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Rotator
Cuff Exercises
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Want to bang the ball harder?
Getting a little embarrassed when the girls can crack up the net and
you can't?
Get these exercses into your training routine. But bear in mind, if you break your shoulder doing these exercises, don't blame me.
The exercises described on this page are
to help you strengthen the muscles in your shoulder (especially the
rotator cuff muscles). These exercises should not cause you pain.
If the exercise hurts, stop exercising. Start again with a lighter
weight.
Look at the pictures with each exercise so you can use the right position.
Warm up before adding weights. Stretch your arms and shoulders and
do pendulum exercises: Bend from the waist, let your arms hang down.
Keep your arm and shoulder muscles relaxed, and move your arms slowly
back and forth. Perform each exercise slowly: Lift your arm to a slow
count of 3 and lower your arm to a slow count of six.
Keep repeating each exercise until your arm is tired. Use a light
enough weight that you don't get tired until you've done the exercise
about 20 to 30 times. Increase the weight a little each week (but
never so much that the weight causes pain). Start with 2 ounces the
first week, move up to 4 ounces the second week, 8 ounces the next
week, and so on.
Each time you finish doing all 4 exercises, put an ice pack on your
shoulder for 20 minutes. It's best to use a plastic bag with ice cubes
in it, or a bag of frozen peas, not gel packs. If you do all 4 exercises
3 to 5 times a week, your rotator cuff muscles will become stronger
and you'll get back normal strength in your shoulder
EXERCISE
ONE:
Start
by lying on your stomach on a table or a bed. Put your left arm out
at shoulder level with your elbow bent to 90° and your hand down.
Keep your elbow bent and slowly raise your left hand. Stop when your
hand is level with your shoulder. Lower the hand slowly. Repeat the
exercise until your arm is tired. Then do the whole exercise again
with your right arm
EXERCISE
TWO:
Lie
on your right side with a rolled-up towel under your right armpit.
Stretch your right arm above your head. Keep your left arm at your
side with your elbow bent to 90° and the forearm resting against your
chest, palm down. Roll your left shoulder out, raising the left forearm
until it's level with your shoulder. (Hint: This is like the backhand
swing in tennis.) Lower the arm slowly. Repeat the exercise until
your arm is tired. Then do the whole exercise again with your right
arm
EXERECISE
THREE:
Lie
on your right side. Keep your left arm along the upper side of your
body. Bend your right elbow to 90°. Keep the right forearm resting
on the table. Now roll your right shoulder in, raising your right
forearm up to your chest. (Hint: This is like the forehand swing in
tennis.) Lower the forearm slowly. Repeat the exercise until your
arm is tired. Then do the whole exercise again with your left arm
EXERCISE
FOUR:
In
a standing position, start with your right arm halfway between the
front and the side of your body, thumb down. Raise your right arm
until almost level (about a 45° angle). (Hint: This is like emptying
a can.) Don't lift beyond the point of pain. Slowly lower your arm.
Repeat the exercise until your arm is tired. Then do the whole exercise
again with your left arm. |
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