Get a group of mountain bikers together and a lot of them probably have or have had some sort of shoulder issue. From overuse injuries due to hours in the saddle with bad posture to impact injuries from crashes, the shoulders are a sensitive area that takes a lot of abuse in our sport. Fortunately, you can use a smart training approach to both rehab back bad shoulders and create bulletproof shoulders to guard against a future injury.
To best do this you need a 3 pronged attack:
1 - Mobilize: You first need to make sure that the upper back and shoulders are mobile enough to get into the right position in the first place. Hours spent hunched over in our daily lives and when riding results in some muscles getting "locked long", which means that they literally can not shorten enough to allow the shoulders to get back into a good position. Foam rolling the upper back and lats along with a T-Spine mobilization drill done with the foam roller are some of the best ways to address this problem.
2 - Pattern: Once you have established proper mobility you need to train the shoulders to move properly. The basic idea is the get the shoulder blades to pull back and down so that they can help stabilize the shoulders. If your shoulder blades move up and out then your shoulders get pulled into a bad position and are much more likely to get hurt. A corrective exercise like the Reach-Roll-Lift is a great way to re-pattern how the shoulder moves and help ensure that your shoulders stay strong and stable.
3 - Strengthen: Now that your shoulders have adequate mobility and proper movement has been patterned it is time to get them strong. Shoulder strength comes from a strong upper back stabilizing the shoulder blades and an understanding of how pressing comes from a forceful lockout of the elbow. Two of the best exercises for this purpose are the Quarter Get Up and the Single Arm Shoulder Press.
In this video I demonstrate how to do these exercises:
A good place to start with these exercise would be to do a program like this once or twice a week:
- Foam Rolling: 10-15 strokes along the upper back and both lats
- T-Spine Mobilization Drill: 10 reps
- Reach-Roll-Lift: 5 reps each arm
- Quarter Get Up: 5 reps each arm X 2 sets
- Single Arm Shoulder Press: 5 reps each arm X 3 sets
Shoulders that have adequate mobility, stability and strength are much less likely to get hurt and, if they do get hurt, are going to heal up much move quickly. What's more, getting your shoulders into the right position will also help with your overall body position and balance on the trail - bad shoulder position will make it hard to achieve the butt back-chest down posture needed for proper body position as demonstrated in the
Body Position Clinic I posted a few months back.
This is another example of why strength training is a must for mountain bikers - no amount of riding can help create bulletproof shoulders. In fact, a lot of riding will actually help create the bad posture that can increase the chance of them getting hurt. If you're serious about staying on the trial and off the couch rehabbing an injury then you need address this sensitive area.
MTB Strength Training Systems is the world leader in integrated performance training programs for the unique demands of mountain biking. As the strength and conditioning coach for the Yeti World Cup Team and 3 National Championships, his programs have been proven at the highest levels. As a regular contributor to several popular magazines and websites, James has helped thousands of riders just like you improve their speed, endurance and skills on the trail. Visit
www.bikejames.com to sign up for the free Trail Rider Fundamentals Video Mini-Course.
All functional training really is is an appreciation for the quality of a movement before you look at the quantity. Getting strong is a huge part of the equation but not all strength is created equal. You can have massive dysfunction in the shoulders and still be "strong", however you can only pile fitness on top of dysfunction for so long before something breaks down. If you look at top lifters they have perfect form, if you look at your average gym rat they have pretty crappy form. All these exercises do is give you the tools to fix how you move so that you can keep moving at a high level for many years to come.
I can easily press two 24 kg kettle bells for reps and do a Turkish Get Up with 90+ pounds so I'm far from an advocate for pink dumbbells and bands. If you want to write these exercises off then fine but I know from personal experience that "how" you move is much more important than "how much" you move. Move well, then get strong and move often. Ignore that advice at your own peril as I've learned the hard way.
Every video that James has provided will help you gain functional strength, increase your mobility, and most importantly, assist in keeping you injury free. These are things that should be important to every rider.
FORM is MUCH more important than quantity of reps or weight no matter what you are doing (Quality > Quantity). It takes a tremendous effort to get even just "very good" form before starting the process of adding reps or weight. Perfecting form is an on going process that never stops.
Chances are if you are one of those people who think they have "good" form, your form actually sucks. You should seek help from a personal trainer at your gym no matter where you think you stand.
Killer (in every sense)... :-/
it'll definitely be part of my routines from now on. I just can't believe how locked up my shoulders are. No wonder I'm feeling o miserable as the season is progressing....
Keep up the great job
Ciao
Paul
This shit in the article is like the yoga of the M/A world.
Buy a curling bar for 40$, some oly weights, and just do the normal workouts. None of this pansy shit. This is 100% gimmick in the article and won't do a damn thing. or hey, it will do something in 150% of the time normal weights could do it.
Negative prop me if you want, but take it from someone that has had the most severe shoulder, neck, and collarbone injuries, not some douche that obviously hasn't spend more than a combined 3 years in casts, splints, and slings from injuries.
And kev, nice Sarcasm. I've probably seen more injuries than you, and learned how to prevent them in my 15+ years of competitive bike racing. I have also been shot, and stabbed... so tough guy... yea... much more than 99% of mountain bikers are.
Weight lifting is where it's at. If your over 18, you better be lifting, just like the MX guys, just like the pro DH guys. If your say 12-15, lift weights, but look around for specific regimens for your age.
And yes, I'm one of those guys that has been heavily MIA from PB due to all the absolute dip wads on PB. This site makes me cringe 99% of the time due to the idiots that troll it in comments.
Fact is rffr, seems like you probably know stuff about the sport but not a lot about the internet. You could be 6'2" in real life, but online your a wall of text about 1/10th the height of my computer screen. You can probably intimidate people you meet in person and they listen to what you say because of it, but on the net you are an anomymous keyboard jockey.
