Thoughtful Thursday…3 exercises for healthier shoulders
Welcome to Thoughtful Thursday. This GreenNote Fitness newsletter mindfully gathers and distills useful information that is supportive to our journey. It is my mission to educate, inspire, and propel you into action that moves you towards your goals and life of purpose. Take control of your journey today.
Our modern age makes it very easy to be sedentary. Not only do we collectively sit for hours on end but our intense screen-focus is worsening our postures. Shoulders rotate inwards, necks tilt downwards, jaws protrude forwards, and our health continues to suffer.
With awareness of both strengths and weaknesses of living in a modern age, we can be better equipped to handle areas that can suffer. In this case, our posture and shoulder health.
Recently I wrote about an exercise to do for healthier and stronger shoulders. In it we discussed the importance of not only doing a pulling motion but specifically the importance of doing more rowing or pulling movements in the horizontal plane.
We will equip you with 3 exercises you can do anywhere for healthier shoulders.
Get ready!
#1. Seated resistance band low row
Sit on the floor with knees bent slightly
Grab the dual-handle resistance band that is secured with a low anchor point
With good posture, begin to pull or row the band
Initiate the pulling motion by squeezing shoulder blades together
Once band has been pulled back as far as it can go, pause for a second before gently releasing the band back to starting position
#2. Half-kneeling resistance band row
Position a resistance band slightly higher than shoulder-height
Kneel on one knee and grab the dual-handle band
Ensure good posture (shoulders back and relaxed) and brace the core
Row back, squeeze shoulder blades together
Maintain stable position even while band is pulling you toward the structure
#3. Plank single arm resistance band row
Get in a plank position on elbows
Reach forward and grab the now single-handle band (make band shorter by wrapping around structure - making more resistance)
While maintaining a stable, plank position, row back band, resist band pulling you toward the structure
Incorporate one or more of these exercises into your weekly training routine. Try three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions. Remember to keep good posture with shoulders back and neck neutral.
All three of these exercises can be performed at home. You do not need to do this in a gym. We used one piece of equipment - band with handles - and securely attached it to a structure. Bands are great exercise tools and should be in your fitness tool-kit. They are light-weight, easy to travel with, don’t require much space, and are affordable.
Modern-age living requires being mindful. Begin today by keeping your shoulders healthy.
Enjoy your journey,
Lisa Schaffer
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Did you miss last week’s newsletter on 5 benefits from my early morning walk…?
