5 Unique Exercises For Shoulder Health

Healthy shoulders matter. If you follow me and my work, you’ll notice how I talk a lot about shoulder and scapular stability, and shoulder and scapular controlled mobility. When I refer to shoulder and scapular stability, these parts should remain in a fixed position. Conversely, when I refer to controlled mobility, these parts are moving, and you must be able to control this movement.

This week I am sharing 5 innovative exercises that help improve the health of the shoulders. Most of these exercise involve improving shoulder and scapular stability. Aside from exercise #5, there are obviously more basic exercises you can do.

Without further ado, here are 5 unique exercises you might not have seen before.

#1) Negative 1.5 Rep Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats With Overhead Barbell + Hanging Kettlebells

This extremely advanced exercise develops shoulder and scapular stability, lumbo-pelvic stability, and to some degree, lower body strength. The unstable nature of the hanging kettlebells demands a significant degree of shoulder and scapular stability. This is by far one of the toughest exercises I’ve ever done.

#2) Band Suspended Single Arm Plank + Opposite Shoulder Touches

This extremely advanced exercise develops shoulder and scapular stability and lumbo-pelvic stability. If you are performing this exercise correctly, aside from the arm that is performing the shoulder touches, the rest of your body should remain in a fixed position.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to heels. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, ribs to flare, torso or hips to rotate, or weight to shift from foot to foot. This can reflect a lack of lumbo-pelvic stability. I suspended the band from a ring, but you can hang it from anywhere.

#3) Single Arm Scapula Push-Up From Bird Dog Position

This scapula push-up variation develops shoulder and scapular stability and lumbo-pelvic stability. Perform the push-up by retracting your shoulder blade (move it in towards your spine). Once you hit your end range, protract your shoulder (move it away from your spine) and press your body away from the floor.

For the duration of the exercise, your body should remain in a straight line from your head to heel, and your arm should remain roughly parallel to the floor. Do not allow your lower back to hyperextend, rib cage to flare, or your torso or hips to rotate.

#4) Reverse Lunges With Overhead Barbell + Hanging Kettlebells

This extremely advanced lunging variation develops shoulder and scapular stability, lumbo-pelvic stability, and to some degree, lower body strength. The unstable nature of the hanging kettlebells demands a significant degree of shoulder and scapular stability. This is by far one of the toughest exercises I’ve ever done.

#5) Band Resisted Scapular Retraction/Protraction

This basic exercise strengthens the muscles that control the movement of the shoulder and shoulder blades. While technically this exercise would be considered controlled mobility as the shoulder blades are moving, I am using it this week’s feature.

This exercise is pretty simple. Use the muscles around the shoulder blades and draw the shoulder blades in towards the spine (retract). When you do this your arms should move apart. Now perform the reverse movement and move the shoulder blades away from the spine. When you do this your arms should return to the starting position.

Keep tension in the band for 100% of the movement, and keep your arms relaxed so they do not take over the movement.

Bonus Exercise: Multidirectional Band Resisted Taps For Scapula From Handstand Position

While this is NOT one of the 5 exercises, and I was just experimenting, it is awesome for developing shoulder and scapular stability on the side that is planted, and controlled mobility on the side that is moving.

The toughest part of this exercise is keeping the head, torso, hips, and legs in a stacked position, and not falling to one side (usually the side of the planted arm). This exercise is massively anti-lateral flexion in nature.