|
|
Let’s face it – chances are if you’re reading this, you’re a meathead.
And just like all us meatheads, sooner or later, we’re going to end up injured.
After I evaluated a half dozen guys at the 2010 Underground Strength Seminar, it was clear and evident many of them had the same issues:
- Horrible tissue quality.
- Weak and/or underdeveloped scapular stabilizers and rotator cuff muscles.
- Shoulder range of motion that would make you cringe.
Keep in mind, these are some of the strongest human beings in the world! We’re talking guys that are routinely handling 500, 600 and even 700 or more pounds in their upper body training sessions!
These guys are at the top of their sport, and they’re dysfunctional. Chances are if you’re anything like them, you’re dysfunctional as well.
In the best case scenario (and I use that term loosely), you’re losing strength on all of your upper body lifts, and specifically on your bench press.
Worst case scenario? You’re on your way to being (or already are) injured.
So rather than turning a blind-eye to the whole thing and doing nothing, I made it a personal goal to pull together the ULTIMATE program that would hopefully get some of these guys healthy and feeling good again.
Let’s be honest – I’m not writing for Elite because I’m some freakazoid when it comes to strength.
I’m here to help get guys healthy.
If they can get healthy, not only can I add years to their careers, but I guarantee I can get them stronger by restoring structural balance around the various joints and muscles in the upper body.
To make this as simple as possible, simply watch these videos in order. I’ve provided quite a few notes with each clip to make sure you’re performing things correctly. As with everything in life, timing is often everything.
That’s enough from me – let’s get started!
Introduction and Band Traction
When do I use this?
Pre-workout, post-workout, or on off-days.
How long should I hold each position?
Just move around. You don’t need to hold each position for too long.
Training Tips
- Make it organic and try and traction your body in as many ways as possible.
- If you have any pain, stop.
- If you have a specific area that needs more work, spend more time in that position(s).
Self-Myofascial Release (SMR) Series
When do I use this?
Pre-workout, post-workout, or on off-days.
How long should I work on each muscle group/area?
I generally recommend 30 seconds to 1 minute for each position. When you’re starting out a minute is preferable, and back off as tissue quality improves.
If you have a really stiff or sore area, make sure to spend a bit more time there.
Training Tips
- If you have any pain, stop. And yes, there is a difference between discomfort and pain.
- If you have a specific area(s) that needs more work, spend more time on that area(s).
Upper Back Stability
When do I use this?
During your workout – either immediately before your primary exercise or towards the end of your session.
How many sets/reps should I do?
I generally prescribe 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps in EACH position. If you want to make it more challenging, either hold some light weights or hold the midpoint position for 3-5 seconds.
Training Tips
- “Y” – 10 and 2, thumbs up, squeeze shoulder blades DOWN.
- “T” – 9 and 3, thumbs up, squeeze shoulder blades BACK.
- “I” – 8 and 4, thumbs up, squeeze shoulder blades BACK.
- These are motor control/recruitment exercises, so don’t try and load them up too heavy! Learn to use the appropriate muscles, and then work to get them stronger with vertical (chin-ups/pull-ups) and horizontal pulling (rowing) exercises.
Shoulder Strengthening
When do I use this?
During your workout, typically towards the end of your session.
How many sets/reps should I do?
I generally prescribe 2-3 sets of 8-15 reps.
Training Tips
- Chest up/out, slow and controlled motion. Don’t use momentum or go too fast!
- This is just one exercise you can use to develop your ‘cuff. Start with this one and dial in your technique, then feel free to try other options.
Post-Workout Stretching
When do I use this?
Use these at the end of your training session.
How many sets/reps should I do?
Perform one “set” of each. Each “set” consists of one hold, which should last between 30 seconds and 2 minutes.
Training Tips
- DB Fly EQI – Shoulder blades back/down, soft elbows, keep your core tight. Curl the weights in upon completion of the set.
- Lat EQI – Soft elbows, core tight. Let the weight drop to the floor at the end of the set.
- Time to completion should be 30 seconds to 2 minutes. If you can’t hold 30 seconds, reduce the weight. Once you can hold for 2 minutes, increase the weight.
Static Stretching
When do I use this?
Post-workout, in the evening before bed, or on off-days.
How many sets/reps should I do?
