Shoulder SecretsbhujapidasanaSHOULDER SECRETS When approaching arm balances, it’s not unusual to go straight to a focus on the wrists. Having to bear our weight into the wrists while balancing our body weight can be an intimidating thought (especially if we don’t...
Internal Rotation: Strengthen From The Inside Out
Internal Rotation: Strengthen from the Inside Out
Shoulder Mobility
INTERNAL ROTATION: STRENGTHENING FROM THE INSIDE OUT
It’s not unusual for us to find ourselves spending too much time in a slouched position. It could be due to a job, our poor habits on our electronic devices, or difficult emotional periods. Being in this slouched position means that our shoulders are favouring internal rotation. It doesn’t mean that we should never be in this state; the anatomy of the shoulder absolutely allows for it. It’s when we are unconsciously, inactively allowing this posture to be our default that we can run into issues. This is why focused, intentional work is critical for overall shoulder health.
If shoulder internal rotation is the focus of a given practice, our approach must include more than just the internal rotators. The drills and techniques Matt provides in today’s video teach us not to leave anything behind when it comes to strength and overall mobility.
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MOVE WITH PRECISION
Prone Drill
In the first drill we get a sense of how to find greater range almost immediately. Matt cues a lift in the armpit allows the humerus to move more freely in the joint. It helps to decrease the collision of the humerus with the acromion. Here, we work on control and stability which are also essential components of mobility.
Standing Drill
This is similar to the previous drill except that of course, we are standing. What we’re also doing is working through internal rotation along with external rotation but with both arms at the same time.
Practicing these drills help to build healthy patterning of movement along with deep strengthening and stability within the joint.
WATCH THE VIDEO
INTERNAL ROTATION: STRENGTHEN FROM THE INSIDE OUT: TRANSFORMATIVE DRILLS FOR INDESTRUCTIBLE SHOULDER HEALTH
SOCK DRILLS
What’s great about these shoulder internal rotation drills is that they can be easily integrated into our regular yoga practice and/or mobility work.
The sock drills Matt demonstrates in the video will test our endurance. As far as the anatomy is concerned, the two major muscles in the rotator cuff that create internal rotation (subscapularis and teres major) will be at work, along with the front deltoid muscles, the pectoralis major, and latissimus dorsi.
We really focus on latissimus dorsi in the second drill which is essentially a prone “lat pull down”. To increase the intensity of this drill, Matt instructs us to press down with our hands firmly. Latissimus Dorsi activation really sets in when we lift the armpits. The action of lifting the armpits, we come to realize, is an important one if we want to be successful in strengthening internal rotation of the shoulders.
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SIDE ANGLE BIND OPTIONS
After preparing for optimal internal rotation of the shoulder through both strengthening and awareness of how to move, Side Angle pose with bind options really showcases the work we’ve done.
One of the key things is simply opportunity. If we set ourselves up “correctly”, then we provide ourselves with the opportunity to execute the necessary actions for success in the binding portion of this posture. The first thing is getting the shoulder under the front leg (which Matt demonstrates in a “humble warrior-like position”) in order to create enough space for the shoulder to move freely into internal rotation. This allows the arm to wrap around and for the hands to clasp/bind. What we also receive from Matt in the video, are 3 possible ways to engage with a bind. Engaging in these can be either practice or preparation. It all depends on where we are in the journey.
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THE DEEP WORK ISN’T FANCY WORK
One of the things that’s great about Chromatic yoga is that you’re provided with the right tools for the “deep work”. We may understand that we need to work on a particular aspect of our practice, like “I know I need to work on internal rotation of the shoulder joint”, but we may not know exactly what to do. There are less questions about where to start with the Chromatic yoga approach. It doesn’t mean that we have all the answers right away, but we always have a starting point for exploration and it’s always about inserting ourselves in the right spot. From there, it means there is room for potential and growth.
Matt’s next online immersion Revelation is going to give you access to a plethora of techniques along the full spectrum of your asana practice. Register today in order to deepen your practice and realize your fullest potential.
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Article by Trish Curling
Video Extracted From: Shoulder Mobility Immersion
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