Strengthen your shoulders with these exercises
What's the story
Shoulder mobility is important to maintain a full range of motion and prevent injuries. Be it an athlete or a person who spends long hours sitting at a desk, improving shoulder mobility can boost your overall physical performance and comfort levels. Adding certain exercises to your routine can strengthen the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint, increasing flexibility and reducing stiffness. Here are five great exercises to improve shoulder mobility.
Tip 1
Arm circles
Arm circles are a simple yet effective exercise to improve shoulder flexibility. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, extend arms out to the sides at shoulder height, and start making small circles with your hands. Gradually increase the size of the circles as you feel more comfortable. This exercise helps in warming up the shoulders and increasing blood flow to the area, which can aid in reducing stiffness.
Tip 2
Shoulder pass-throughs
For this exercise, you'll need a resistance band or a broomstick. Hold it with both hands wider than shoulder-width apart in front of you. Keeping arms straight, lift it over your head and behind you until it reaches your lower back, then bring it back over your head to the starting position. This movement stretches the chest and shoulders while promoting better posture.
Tip 3
Wall angels
Wall angels are ideal to improve scapular mobility and strengthen upper back muscles. Stand against a wall with feet a little away from it. Press lower back into the wall while raising arms to make a 'W' shape with elbows bent at ninety degrees. Slowly slide arms upward along the wall into a 'Y' shape without losing contact between elbows/wrists and wall.
Tip 4
Thread the needle stretch
This stretch targets both shoulders, twisting through thoracic spine rotation and stretching lateral muscles around the rib cage. Start on all fours; slide your right arm under the left armpit, reaching across until your right ear gently touches the mat. Shift your weight slightly to the left side to feel a gentle pull through your torso before switching sides.
Tip 5
Doorway stretch
The doorway stretch nicely opens tight chest muscles, thus improving posture. Stand in an open doorway, forearms against the frame at a ninety-degree angle. Lean forward until you feel a mild stretch across the front shoulders and chest. Hold briefly, then return to start. Repeat several times each session for best results.