)
• Scapula retractions ala McGill
• Straight arm lat pulldowns

So go give them a try - not all of them right now and not all together which will just fatigue them. Try focusing on firing the internal rotators up with some of these. Focus on quality to ensure they're well executed, and then go and work on some bigger, more complex movements to integrate rather than isolate.