Shoulders in Strongman - Cocos Gym
Thanks to Coco (Current 105kg Australias Most Powerful Man, Strongman Coach and Owner Coco’s Gym) we have this brilliant article on looking after your shoulders in the sport of Strongman.
Injuries to the shoulders are common in Strongman due to the repetition and overuse of pushing movements (log press, axle press etc.…)
Most of the time lack of flexibility can predispose an individual to joint sprains and muscular strains. Warm-up exercises should focus on general joint flexibility and may be performed either alone or with a partner using proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching technique. For those who do lots of pushing movements, they should increase range of motion (ROM) in external rotation, because this has been shown to decrease shearing forces on the Gleno-Humeral (GH) joint.
Here are 4 easy flexibility exercises (see picture) for the shoulders that can be done prior or during lifting weights:
1- Posterior capsular stretch
Horizontally adduct the arm across the chest while the opposite hand assist the stretch
2- Inferior capsular stretch
Hold the involved arm over the head with the elbow flexed. Use the opposite hand to assist in the stretching. Add a side stretch.
3- Anterior and posterior capsular stretch. Hold onto a side of a power rack with involved arm behind the back. Straighten the arm while learning and twisting your torso forward.
4- Medial and lateral rotators. Using a power band, pull the arm to stretch it into lateral rotation.
Shoulder focused strength programs should focus on muscles acting on the the GH and scapulothoracic regions. Strengthening the rotator cuff muscles (Infraspinatus, supraspinatus, Subscapularis and teres minor) is necessary for a healthy shoulder.
Most of the time a weakened supraspinatus is present in many shoulder problems. Concentric and eccentric contractions with light weight during the first 30 degrees of abduction can strengthen this muscle. Strengthening the scapular stabilizers can be accomplished by doing push-ups or moving the arm through a resisted, diagonal pattern of external and horizontal abduction. (e.g. External/Internal shoulder rotation using a cable machine)
For coaching inquiries, email us at coco@cocosgym.com.au
