Shoulder Exercises
REAR DELTOID ROWS — Shoulder Horizontal Abduction (with elbow flexion)
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the back portion of the shoulder muscles (the rear deltoids, as well as the rear portion of the middle deltoids, the posterior rotator cuff, upper lat and teres major) as well as the trapezius and rhomboids.
Pulley position: Wide or narrow.
Starting Position:
•Sit on the bench facing the Power Rods, knees bent and your feet on the platform.
•Cross the handles and grasp with your palms facing down and arms straight (right hand on left handle and vice versa).
•Sit up straight and then bend over slightly from the hips (not the spine) until arms/cables are in front of body at a 90 degree angle to your torso.
•Lift your chest and slightly pinch your shoulder blades together.
Motion:
•Allowing your arms to bend as you go, move your elbows outward and backward keeping a
•Your forearms should always point in the direction of the cables.
•Move until your elbows are slightly behind your shoulders, then slowly reverse the motion keeping the rear shoulder muscles tightened during the entire motion.
Optional motions:
•Bilateral movement - both arms rowing at the same time.
•Unilateral movement – performing all reps with one arm before moving to the next.
•Alternating – performing one rep on one side and then the next rep on the other side.
•Simultaneously alternating – both arms moving, although in opposite directions (one rowing while the other is returning).
Key points:
•Maintain a 90 degree angle between your upper arms and the sides of your torso during the exercise.
•For normal pulling /rowing patterns of movement you may choose to allow the shoulder blades to "float" forward and backward naturally with the arm movement, or for increased rear deltoid involvement you may keep the shoulder blades "pinched" together throughout both the forward and backward movements.
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FINISH
STANDING LATERAL RAISE — Shoulder Abduction (elbow stabilized)
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the side shoulder muscles (middle deltoids), the top muscle of the rotator cuff (supraspinatus) and the trapezius muscles.
Pulley position: Narrow.
Starting position:
•Remove the bench and stand on the platform straddling the rail and facing the Power Rods.
•Grasp the handles with palms facing toward each other.
•Attain erect spinal posture.
•Let your arms hang directly in line with the cables.
Motion:
•Raise your arms directly out to the sides to almost shoulder level.
•Lift your elbow and hand at the same speed and do not let one get ahead of the other.
•Do not turn/rotate your arms while raising them. Keep the side of your arm/elbow facing out/up throughout the movement.
•Slowly bring your arms into the starting position without relaxing.
Key points:
•DO NOT swing the arms upward or move the trunk during the motion.
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