Shoulder Workouts for the Rotator Cuff

The rotator cuff stabilizes and steers the head of the humerus (upper arm) to provide for smooth arm motion.

First let’s take a look at the four muscles of the rotator cuff:

1. Subscapularis – Located on the inferior or the lower edge of the front of the scapula and inserts on the lesser head of the humerus (upper arm), which helps to internally rotate the arm.

2. Infraspinatus – Located on the back side and inferior or lower edge of the scapula and inserts on the upper head of the humerus, which helps to externally rotate the arm.

3. Supraspinatus – Located on the back side and upper edge of the scapula and inserts on the upper head of the humerus, which abducts or raises the arm over head.

4. Teres Minor – Located on the back inferior outside edge of the scapula that inserts on the upper head of the humerus, which externally rotates the arm.

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Now let’s consider shoulder workouts for these shoulder muscle groups:

A. Subscapularis – Internal rotation can be accomplished by using lightweight dumbbells.

Position: Using a light 3-5 pound dumbbell, lying on your back with your arm bent at a 90-degree angle and elbow tucked at waist with towel between.

Action: Pull the dumbbell across the body at about navel height feeling the muscles of the front of the shoulder working.

Repeat 8-10 repetitions to start with.

B. Infraspinatus and Teres Minor – External rotation can be accomplished by using a stretch band.

Position: Sitting or standing with a light to medium tension stretch band, palms face up and elbows pulled into your waist with a towel squeezed there to open the subacromial space.

Action: Draw your hands apart opening the chest and feeling the shoulder blades draw in toward the spine.

Repeat this exercise for 8-10 repetitions holding the end stretch for about 2 seconds.

C. Supraspinatus – Abduction can be accomplished by raising the arm overhead. The arm slide is a very effective and low stress exercise for an injured rotator cuff muscle.

Position: Lying face down on the edge of a bench or table with one arm hanging off and head turned away from working arm.

Action: Slide arm up to 120-degree angle over head. Palm can be facing down or toward you, do what’s most comfortable for you.

Repeat for 8-12 repetitions. 1-5 pound dumbbell recommended.

Find out more about how to strengthen the rotator cuff for stronger shoulders here.

Shoulder workouts that include other major muscles that act at the shoulder to strengthen and stabilize:

1. Pectoralis Major – Otherwise known as the “Pecs” or the chest muscles function at the shoulder to flex, adduct, and internal rotation.

Exercises that help to strengthen this muscle group is the push up, bench press, pull-ups, and climbing a rope.

2. Deltoids – The big round muscles found at the front, side, and back of the shoulder. Because they surround the whole shoulder they work the arm in all movements. Abduct the arm or move it overhead, flexion, internal rotation, extension, and external rotation.

Shoulder workouts include exercises that help to strengthen this muscle group and are similar to the exercises for the pectoralis major as well as the lateral butterfly (abduction exercises with dumbbells).

3. Latissimus Dorsi – Runs along the back; lower 6 thoracic vertebrae and all along the lumbar vertebrae. Functions to extend, adduct, and internal rotation of the shoulder.

Exercises to strengthen this muscle group is chin-ups, rope climbing, dips on parallel bars, rowing, any pulling of the arms down against resistance, and “lat” pulls on an exercise machine.