Perform each stretch twice, holding for 30 seconds. If you’re really stiff, feel free to hold up to one minute in each position.
Training Tips
- Pec Stretch – Tuck your shoulder blade back/down like you’re going to bench press to stabilize your scapula and increase the stretch.
- Lat Stretch – Round the lower back slightly to increase the stretch.
- Sleeper Stretch – Tuck your shoulder blade back/down like you’re going to bench press to stabilize your scapula. Use your “off” hand to provide gentle overpressure.
Summary
So there you have it – the most complete program I could come up with to get your upper body as healthy as possible.
If you enjoyed this piece, help me achieve my goal of making it the most popular article EVER on the Elite Fitness website. Share it on Facebook, re-tweet it on Twitter, or simply e-mail it to a buddy who may benefit from it.
I sincerely hope this piece not only helps you set some PR’s, but keeps you hoisting the heavy iron for years to come!
Stay strong,
Mike Have a question about this article, or need other rehab advice from Mike?
PDF 
Mike Robertson is the President of Robertson Training Systems and the co-owner of Indianapolis Fitness and Sports Training (I-FAST) in Indianapolis, Indiana. Mike has made a name for himself as one of the premier performance coaches in the world, helping clients and athletes from all walks of life achieve their physique and sports performance goals. 
I am by no means throwing around 500+lbs, but these are good for prehab for us regular guys right?
This is awesome!! Just what I needed, with my shoulder killing me. Thanks so much for posting up all this great info.
Great Article! Thank you!
Great article thanks. I’m needing some of this now. I’ve been doing external rotators with a db, but I think I’m going to try the bands for a while.
Fantastic work on this article! I am currently seeing a PT for a shoulder impingement and tendonitis in my elbows from all the grip work and lack of stretching on my flexors. Thanks again Mike for sharing all this info with us and I will definitely be adding in the lacrosse work on my shoulders to go along with the plan my PT has me on and my pvc rolling.
Is there going to be another series of videos on lowerbody? These were very informative I can’t wait to try the upper back stability exercises.
In just ran through the upper back and shoulder release part and my shoulders feel great… It’s almost like they are weightless. How can I help my lower back in the same way… It seems my shoulders and low back are perpetually in pain, and I’m sure I’m not alone. Thanks for this!
@Simon: The examples and progressions shown here are centred around improving joint range of motion, proprioception, soft-tissue quality, and of course strength when it comes to the areas involved in providing stability/mobility to primarily the glenohumeral joint (among other things). The areas targeted are often neglected areas of the body and targeting part of your training towards them I think is almost universally recommended (with the exception of perhaps post-surgery/rehab clients where a certain level of discretion and qualifying is in order).
But to answer your question simply: Hell ya these are good for just about everyone!
A note especially on the “External Rotation on Knee”: Charles Poliquin has stated many times in his structural balance literature that your 8RM ER on Knee should be roughly 9% of your 1RM Bench Press. So to expand on what Mike said in the video, if you have a 500+ lb bench you should be able to externally rotate roughly 50lbs. Thing is, I bet there are very few capable of this…
Thanks, great article. I don ´t want to by bad, but those videos are like a bad copy of what Kelly Starrett on mobilitywod is doing.
Thanks for the discomfort! Seriously, thx. I’ve already started to use some of these techniques.
This is a great article, thank you very much.
@Simon – Yes of course, everyone who lifts heavy can probably benefit from this.
@Bob – I hadn’t planned on a lower body series, but I would consider it in the future. It takes some time to pull all this together.
@Tomas – You’re certainly entitled to your opinion. I just read an article about Kelly the other day so I’m sure I’ll check out his site at some point.
MR
Great article! Really looking forward to trying these out! So seemingly simple, yet I can already imagine how effective these are! Thanks for sharing!
Awesome article! Just what I was needing to help my shoulder out. A lower body version of this would be amazing!
@Tomas – I don’t speak for Mike, but if that is your opinion, then Kelly Starrett is to Crossfit what Mike Robertson is to Elite ;) Now off to do 300 clean and jerks in 15 minutes
Great article Mike thanks!
How do you feel about the shoulder horn for internal rotation?
Great article Mike. I really like how you put everything together.
Great article. This will help a lot.
great stuff. PLS MAKE ONE FOR LOWER BODY!!!!
