Shoulder Exercises
LYING FRONT SHOULDER RAISE
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the front portion of the shoulder muscles (front deltoids as well as the front part of the middle deltoids).
Pulley position: Narrow only.
Starting position:
•Sit on the bench facing the Power Rods, knees bent and feet flat on the platform.
•Grasp the handles, with your arms straight and your palms facing down. Lie back completely so that your head is supported by the bench.
•Keep your chest up, abdominals tight and maintain a slight arch in your lower back.
Motion:
•Keeping your arms straight, move them in an arc upward and then directly over your shoulders.
•Slowly return to the starting position, arms by your sides.
— Shoulder Flexion (elbow stabilized)
Optional motions:
•Bilateral movement – both arms raising 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 raising while the other is returning).
Key points:
•Keep the chest lifted and the abdominals tightened throughout the entire motion.
•Maintain good spinal alignment.
•Do not increase the arch in your lower back while lifting your arms.
START
REVERSE FLY — Shoulder Horizontal Abduction (elbows stabilized in slight flexion)
FINISH
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the back portion of the shoulder muscles (the rear deltoids and the rear portion of the middle deltoids) as well as the trapezius and rhomboids.
Pulley position: Narrow only.
Starting position:
•With the bench flat, sit facing the Power Rods, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor.
•Grasp the handles with your palms facing toward the floor and arms nearly straight.
•Sit up straight and then bend slightly forward from the hips (not the spine) until arms/cables are in front of body at a 90 degree angle to your torso.
•Lift chest and pinch shoulder blades together.
Motion:
•Maintaining the same slight bend in your arms, move your arms outward and backward, keeping a 90 degree angle between your upper arms and the sides of your torso.
•Move until your elbows are slightly behind your shoulders, then slowly reverse the motion keeping the rear shoulder muscles tightened during the entire motion.
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.
START
FINISH
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