Exercises You Should Be Doing: Ball to Wall Rhythmic Stabilizations

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What Is It: Ball to Wall Rhythmic Stabilizations

Who Did I Steal it From: Mike Reinold, the same guy whom I “stole” quadruped rhythmic stabilizations from a few months ago.

What Does It Do: As I’ve noted in the past, the main function of the rotator cuff isn’t so much external/internal rotation, as well as elevation of the humerus (although those are a few of its main actions); rather, the main job of the RC is to center the humeral head in the glenoid fossa, providing more dynamic stability.

While in the video I demonstrate the exercise being done in a closed-loop (predictable) fashion, ideally this exercise would be performed with a partner lightly tapping the forearm in a more open-loop (unpredictable) fashion.

Key Coaching Cues: It’s important to “pack” the shoulder DOWN throughout the duration of the exercise. Many trainees make the mistake of “shrugging” and/or abducting (protracting) the shoulder blade, which defeats the whole purpose of the exercise in the first place. From there, all you’ll do is gently move the ball in a multi-directional fashion – up, down, clockwise, counter-clockwise, etc.

Furthermore, if you’re going to do this with a partner, it’s important to note that he or she shouldn’t be too aggressive with the force they apply. Again, all they need to do is gently tap the forearm – not try to break it.

All in all, you’re looking for 2-3 sets of 5-10 seconds per position (two in all), per arm. Fist pump optional. But what’s not optional is how I’m going to destroy the back of pants watching Inception this weekend.

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