Historically speaking, strength coaches have looked to elite athletes to get ideas about what kind of training works and what doesn’t. For example, box squats are used by elite lifters so they are now recommended to by strength coaches. Correlation, not empirical research seems to be the king as far as identifying good training methods.
At the start of the article you listed a number of things common across the elite lifters that you had assessed, and you state these are bad things. Using the same logic as my box squat example: perhaps those ‘bad things’ allow these lifters to lifts super-heavy weights… Perhaps they are protective in some way. Just something to think about.
Great Article, It’s nice seeing others who do what i do with my clients, in order to help them with internally rotated shoulders, and severe shoulder/neck pain. Another great way for SMR is doing with a medicine ball laying on the ground. NASM – CES talks about all these things in depth, if anyone is looking for more information as well. My favorite certification.
amazing article. looking forward to future articles/ videos
Great post.. Do you have any tips for Tendinitis in the elbows… I have met so many people with this problem and still have not been able to get any good workouts..
Excellent Article Mike!
This is exactly the help I need right now. Thanks Mike! Much appreciated!
Yeah a lower body version of this would be awesome too!
@ Mark, Those bad things aren’t protective for the lifters. They are bad and can become debilitating if not addressed.
Just because you choose to be strong doesn’t mean you should live your life in shoulder pain and only be good for moving weight from point A to B.
good videos but the 60hz hum on the recording is really annoying. This is caused by electrical interference by your mains, find an A/V dude and get it fixed…
Steve, you’re famous dude!
extremely impressed by anything i see from Mike Robertson. Focused, informative, easy to understand, impressive
Great article! Thanks!!!
Crazy helpful article! Thanks.
Great video Mike with simple to follow along videos…
I am 12 weeks post surgery for a bench press injury. I had 565 come down on my left side like a guilitine. I tore my supraspinatus and infraspinatus off the bone, tore my labrum and my bicep tendon too. I will be utilizing all of this for my rehab. Wish you guys were closer to WA. state. I had just gotten my first sponsor and was going to Finland for the WPC Worlds. Chit happens. The doc couldn’t get over how big my delt was compared to my tendons. I will work on my rotators from now on!
IFAST RULES!!!!!!
@Mark – There’s a fine line between optimal performance and injury. No doubt a lot of these guys toe that line every day.
I have no doubt that being big and stiff is advantageous – the question becomes, at what point do they crossover? At what point does their lack of shoulder ROM affect their ability to bench press and/or squat effectively?
I’m not looking for the mobility of a gymnast, or the shoulder ROM of a major league pitcher – I want just enough to get by and keep them as pain-free as possible.
So to answer your question, YES, I have considered all this, and this is what I’ve found time and again that these guys need.
I hope that helps!
MR
Great video series, Mike, very helpful. I think like most lifters, you focus on what makes you stronger and don’t pay any attention to the other stuff. The thing is, you can’t reach your full potential unless you can train hard for quite a long time. I’ve been fortunate enough, after many years of training, to place very high in the rankings but now find my body breaking down because of scar tissue build-up, extremely limited flexibility and very weak stabilizers. I’m learning the hard way after a bad shoulder injury that you can’t get stronger if you can’t lift! To anyone that wants to be the best lifter they can be, taking care of your body with the tips that Mike suggests will go a long way to getting you there.
P.S. I’d also love a lower body series, especially for those with lower back pain.
Nice article and video. Good Job!. These important prevention/prehab exercises are really worth the time.
Been performing the movements on my off days to help with an impingement in my right shouder. I feel great afterwards! Next morning a bit achy though…
Anyway, on my “on days”, I can do the Y,T and I’s before my primary movement? Just save the rotator stregtheners for aftewards, correct?
Thanks,
Mike
@Steve P – You’ve got a great attitude man. Much respect! Good luck with your rehab!!
Mike, thanks for creating a very simple yet effective video series for sholder health. I’ve become somewhat of a shoulder expert over the past two years, rehabbing supra/infraspinatus overuse and labrum tear injuries. With all of the information avaliable out there on the internet, I tend to get information overload. It’s great to have a step-by-step program that I can revert back to when I want to keep it simple. Thanks for all of your great contributions to EliteFTS!
