Have you ever injured your rotator cuff at any point in your life?
If you haven’t, then that’s great to hear, and you should definitely appreciate the fact that you have not had to deal with that before. But if you’ve had a rotator cuff injury, then you most likely know firsthand exactly how unfortunate of an injury this is and how everything instantly becomes more painful and difficult when using your shoulder. Even the rehabilitation process can be painful at times, especially if done incorrectly or rushed.
Unless your plan is to walk around in a straitjacket or some sort of bubble wrap, you are always going to be at risk for injuries such as a rotator cuff tears by doing even some of the most simple and basic everyday activities, such as putting on your seatbelt or grabbing a plate off of a high shelf. It definitely pays to be careful and the best way to help to prevent this injury from occurring is by strengthening your muscles and having a good dosage of push and pull exercises included in your workout routine. Often times, it is usually some combination of a lack of strength and flexibility that creates the imbalance in your shoulder that ultimately creates tightness and results in a rotator cuff pain and/or injury.
A simple and regular fitness routine can be the difference between a speedy recovery for your rotator cuff or drastically lowering your chances of experiencing a rotator injury moving forward.
So if you are looking to increase your strength as well as increase your flexibility, then you are in luck because I’m going to provide you with 3 of the best rotator cuff exercises that you can do on your Total Gym FIT starting today. The following workout program should be performed 2 – 3 days per week with at least a day of recovery between workout sessions for optimal performance and results. Please remember that even though each of the following exercises are to help rehabilitate your rotator cuff, I would also highly recommend that you also do these exercises even on the non-injured arm as well for preventative purposes.
Top 3 Rotator Cuff Exercises on the Total Gym FIT
External Rotations at Neutral
Stand to the side of your Total Gym Fit and hold the handles at belly button height. Keeping your elbows in, pull the handle out to the side with one hand by squeezing your shoulder blade onto your back. With control, bring the handle back to the start position. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps in each set and as you get stronger, feel free to increase resistance by adjusting the height of the sliding seat.
External Rotation at 90 Degree Abduction
Grab the handle at about chest height. Hold the handle in one hand and raise your elbow up to the height of your shoulder. Push your shoulder blades down your back and engage your core. Pull the band so your forearm reaches towards the ceiling (stacking your wrist over your elbow) and squeeze your shoulder blade. Do your best to maintain a straight wrist throughout the entire exercise. Then slowly return the band back to the start position, and repeat. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps in each set and as you get stronger, increase resistance by adjusting the height of the sliding seat.
High To Low Rows
Start off by kneeling on the ground to the side of your Total Gym FIT with the knee opposite your injured arm. While kneeling on the ground on one knee, grab/hold the handle at shoulder height your body and lowered knee should be aligned. Rest your other hand on your raised knee or behind your back. Holding the handle tightly with your arm outstretched, pull your elbow towards your body. Keep your back straight and squeeze your shoulder blades together and down as you pull. Your body should not move or twist with your arm. Complete 3 sets of 10 reps in each set and as you get stronger, increase to greater resistance by adjusting the height of the sliding seat.
So there you have it, 3 of the best ways to increase your strength & flexibility in your rotator cuff while also decreasing your risk of injury, that you can do today! Good luck on your road building strong rotator cuffs.
Please remember that at any point if you feel pain, you should immediately stop what you’re doing and seek the advice of a professional to make sure that your form is correct and/or that you are not doing damage to your rotator cuffs.