Kev wasn't the first to start with the overly agressive comments, you began with an attack on the original video. If you had simply stated your view in a more neutral manner I'm sure kev wouldn't have reacted the way he did.
And yes, you have a good point. I was a little harsh about the video and article, and should have put it in more of a constructive manner. The issue is, many of the articles are basically "rehab" ordeals, and it tends to really rub me as a bad influence (just like mainstream media does) so I lashed out a bit.
You had the calm and thought through type of post I normally have. I guess my patience on PB was at 0 tonite after seeing pointless flame war after flame war. The specific ordeal that drove me away from here.
But anyways cheers mate!
I use a "Theraband" to strengthen the rotator cuffs - its a very subtle action, and then use free weights (dumbells) to strengthen my shoulders, and an NSD powerball for overall conditioning with no impacts
its all about balancing, surely? just pressing weights without strengthening the rotator cuffs will lead to easy dislocation from a huge imbalance
So really it's not fair to say this one's shit, different things work for different people in different situations.
You are that guy, genius.
A: To keep all parties happy, let's say it is debatable.
Q: Are James exercises better than doing nothing?
A: Yes, and there is no debate about that.
What I am trying to point out is that this article is all about the perspective of the reader. Most people just ride, and that is not enough, especially as you get older and recover from injuries. My physio prescribed exercises similar to these and that is why I am still pinning it at almost 40 years of age and after a torn ACL and cracked head of humerus all the way through.
If performed correctly, something is better than nothing.
So really it's not fair to say this one's shit, different things work for different people in different situations."
Body building isn't all about massive weights. You do ALL kinds of workouts in body building. From weight balls, to cardio, to pushups, pullups, lunges etc. You use weights to help your ligaments and tendons. Body building revolves around the "Complete" workout of your body, and not just "getting big muscles".
Guys comparing "dicks" seems awfully homo to me.
But I'm always down to play some DH road rash with chains and bats to prove who has the most heart.
Between your analogy, and your life isn't that bad comment, I'm scratching my head to figure out how that made any sense. Some people obviously need to be wearing DOT helmets when they ride..
ha, ha 'Road Rash'... the only Megadrive game I never clocked.
@rffr, why don't you get your thumb out of your ass, and stop being a weenie... If you're so intellectual in the following applications, go make your own video. To be honest, I think the body building fact got to your head, so you're just looking to bitch about anything that doesn't meet your standard...
Don't forget to wash that thumb....
So A+ eh? Does that mean if I contributed to this argument say 30 days ago, I would have gotten a better grade? Dam... To bad.
At 44 years of age, I guess I'm lucky to even recover this quickly so far. What you mention about the shoulder blades is 100% correct. Thanks for the video, it's exactly what I have been looking for. Hopefully I'll be able to ride before the end of the season.
Its better to train the stabilizers in terms of their recruitment during certain movements (motor patterns). Your rotater cuffs and scapula stabilizers are more important. Its okay to train the prime movers, but they alone wont prevent injury.
So ignore the get huge advice.
Body building means building your body. I didn't say become a competition body builder, in which size is the means, I said lift weights and get strong. Lower weight, more reps produces leaner stronger muscle. Low rep and high weight gives massive size.
Stabilizers get trained from free weights, not from "specific exercises". If you use free weights, your training and strengthening your stabilizer muscles more than doing rehab exercises like in this article.
If you want to debate, and tell someone not to listen to someone, at least have the slightest clue what your talking about before hand...
btw, there is more people agreeing with me than disagreeing with me if you haven't noticed...
Stabilizers can be trained with free weights but only if the person executes a good motor pattern. This will happen more when you perform a movement based exercise (ie: deadlift, cleans etc) which very few perform properly. These are functional exercises and not bodybuilding.
Performing a body builder exercise often isolates a prime mover, and doesnt train that muscle in a functional movement- which requires the recruitment of many stabilizers locally and furthur up or down the kinetic chain. Thus your training shitty patterns and actually grooving a movement pattern that will recruit less stabilizers. So when your doing a functional task like sporting, your gonna have this shitty pattern that ignores stability and renders you injury prone.
But in the case of the shoulder, theres maybe some exercises that recruit all the stabilizers needed. But even those who tax their shoulders the most, baseball pitches (elite ones, not weekend warriors) spend a ton of time on RTC and scapular stabilization.
"Stabilizers get trained from free weights, not from "specific exercises". If you use free weights, your training and strengthening your stabilizer muscles more than doing rehab exercises like in this article."
- Alright then- in the case of this article we are discussing shoulder rehab or prehab. Tell me a body builder exercise that will train your scapular stabilizers when treating or preventing a labral issue, dislocation, or impingement?
And this isnt a popularity contest, so I dont care if 90% of people agree with you. Im certain that those who are educated on the topic will disagree with you.
Stop trying to debate and just admit you really have no idea what your talking about.
Clearly you are the guru of this feild becuase you imply it. So everyone, ignore what bike james is teaching and go body build! beacuase rffr said so.
Ill do the same, Ill treat my shoulder patients with shoulder press, ill take your advice and tell them to shoulder press the shit out of things!
Im done debating with you, your not objective, you try to belittle your opponent with insults. And if you decide to have any objective arguements, theres enough written in my bigger paragraph above to rebuttle any arguement you will have.
"Ill treat my shoulder patients with shoulder press". I'm not talking about rehab. I'm talking about preventative work. If you actually read what I've been saying throughout all my posts on this page, the stuff in THIS VIDEO is REHAB stuff. Lifting a lot of weights is NOT rehab work.
This convo is actually pretty pointless due to the lack of comprehension from a supposed very educated person. Good day.