Anyone who’s spent time in the weight room knows how vulnerable the shoulders can be. This isn’t to downplay other areas prone to injury like the lower back or knees, but the shoulder deserves special attention. Training around or trying to fix a sore shoulder can be frustrating and fussy. There are many factors to consider: exercise selection and technique, posture, scapular motion (upward vs. downward rotation), soft-tissue health, and breathing patterns.
I respect coaches who dig deep to get at the root of shoulder pain. Yet sometimes we get a little too clever with our explanations. One coach blames the pain on the left big toe’s lack of ankle dorsiflexion; another says the diaphragm is being shut off by the posterior mediastinum; another says the issue is not back squatting enough; and some jokes imply the problem is something random like what you’re wearing. I’ve heard plenty of odd theories from clients about what drives their shoulder woes. This tendency feeds what I call overcorrective exerciseitis.
Two common camps emerge. Camp 1 hands out long lists of “corrective” exercises that take forever to finish. Camp 2 prescribes or performs already-redundant, almost silly exercises. Stop overcorrective exerciseitis. I’m not anti-corrective work—there is a time and place for motor control, activation, and better positioning. A useful reminder: doing things correctly can be corrective. For example, avoiding excessive anterior glide of the humerus during pushes and rows can be a game changer for shoulder health. Dr. Quinn Henoch also pointed out that the real fix for many trainees may be simply adjusting training volume—doing too much of one thing and too little of another.
When shoulders hurt, I find that many people need less bench pressing and more work for the posterior cuff and upper back, along with solid scapular stability. Rather than dragging out long warm-up drills that people won’t do on their own anyway, I prefer to weave most of the corrective work into the actual program. That way it feels like normal training and I come across as someone who truly helps.
On bench pressing, there’s more to cover, and it could be a future topic. For now, here are two drills I like to use as finishers after sets of squats, deadlifts, or bench work. They’re a simple way to add volume to areas that often don’t get enough attention.
1) Band reverse flye walkout. Attach a band behind you and walk back while resisting the band. This lights up the rhomboids, the posterior cuff, and the scapular stabilizers. Keep the shoulder blades depressed and pulled together; avoid shrugging. It’s most effective with about 5–10 reps per set.
2) Rack iso shoulder holds. Start with 10-second holds at each position and work up to 20–30 seconds per hold, depending on how hard you want to push. This drill has challenged even very strong athletes and is humbling in a good way.
That’s it. Integrate these two drills into workouts now and then, and you’ll likely notice your shoulders feeling better. Do it. And maybe skip kipping pull-ups for now if shoulder health is your goal.
