When it comes to shoulder health, strength and function you’d do very well to take a long look at the scapula (shoulder blade)
Here’s what I mean:
Scapula motion:
Now as clear as that video is, it’s a sanitised version of how we actually move. Real motion is a combination of all the individual actions shown. So as the Scapula protracts, it usually also upwardly rotates. Depression usually occurs with retraction
And all of that occurs in synchronicity with arm and thoracic spine/rib cage action.
This video gives a nice visual, although doesn’t show the effect of the spinal motion:
While our big compound exercises will take care of much of the strength requirements of the muscles related to the scapula, no exercise gives the shoulder girdle a full movement experience.
The closest I have come across is the swinging of clubs and their heavier cousins, the mace. Have a look at these videos, the first is Karolina, a lady who badly needs scapula control. And myself with a history of shoulder injuries.
Karolina:
Me:
Either of us could spend 20 minutes with ease going through various band pull aparts, external rotations, face pulls, serratus activations, thoracic flexion or extension drills every workout. Or we spend a few minutes swinging the club’s in our warm ups, rest periods, or as part of the training itself.
My Indian club choice is the Heroic Sport Pahlavandle. A cheap plastic club handle designed to fit onto the neck of a carbonated drinks bottle, the video of me shows me using plastic San Pellegrino bottles giving me 1KG of weight.
I have Pahlavandles in stock, for sale. But better than that on Saturday the 15th of December from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. I will be teaching and Indian club workshop teaching you how to get the most out of these tools.
The price of the workshop will include the price of your Heroic Sport Pahlavandles so you’ll be able to take those home and immediately begin practicing
Not only that we will donate €15 of the fee to the Rehab Care Hops Centre for mental health that we patronise and work with.
This link will allow you to book your place: https://wgfit.pike13.com/courses/191596Â (opens in new window)
We will cover the basics of single and double club use and with luck we’ll be able to cover mace swinging. As with all workshops the course content will largely be led by questions from the group.
Here’s that link again. https://wgfit.pike13.com/courses/191596
See you there.
Regards
Dave Hedges www.WG-Fit.com
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