The shoulders are probably known as the main culprit when it comes to poor posture. Hours of being sat at a desk staring at screen all day tends to put us in a weird hunched over position, rounding our shoulders and potentially leading to back and neck pain. Couple that with loads of pressing motions in the gym and you may find that your shoulders are causing you a little bit of discomfort.
Many of the smaller muscles in the upper back are often overlooked in our training, as we tend to prioritise the larger muscles like the lats for example. However, by focusing on strengthening and stabilising the smaller muscles of the rotator cuff and upper/mid back, you can not only correct your posture but keep your shoulders healthy when it comes to moving weight in the gym. Here are a few simple exercises you can do with resistance bands and a kettlebell for either rehabilitation or simply warming up before your pressing.
Warming up is, and should be fundamental part of any, and everybody’s training, regardless of what exercises you will be performing, or even what level you are at. If we are honest, most people skip and neglect warmups because they are not deemed as “fun” or seemingly “important” as the main workout. Warming up has many benefits, from a physiological and a psychological perspective.