Great article Mike! The last 2 months I have been working through some major pain and very limited ROM in my right shoulder (the dominate one). After a clean xray, (12) Graston treatments, a clean MRI w/arthrogram, some PT, and 2 cortisone shots I finally feel like I am able to start throwing around some serious weights again. This article is very timely. My experience has taught me that no matter how strong the big muscles are, if I don’t take care of the supporting muscles and tendons, I will be in a world of hurt and I am setting myself for a tear and a long recovery from surgery. I am now incorporating many of these principles in my workouts. I have 2 questions – Can you recommend a related shopping list from the EliteFTS store? Can you recommend someone in the St, Louis area that does what you do?
@Jon and Robert – Thanks for the kind words!
@Mike – Yep, that’s what I would do.
@Ryan – My pleasure man! You have to be your own advocate – there’s way too much crap out there these days. Seek our quality sources and learn from them – that’s what I try and do, anyway :)
@Steve – I don’t know about St. Louis (we actually get people who drive over from there to work with us), but I would look at the Central Institute of Human Performance (CIHP). Me and my staff have attended several seminars there and they seem to be of a similar line of thinking.
As far as swag at Elite, I would start with the following:
- A decent foam roller
- A light or average band for traction
- If you have a specific problem area, consider picking up one of the ICE DOWN packs. Apply it immediately after training for 20 minutes or so.
The lacrosse balls are great as well, but you can pick those up at most sporting goods stores.
Good luck!
MR
Eh, not much new here.
BUt that may be because I’ve been working with Mike for years now! Ha ha.
GREAT piece of work, Mike!
Great article, MIke. You really know your stuff and i know a lot of the guys from the UGSS have really benefited from your advice. I appreciate the time you took to share some ideas for my specific issue. I think a second article for lower would be awesome!
Hey there Mark, great article and I’ll be sure to use some of these techniques in the future.
I have one question though for a friend.
When he’s benching or doing pull ups, he feels a sting in his elbow, only when it’s about to close, so in bottom position in the bench and top in the pullup.
And when he tries to keep his elbow closed and rotate his hands, it stings when he supernates his arm.
Oh, and he feels that it’s more in the joint then in the muscle.
Any idea what could prove helpful for him?
With regards and thanks for your articles!
Ahh pardon me, that was of course supposed to be Mike not Mark, my mind was wandering.
i have a question about the external rotation in the knee,when you lower your hand/weight how low shuold you go? as much as allowed by range of motion and pain? or do not go below parallel? thanks.
THIS IS AWESOME
it would be great if you made one of these posts for the low back or legs
I think I am having trouble finding the “Posterior Shoulder Capsule.” My left shoulder is shot, and when using the lacrosse ball for the posterior shoulder SMR I find a very tender spot right around my rear delt almost middle trap area. When doing it how it’s shown in the video if I go all the out to the side of my delt I can feel it going over bone etc.
Just want to make sure I am targeting the right spot, almost a lump/scar tissue area right on my trap / rear delt?
Hey mike,
I’d like start off by saying, great job this is and excellent set of videos.
Saying that there are a few things that i noticed as I was watching.
You discuss these topics during your sleep stretch description but do not metion them here.
1. In the band traction you talk about going where it feels tight/needs work. You may want to add in something about maintaining proper should position as little stevey does not. If you notice when he does the cross body upperback stretch his should rolls into a bad position. Yes he is only stretching but if he brought his shoulder back into a safe position then that would allow for a solid stretch while protecting everything else and since HIGH level benchers keep their shoulders back during benching it would stretch the shoulders in their working position.
2. I noticed the same kind of thing during the shoulder strengthening. That is an excellent exercise for strengthening the shoulder but without proper shoulder positioning the infraspinatus and teres minor are in a more lengthened position.
This is so in depth and thorough about strengthening/staying healthy it’s amazing. You should definitely write another article like this for the lower body. Please!!
great article. im reading a book by eric cressey and it has the same things. i do a mixture of these workouts durin my warmup and during my actual lifts. my pain level has decreased significantly and i have been hitting PR on multiple lifts. these warmups/cooldowns are a must for any training program. will save your life.
hey mike this is a great article and i think will benefit a lot of people including myself… thank you for doing this …. others should be more appreciative.
This is just awesome, thanks.
This is great article! thnx