Elevate Your Confidence Fix Your Rounded Shoulders

The 10 minute routine every high performer needs to do.

Dealing with shoulder, or neck pain that gets worst as you are working in front of the computer, or while sitting shouldn’t be a problem in this day and age.

We should know better.

We don’t.

We spend hours in a hunched, rounded and slouched posture that too often our bodies forget we have left the couch and now we need access to the full range of motion of our spine, and shoulder.

Sounds familiar?

This is just what you need.

Understanding Rounded Shoulders: Cause and Consequence

Before we go on a deep dive on the internet to figure out all the causes and consequences of rounded shoulders, and become scared about all the possible negative consequences…

I’ve pile them all up for you here, without using fear mongering language.

Causes:

• Lifestyle (acquired)

  • desk jobs

  • reading books

  • smartphone use

  • poor self-confidence

  • slouching watching tv

  • exercise selection and technique

  • mental health (depression, social anxiety, introversion, etc)

• Congenital (born with)

  • aging

  • variable bone anatomy

  • muscle and tendon stiffness

  • pathological changes to your skeleton (from illness)

Consequences:

• headaches

• decreased neck movement

• tight traps and muscles of the neck

• tight muscles around the shoulder

• neck pain/discomfort

• shoulder pain/impingement

• poor movement patterns

• poor muscle development

• neck and shoulder limited mobility

• increased risk of injury

• low self-esteem

• mental fog

As you can see, there are many causes and many consequences to rounded shoulders.

In order to avoid the consequences, we must pay attention to the causes.

The main reason we are in favor of improving shoulder position (and posture overall) is because it allows you to develop action-ready shoulders that bring a level of confidence James Bond and Bruce Wayne are known for.

No we are not talking about developing shoulders so big and round that scratching your back becomes a multi-person task.

We are talking about developing strong and robust shoulders that are ready to throw the ball with your kids, swing a golf club confidently, grapple with a bear or simply wear a suit without the need of shoulder pads.

Another reason is to improve your aging.

As you get older, your bones adapt to the most common position they spend most of their life. If you look like the hunchback of Notre Dame in your 20’s, 30’s and 40’s… I guarantee you will be dressing up as Frodo when you are north of your 50’s.

It’s no myth.

Overtime, your bones will adapt to the stressors placed upon them. The longer you spend in a slouched, and rounded shoulder position, the harder it will be to fix it as you get older.

If you go on google, you’ll find many articles claiming that poor posture can speed up joint wear and tear in your shoulders, neck, and spine. While wear and tear does happen… there’s no such thing as accelerating it. Your body simply responds to the stressors placed upon it… and it takes some time; years mostly.

A 10-Minute Routine That Works

I’ve had over 300 clients in their late 20’s and 30’s come up to me concerned about their shoulders and poor posture.

When asked why they are worried about it, the answer is usually the same:

“I want to look and feel confident, have healthy shoulders and not have pain, but there’s too much miss-information, predatory posture fixes, expensive ineffective tools and fear-mongering cookie cutter routines.”

As someone who successfully rehabilitated their own shoulder injuries, and helped over 250 athletes and high performing entrepreneurs rehab their shoulder from rotator cuff injuries, impingements and pain.

I can tell you that you don’t need extended training sessions to fix your rounded posture.

A 10-minute targeted routine done consistently will yield significant results in as little as 6-8 weeks. Obviously this depends on where you start. If you already have rounded shoulders and poor mechanics, it’s going to take you longer.

The 10-Minute AntiFragile Shoulder Routine

Now, that you understand what are the causes and consequences of rounded shoulders. I would be doing you a disservice if I didn’t tell you that it’s easier to start working on your shoulders when you are in your 20’s. But that doesn’t mean you can’t improve if you are not in your 20’s. I’ve worked with clients in their mid 30’s and 40’s and they continue to improve every week.

Let’s get down to the routine:

It’s important to keep in mind, each movement should be painless. If you have shoulder pain, they shouldn’t exacerbate it. If you try this routine and experience pain during any of the movements, it’s time for a more thorough intervention. Send me an email.

The following are the building blocks our patients at The Athlete Spot™ are introduced early on. When you become a member, you get tailored instructions and exercises to meet your needs and goals.

1. Banded pull-apart

2. Scapular plane lateral raises

3. Bent over rear delt flies

4. Door frame pec stretch

5. Bird-dog pulses

How-to:

1. Banded Pull-Apart

   1. Stand upright with a hip-width stance and grab a resistance band at shoulder width using an overhand grip.

   2. Raise your arms until they are parallel to the floor.

   3. Brace your core and pull the band apart while squeezing your shoulder blades together.

   4. Hold the peak contraction for a couple of seconds before returning to the starting position.

2. Scapular Plane Lateral Raises

   1. Stand upright with a hip-width stance and grab a light dumbbell.

   2. Brace your core and raise your arms until they are parallel to the floor at about 45-60 degrees from midline

   3. Hold the peak contraction for a 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position.

3. Bent Over Rear Delt Fly

   1. Stand with a hip-width stance and hinge 45 degrees forward at your hips (not your low back).

   2. Grab a light dumbbell or band. If you grab a band, step on the center of the band using a shoulder-width stance.

   3. Raise your arms until they are parallel to the floor.

   4. Brace your core and pull the band/raise the dumbbells while squeezing your shoulder blades together.

   5. Hold the peak contraction for a couple of seconds before returning to the starting position.

4. Door Frame Pec Stretch

   1. Stand upright with a staggered stance next to a door frame.

   2. Raise your arms to 90 degrees from your torso with the elbow bent at 90 as well. Place your elbow and forearm on the door frame.

   3. With your arm at 90 degrees from you, brace your core and lean forward allowing your torso to move in front of your shoulder and elbow.

   4. Hold the peak stretch for a couple of seconds before returning to the starting position.

5. Bird-Dog Pulses

   1. Take a quadruped position on your hands and knees, with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips.

   2. Brace your core and raise the alternate leg and arms until they are parallel to the floor.

   3. Hold the peak contraction for a couple of seconds before returning to the starting position.

   4. Switch sides, and continue alternating. Right arm with left leg, and Left arm with right leg.

   5. Avoid letting your low back sink.

Sample Session For Improved Posture

Since the rear delts and scapula are relatively smaller muscle groups, you can train them every day.

This is what a Monday session might look like in this 10-minute routine. Members enjoy of tailored exercise selection, progressive load, and 1:1 coaching for a more personal routine.

This is in addition to a well structured performance routine that is tailored to each patient.

If you have severely rounded shoulders, are facing mobility issues, or have shoulder pain become a member at The Athlete Spot™, and begin your tailored program with us.

Send me an e-mail at info@theathletespot.com, mention this post and receive 15% off your plan.

Until next time!

Dr. Kauffman

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Forward this to a friend who could use some help with their shoulders.

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This guide is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult with a qualified healthcare provider before beginning any exercise or rehabilitation program. By reading and applying the information in this guide, you acknowledge and agree that you are not a patient of The Athlete Spot™, and that no doctor-patient relationship is established.

You further agree to release and hold harmless The Athlete Spot™, its owners, and affiliates from any and all liability, loss, or risk, personal or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents of this guide.