The rotator cuff muscles are not "show" muscles. These are small, functional muscles hidden deep inside the shoulder joint that are susceptible to strain and injury. Performing exercises for the rotator cuff muscles strengthens them, reducing your risk of injury. But if you use too much weight, you could cause injury.
Identification
Rotator cuff muscles aren't visible on the exterior of your body. They are four small muscles within the shoulder joint: the supraspinatus, subscapularis, infraspinatus and teres minor. Each muscle attaches to the scapula on one end and the humerus, or upper arm bone, on the other end. However, they attach at different places on the bones, and each assist in different shoulder movements.
Function
All four rotator cuff muscles help stabilize the shoulder joint, but each muscle also articulates the shoulder in a specific movement. The supraspinatus assists in shoulder abduction, lifting your arm to your side. The subscapularis is involved in internal rotation, pulling your forearm across your body with your upper arm locked at your side. The infraspinatus and teres minor are involved in external rotation, or pulling your forearm away from your body; transverse abduction, or pulling your arm away from the midline of your body as in a reverse fly; and transverse extension, or moving the upper arm away from the chest with your elbows flared out to the sides.
Exercises
Lie on a mat on your left side and hold a light dumbbell in your right hand. Position your upper arm against your right side and lock it in this position. Start with your forearm lying across your stomach. Pull up the dumbbell until your forearm is parallel with the floor. Lie on a mat on your right side, your upper arm under your body. Holding a light dumbbell in your right hand, pull your forearm off the floor and across your body.
Weight
The purpose of doing rotator cuff exercises is to strengthen these muscles so they can properly stabilize the shoulder joint and reduce the risk of injury during heavy shoulder movements, such as overhead presses. Do not use heavy weights on rotator cuff exercises or you could injure your rotator cuff muscles. Use a light dumbbell so you can do at least 20 repetitions before fatiguing the muscle. If you can complete 30 repetitions easily, increase the weight. A typical weight for a rotator cuff exercise is between 1 lb. and 5 lbs.
Member Comments