In this week’s edition of “Exercise of the Week,” you’re getting a 3-for-1 deal.  Sweet!  And no, it’s not a triple shot of espresso, or the 3-for-1 happy hour can you can get on Bourbon Street.  Instead, this edition is going to cover some basic scap stability exercises that most of you should already have in your routine!

The trapezius is a critical group of muscles.  They provide mobility to help you achieve full ROM in overhead activites, as well as stabilizing your scapulae to help keep your shoulder joint healthy.  Developing great motor control and strength in these muscle groups is a sure-fire way to help bulletproof your shoulders.

The Shoulder I, T, and Y are often known as the “shoulder circuit” or “scap circuit.”  The Prone I hits the lower traps, the Prone T the middle traps, and the Prone Y the upper and lower traps.

Here are the exercises for you to review:

Keep the thumbs up when you lift the arms, and focus on squeezing the shoulder blades back/together.  Keep the arms straight throughout.

Much like the Prone I, keep the thumbs up throughout.  Don’t allow the hands to drift back over the course of your set, either.  Keep them at 90 degrees to the body throughout.

Unlike the I and T, in the Prone Y you’re not thinking about pinching your shoulder blades together.  Instead, focus on driving your scapulae DOWN towards your waist.

The scap circuit is a great prehab/rehab exercise for developing motor control and endurance in your scapular stabilizers.  In all variations make sure to keep your elbows locked and drive from your scapulae.

Give it a shot and you should be very pleased with the results!

Stay strong

MR