 |
| Ⓒ Provided by Prevention |
All day we type, text, and hunch over—at a price to our shoulders. If yours are feeling achy, there are plenty of stretches that you can do to ease the pain, but the three moves below will help you improve overall shoulder mobility to not only loosen your shoulders, but correct imbalances caused by bad posture. All you need is your body, a kettlebell, and a resistance band.
The key to remedying shoulder discomfort is putting the time into your
treatment. These exercises will not improve the aches you feel unless you
do them regularly. From top to finish, this routine will take you just
four minutes. Try to do it in the morning and at night on a daily basis to
find lasting relief.
Exercise 1: Egyptians
 |
| Ⓒ Provided by Prevention |
Stand with your feet slightly wider than your hips. Reach your arms out
by your sides to shoulder height, palms facing down. Lean your torso to
one side and turn that palm up (external shoulder rotation) at the same
time as you also turn the back palm up (internal shoulder rotation).
Return to center, then switch sides. The side-to-side action will pivot
your shoulders inward and outward. Repeat for one minute at a pace of
one repetition per two seconds.
Exercise 2: Halos
 |
| Ⓒ Provided by Prevention |
The kettlebell is an ideal tool for this move because the majority of
its mass is outside your grip, which gives your shoulders greater
range of motion for the movement. If you don’t have a kettlebell, you
can also do this move with a dumbbell or just by clenching your hands
together. To start, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, and
hold a medium-weight kettlebell at the center of your chest by the
side handles with the bottom of the bell facing up. Clench your glutes
tight and brace through your abs to protect your back as you move
through this exercise. Now slowly loop the bell behind your head and
neck, then around the other side. Loop the next Halo in the other
direction. Repeat for two minutes at a pace of one repetition per 10
seconds.
Exercise 3: Band Pull-Aparts
 |
| Ⓒ Provided by Prevention |
This exercise is beneficial because it helps train the shoulders to
move in the opposite direction than they move when you slouch.
Bonus: Band Pull-Aparts sculpt your upper back! To start, stand with
your feet shoulder-width apart.
Choke your hands in on a medium resistance band and hold them
straight ahead and in line with each of your shoulders—even in this
starting position, you should feel some tension between your hands.
Draw your arms out to the sides and stretch the band with elbows
slightly bent. Hold momentarily, then resist the pull and take three
times as long to slowly bring the band back to starting position.
Take one second on the pull out, and three seconds on the return.
Repeat for one minute, or about 15 repetitions.
