HEALTH & FITNESS with Patrick Harris of Les Mills
Shoulder Health
The beach series starts in November and I got to thinking about the over use injuries that result from the fast and repeated movement patterns attributed to all the sports involved. Not only will the massage tables be benefiting, the local physiotherapists will be rubbing their hands together in anticipation of the injured knocking on their door.
The main area of concern is our shoulders, namely the external rotators. Let me explain.
Swimming, Paddling (pictured above) and boarding all stress the internal rotators of the shoulder because The Pecs and Lats are the prime movers in all these sports. After many years of training, the bodies performing these sports adapt by progressively shortening the length of these major muscle groups, therefore creating imbalances, and then the inerrable resulting injury occurs.
Strengthening and corrective work of the shoulder is what’s needed, in particular the area of shoulder external rotation. I’m referring to the motion of moving the biceps away from the body or simply backwards. The follow-through on a Roger Federer backhand is an example of external rotation. Although many muscles are involved in this motion, the two most important muscles are the teres minor and the infraspinatus. These muscles lie adjacent to each other and originate on the scapula (shoulder blade) and insert in the humerus (the upper arm) and comprise two of the four muscles known as the rotator cuff. From a biomechanical perspective, the teres minor and the infraspinatus help stabilize the shoulder and are therefore crucial for protecting this area from injury.
Injury prevention is only part of the benefit of training the external-rotator muscles; these muscles can dramatically improve posture and enhance symmetry in the back. Ladies you will
feel more comfortable in your dress and men in your shirts after training the external rotators.
The improved fit is a result of your shoulder blades moving back to proper alignment.
To get the most out of training the external rotators, here are the main points to consider:
1. Make sure the muscles work through the full range of motion —if you shorten the range of motion, there’s no point in even doing the exercises.
2. Stretch the internal rotators (Pecs and lats) between every set. You’ll find you won’t fatigue as quickly in the following sets; plus your range of motion will be increased.
3. Perform relatively high reps. Perform at least 6 reps per set for the external rotators and, in many cases, up to 20 reps per set.
4. Avoid high-speed movements. The external rotators respond best to slow to medium speeds of contraction. Movements should be kept smooth throughout the entire range of motion, and the resistance should be moved at a constant speed.
5. Maintain correct head position. Always hold your head in the neutral position when performing exercises for the external rotators.
6. Maintain correct wrist position. Keep the wrist in a neutral position to minimize the stress on the elbow.
7. Apply gradual overload. Most of you will have to use one – two kg dumbbells or the smallest plate on the pulley when you first try these exercises. Bands in increasing resistance are also great options.
8. Work the non-dominant arm first. The number of repetitions you can perform for this arm (and usually weaker) will tell you how many reps you should perform for your dominant arm.
State King Of The Bays LEADS WAY...
