Great Banded Shoulder Warm Up

Overview

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This video covers a complete banded shoulder warm up. It includes 5 different movements, each with a unique purpose and stimulus to warm up your shoulders for any upper body workout you may be doing.

This routine can also be done daily as a shoulder prehab routine or a 'movement' routine.

The band used in this video is a 0.2mm thickness band, so it is quite light. You don't need or want a big heavy band for this. It is surprisingly fatiguing when you get into rounds 2 and 3.

The Routine

3-5 rounds, 5 reps each movement

Band Pull Apart
Upward Reach
Downward Reach
Pass Through
Static external rotation

Band Pull Apart

The band pull apart is deceptively simple. Because of that, it gets disrespected.

First, don't go too fast. Keep a steady pace the entire time, roughly 1-2 seconds pulling apart and 1-2 seconds on the negative or eccentric phase of the rep.

When you're going through the negative part of the rep (meaning your hands are getting closer together), keep tension on the band. Don't bring your hands all the way together and create slack in the band.

During the pull apart, as the band approaches touching your chest, you don't need to pull apart as far as possible.

Also, don't pinch the shoulder blades together. Rather, think about pulling the band apart and reaching outward to the side.

Upward Reach - Diagonal Pull Apart

This exercises is essentially a diagonal pull apart, except you will keep your bottom hand in place the entire time and only move one arm from the center of your body upward into a 'Y' position.

This allows you to work eccentric and concentric phases in the moving arm and an isometric in the downward arm.

There is no need to go through as large of a range of motion as possible. Raise your moving arm up as high as needed so the band gently touches your chest.

Keep tension in the band the entire time.

Downward Reach - Diagonal Pull Apart

Similar to the upward reach, the downward reach is the reverse.

Instead of the down arm being the anchor point, the up arm is the anchor. It will act and be stressed isometrically.

The down arm will go through eccentric and concentric phases in a downward diagonal motion.

No need to pull the band apart as far as humanly possible. Just go as far as needed so the band touches the chest.

Doing diagonal pull aparts in this, both the upward reach and downward reach, trains isometric muscle contraction in both the upward diagonal and downward diagonal direction as well as eccentric and concentric phases in those same directions.

Pass Through

Grab the band just a little wider than shoulder width, palms facing down.

Slightly pull the band apart and then raise the band overhead, continuing backward until the band touches the backside of your body.

Then return the band up overhead to the starting position.

There should be no pain with this movement. If there is, either take it out of the routine, take a wider grip, or try to shrug up more at the top of the movement.

External Rotation Isometric

Grab the band with both hands, relatively close together, palms facing each other. You may need to fold the band for extra resistance.

Position your elbows at your sides with a 90 degree bend at the elbow.

Pull the band apart until your forearms are parallel.

Hold for the allotted time. Keep your head and neck in neutral and relaxed.

Don't pull your hands excessively far apart, just until the forearms are parallel.

Summary

In this post you learned the following:

- Band pull apart
- Upward diagonal pull apart
- Downward diagonal pull apart
- Pass through
- External rotation isometric
- Eccentric, concentric, and isometric muscle contractions
- How to prep your shoulders or the shoulders of people you work with

Need help with your shoulder mobility?

Follow our program, which will show you exactly what to do and how

LEARN MORE

Need help with your shoulder mobility?

Follow our program, which will show you exactly what to do and how

LEARN MORE

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