The Absolute BEST Rotator Cuff Stretch!!

The “rotator cuff” is made up by the tendons of four different muscles (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor and Subscapularis) that merge with some connective tissue to form a capsule around the shoulder joint. (See Image 1 below)

The shoulder is by far the most commonly injured joint amount weightlifters… and the vast majority of those injuries involve the rotator cuff! In fact, studies suggest that at any point in time, around 22% of the word’s population has some degree of rotator cuff tears!! And while there are hundreds of different exercises you can (and should!) do to strengthen the rotator cuff, it’s equally as important to stretch the rotator cuff tendons to prevent injury! Having a flexible rotator cuff will also greatly increase your range of motion (more than anything else will).

However, the rotator cuff is notoriously difficult to stretch, and the majority of people don’t know how to effectively do it. So today I’m going to give you my #1 best rotator cuff stretch!! (Taken from the Gains Without Pains Total Shoulder Program) To perform it you’ll need to grab a long and thin pole-like object, such as a broom handle or golf club, and then do the following:

Step 1) Grab one end with your thumb pointing down
Step 2) Raise your arm out to 90° either directly out to your side OR directly out in front of you with your elbow bent, and let the object hang down behind your arm so that it’s sitting midway between your shoulder and elbow.
Step 3) Pull forward on the bottom of the object with the opposite hand!

Don’t be over-aggressive at the beginning, or you’ll actually injure your rotator cuff rather than prevent injury! Start out with a moderate stretch and gradually work your way up! 👊

Relevant Research Article(s):     
      1) Prevalence of symptomatic and asymptomatic rotator cuff tears in the general population: From mass-screening in one village
      2) Manual therapy and exercise for rotator cuff disease

Related Dr. Gains YouTube Video(s):   
      1) Lifting With Shoulder Pain / Injury? This 10-Week Science-Based Program Will Change Your Life!
      2) Why is Shoulder Pain in Lifting So Common??? (Principle of Internal & External Rotation Explained)
      3) EVERYTHING You NEED to Know BEFORE Working Shoulders! (Part 1)