Recently I have had the opportunity to do a couple of training videos with the team at Macleay Valley Martial Arts (MVMA) on exercises that can help athletes with shoulder impingement, shoulder pain, and increasing their Range of Motion (ROM).

MVMA is a locally run business here in the Macleay Valley. They offer a range of activities such as Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, kickboxing for both kids and adults, as well as yoga and primary holistic movement classes. The training at MVMA places emphasis on the development of the student. As such, respect is the foundation of the mat culture. It is important to have respect for yourself, fellow students and teammates as well as for the club.  

The key benefits of the exercises discussed in the video below are to increase one’s ROM within the Glenohumeral (GH)/shoulder joint. These exercises are great at targeting some of the internal and external rotators within the rotator cuff. In this video, we chose to show the Infraspinatus and Subscapularis as they are two of the four muscles which make up the rotator cuff.

The exercises demonstrated are not limited to those who do martial arts. They are great for other activities and sports that involve extensive use of the shoulders and rotator cuffs. For example, surfing, baseball, basketball, tennis and swimming which can expose your shoulders to a greater risk of potential injuries.

It is important to note that when you are performing these exercises, you should always go at your own pace. Listen to your body. If engaging with a certain technique is uncomfortable or brings you too much pain, I suggest easing off. It is essential that when partaking in these exercises you do so safely and in a controlled manner.

Many mullets and Mahalos,

Dr Lloyd Mather