Episode 1860 - Resilient shoulders for the fitness athlete
Nov 29, 2024
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Discover the importance of building resilient shoulders for fitness athletes. Learn about the forces at play during functional movements and how to modify exercises to prevent injuries. Explore advanced techniques for shoulder stability, including bottoms-up presses and specialized tools for recovery. The discussion highlights the critical role grip strength plays in rehabilitation, ensuring athletes enhance their performance while safely navigating the recovery process.
Building resilient shoulders for fitness athletes requires targeted rehabilitation, focusing on internal rotation and extension to prevent injuries.
Incorporating stability training through diverse exercises enhances shoulder performance by addressing compressive and decompressive forces during functional fitness activities.
Deep dives
The Importance of a Resilient Shoulder
A resilient shoulder is crucial for athletes, particularly in functional fitness, due to its frequent injuries. It must be capable of enduring various forces, including rotational shear force, which involves a combination of internal rotation and extension under significant stress, especially in movements like overhead lifting. The shoulder also needs to manage compressive forces during demanding exercises such as push presses or handstand push-ups, as well as decompressive forces during activities that require stabilization of the humeral head. Understanding these dynamics is vital for effective training and rehabilitation, helping athletes avoid the cycle of injury and performance setbacks.
Training Strategies for Shoulder Rehabilitation
For shoulder rehabilitation, focusing on internal rotation and extension is essential, yet often overlooked in traditional training programs. Starting with simple exercises, such as using bands while lying supine, helps build foundational capacity without aggravating injuries. Progressing to more complex movements, like single-arm high pulls and weighted carries, is necessary for restoring full functional movement. By systematically increasing resistance and complexity, athletes can effectively rebuild strength and stability in their shoulders, which is vital for a smooth return to high-demand activities.
Overview of Stability and Functional Movement
Stability training for the shoulder should incorporate movements that challenge both compressive and decompressive forces, ensuring athletes can handle the demands of functional fitness. Exercises involving the bamboo bar, controlled hanging movements, and active stabilization prepare the shoulder for the varied stresses encountered during workouts. Incorporating progressive hanging is particularly beneficial, as it maintains grip strength and reinforces stability, both essential for activities like pull-ups and muscle-ups. By blending these exercises, athletes can achieve a well-rounded approach to shoulder health, ultimately enhancing performance while reducing injury risk.
In today's episode of the PT on ICE Daily Show, Fitness Athlete division leader Alan Fredendall discusses why the shoulder is the most commonly injured joint in functional fitness, the demands asked of the shoulder during functional movement, and how to help athletes stay in the gym or get back in the gym with movements like bench press, push-ups, muscle-ups, snatching, overhead lifting, and more.