If you’ve never had a shoulder issue then the chances are someone close to you has. As tragic as this is, the time has come to say, enough is enough. It’s time to be responsible for our wellbeing. Yeah we’re a bunch of gym bros but it doesn’t mean we can’t be responsible lifters who implement prehab.

Strong scapulae means no shoulder issues. No shoulder issues means no interruption of training. No interruption of training means MAXIMUM GAINS.

But seriously, it’s an issue worth discussing considering the prevalence of shoulder trouble.


Passive Hanging

The benefits of the Passive Hang;

  • Shoulder and pectoral stretch
  • Scapular and grip strengthening
  • Spine decompression

Many prescribe the passive hang as an ailment to shoulder pain. There are knowledgeable advocates such as Steve Maxwell and Ido Portal but how useful is the passive hang?

I implement it at the end of a workout for the stretch while my body is still very warm. When I lift my knees up I get an incredible pectoral stretch. It might be worth hanging daily as others have prescribed to retrieve further anecdote for how useful it is, but I believe that for shoulder health there is more that can be done.


”Active” Scapula Exercises

There is a more practical use for your time than simply hanging multiple times a day. You can strengthen your scapular with a variety of methods. “Active” methods include;

I regularly perform these 6 different exercises to ensure my shoulders are strong enough for my training and daily activities. A shoulder capable of doing these efficiently is a strong secure shoulder. A strong secure shoulder isn’t prone to injury.

You are essentially training your shoulders to be more capable of performing under load in various positions. You do this by isolating the movement of the scapula (shoulder blades) in these exercises. The scapula is an important bone as each scapula provides a point of attachment for a number of muscles that make up the arm and shoulder. It’s also responsible for holding the shoulders in place while they are positioned forward (protracted), back (retracted), up (elevated), and down (depressed). Strength and stability in these positions is the result of implementing these exercises.

All exercises are performed with the same cues. Hold the core tight, keep the elbows straight and control the movement using the scapula only.


Programming

You can perform all 6 as a circuit, pull variants on pull day and push variants on push day. You can rep them, hold them statically, or both. But what’s important is that you actually incorporate them somehow into your training to build and maintain scapular strength. It’s essential to avoid shoulder injury.