We’ve discussed this before, but dancers are more likely to be hypermobile than other athletes. This hypermobility can lead to instability in the joints. Shoulder instability in particular can lead to all kinds of problems, like spasms and even tears.
That said, there are tons of exercises that can stabilize our shoulders to minimize pain, clicking, and even prevent injury.
So, we’ve compiled a list of our 6 favorite moves you can practice to improve your shoulder stability.
Let’s dive in.
Internal External Shoulder Rotation
This internal/external shoulder rotation exercise can be done in sets of three for people with cranky shoulders.
However, it can (and should) be incorporated into your upper body day warm-up. This will ensure your back muscles are “on” and ready to support your shoulders when attempting overhead lifts, lat raises, and more! This is especially important if you are prone to shoulder instability.
To perform this move:
For external shoulder rotation, stand with your body perpendicular to the door or pole. Then, grab the band with the hand farthest away from the door.
Once the band is in your hand, do a body check. Roll your shoulders back and engage your lets by gently pulling your shoulder blades together.
Making sure your elbow remains glued to your side, pull the band away from the door with your palm facing up. (If you have trouble with this place a towel between your elbow and your side and don’t let it drop throughout the entire exercise!)
To perform internal shoulder rotation simply flip your body 180 degrees so you’re facing the opposite direction.
Keep the resistance band in the same hand – so now the band should be in the hand closest to the door.
Again, keeping the elbow glued to your side and your palm facing up, pull the band away from the door toward your opposite hip.
Beware! Internal rotation makes it much more challenging to prevent your shoulder from rolling forward – keep those lats engaged and shoulders back!
Banded Spider Crawls
Spider crawls strengthen the muscles in your shoulders, prepping them to stabilize a lift. This keeps you safe while lifting overhead, crushing your load goals, or even when doing inversions in yoga or dance classes.
All you need is a small looped resistance band (with light resistance) and a wall!
To perform:
To perform the spider crawl, loop your small, light-weight, resistance band around your wrists and face a wall so your fingertips can touch it.
Lift your arms so they are even with your shoulders width-wise and at the height of your belly button.
Now, engage your shoulders and lats. Keeping your shoulders down, slowly crawl your hands up the wall (yes, like a spider!).
Keep the resistance on the band all the way up and all the way back down. Up and down like this is “one rep.”
Scapula “push-ups”
This is one of my favorite exercises for people prone to shoulder instability. Scapula Push-ups have been scientifically shown to prevent shoulder injury and reduce shoulder pain. This exercise is also scalable, so you can tailor it to your skill and strength level. (Though, we recommend starting off with the basics!)
To perform:
For the baseline version of scapular push-ups get on all fours. In this position, let your shoulders roll back and brace your core.
From here, keep your shoulders in place, and let your body “sink” down toward the floor. Then, push back up so your back is even with your shoulders again. Perform 8-10 reps of these before resting – trust me, it’s harder than it sounds!
If this is too easy for you, step your feet out and perform this shoulder shift push-up from a plank position. Especially in this plank position, be sure to keep your core engaged!
Plank With Arm Lift
Sometimes referred to as a “static push-up” with arm reach, this move trains shoulder stability. It’s an especially good practice for athletes who struggle with hyper-mobile shoulders.
To perform:
Get into a high plank position. Remember, brace your core and let your shoulder blades roll gently down your back.
Once in this position, reach one arm forward, lifting it as high as you can while keeping your shoulders stable. Let this move be slow and controlled as you raise the arm up and down. Be careful not to “sink” into your stabilizing shoulder. Instead, continue to push up and out of the floor with the stabilizing arm.
Ideally, you’d perform 6-10 reps per side.
Wall Angles
Wall angles help with shoulder mobility by strengthening the serratus anterior through the overhead plane.
You can do this move standing or, for an added challenge, while in a wall sit.
To perform:
Press your back against the wall, with your core engaged.
Lift your arms against the wall in a goal-post position so your elbows are in line with your shoulders and your hands up toward the ceiling.
From here, slide your arms up as high as you can without removing your back, shoulders, or arms from the wall.
Perform these wall angle slides slowly, noticing where you feel resistance.
Bottoms up Hold:
This bottoms-up hold is Coach Amber’s favorite move for shoulder stability.
Choose a light to medium kettlebell weight for this exercise.
Hold the kettlebell by the handle and lift your arm into a neutral position (elbow in front of and in line with shoulder, with fist toward the ceiling.)
Keep the bulb of the kettlebell stacked vertically above your fist! (don’t let it rest against your wrist.)
Hold here for 30 seconds, or as long as you can.
And there you have it, our five favorite moves to improve shoulder instability. Incorporate these into your warm-ups and see how your lifts, inversions, and posture changes! Which move will you start with?
Interested in more injury prevention, training tips, and fitness topics? Check out these fan favorites on the blog: Injury Recovery 101: The Do’s and Don’ts for Getting Back on the Stage Faster, Stability Burn: A Dumbbell Workout, Sleep Hygiene: What Is It and Why It’s Important
