05/30/2026
Shoulder pain when lifting, pressing, or sleeping on your side? 👀
A lot of the time, the issue isn’t just “tightness.”
It’s often a lack of shoulder stability, rotator cuff strength, and scapular control.
Your shoulder doesn’t work by itself. It relies on the rotator cuff, upper back, and shoulder blade muscles to create a strong foundation for movement.
Here are 3 exercises I frequently use with athletes and active adults to improve shoulder strength, stability, and mechanics:
1. Rows
Rows help strengthen the upper back and improve scapular positioning. Strong scapular stabilizers create a better foundation for overhead movement and help reduce unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint.
2. Banded Serratus Scoops
The serratus anterior is one of the most overlooked muscles in shoulder rehab and performance. This exercise helps improve upward rotation and control of the shoulder blade, which is huge for pain-free pressing and overhead movement.
3. Bilateral Banded Shoulder External Rotation
This targets the rotator cuff directly, especially the muscles responsible for stabilizing the shoulder during lifting, throwing, reaching, and pressing activities.
The takeaway:
Your shoulders don’t just need mobility.
They need strength, stability, and control too.
Save this post and add these into your upper body days 💪
Need help figuring out why your shoulder keeps bothering you?
Send me a message with the word SHOULDER and we’ll point you in the right direction.
