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Lynne Brick's Fit Tips ArchiveLynne Brick's Fit Tip #30, 2008 —
Bolder Shoulder (Part I)
(Please click here to view the video that accompanies this fit tip!)
Your shoulders serve several important functions. They not only help you to lift grocery bags and children, they also keep your arms attached to your torso! Beautifully defined shoulders are attractive, especially when a woman wears a sleeveless top or evening gown. However, those of you who have had shoulder injuries, I'm sure will agree, that they are not fun. Recovery can be long, tedious and painful. The best way to avoid injury is to strengthen and stretch the entire joint in order to protect this very complex joint.
In Part I, I want to review the "warm-up" so to speak to prepare you for exercising your shoulders and to keep in mind while you are training other muscle groups.
- Shoulder width, Shoulder height
- Keep your hands directly under your shoulder. This applies when you are in plank position to set up for push-ups, for lower leg movement while in plank or simply holding the plank position for core strengthening.
- When you lift your arms front, side or back with weights, the dumbbells or tubing, your fist does not need to rise higher than shoulder height.
- Never take your arms straight up overhead. Instead, angle your arms forward. Ideally, do the "Arnold press" instead. (More details to follow in Part II.)
- Shoulders back and down
- It does not matter whether you are taking a class, teaching a class, sitting at your computer or driving your car, place your shoulders in your "back hip pocket". Pull both shoulders back and down. Keep your shoulders away from your ears!
- Squeeze between your shoulder blades
- Squeeze the space between your shoulder blades. You should feel as if you are holding a pencil or squeezing a little tiny pea between your shoulder blades.
Preparing to work your shoulders is just as important as the exercises themselves. Strong and supple shoulders will not only help you to build your confidence, they will help to serve you (and your tennis serve!) by adding years to your life!
P.S.
Please click here to view the video that describes this fit tip. All you need is a video function. It is "white listed" and not spam.
You Go Girl!
Resources:
www.LynneBricks.com
http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightlifting/l/blshoulders.htm
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