The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles and their associating tendons that stabilizes the shoulder joint and assists other muscles in the back and shoulders to move the shoulder in various directions. Because this muscle group is prone to injury, you can use kettlebells to strengthen your rotator cuffs as well as improving their stability which keeps your shoulder joints in place.
Benefits
Kettlebell training allows you to train circular motions and momentum that you cannot easily train with traditional free weights, such as dumbbells and barbells. Such movement patterns require great stability in your rotator cuffs to keep your shoulders in place to avoid dislocation, tearing in the tendons, and other injuries, says fitness professional Brett Jones, co-author of "Kettlebells from the Ground Up." Since most exercises are performed with one kettlebell instead of two, this method can determine if one shoulder is more stable than the other.
Kettlebell Swings
Kettlebell swings are one of the basic movement patterns in kettlebell training to develop strong hips, back and shoulders. You use your buttocks and legs to initiate force and your abdominal muscles to control the movement as your rotator cuffs and other muscles in your shoulders and arms keep your arms and shoulders in place as you swing. Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart, and hold a 30-lb. kettlebell with both hands. Let your arms hang down in front of your body so that the kettlebell is hanging by your groin. Bend your torso forward at your waist and bend your legs slightly. As you do so, swing the kettlebell lightly between your legs to initiate the momentum. Then exhale and push your hips forward, swinging the kettlebell in front of you in an arc until your arms are parallel to the ground. Do not round your back as you swing. Repeat the exercise as fast as you can for three sets of 20 swings. You can also do this exercise with one hand.
Kettlebell Overhead Walk
Holding a kettlebell over your head increases stabilization strength in your shoulders as well as your spine, abs and hips as you walk. This can reduce your risk of muscle and tendon tears and allow you to lift or swing a heavier weight with increased stability, says Jones. Stand with your legs about shoulder-width apart, and hold a 30-lb. kettlebell near your shoulders with your right hand. Keep your elbow close to your body. Bend your legs slightly to initiate force. As you quickly straighten them, press the kettlebell over your head. Use your legs and hips to do most of the lifting. Then walk in a straight line for about 20 to 30 paces while holding the kettlebell over your head. Turn around and walk back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise with your left hand.
Warning
Since the kettlebell's center of gravity is about 6 to 8 inches below your grip, this makes kettlebell exercises difficult to control compared to training with a dumbbell or barbell. Kettlebell training can cause serious injury to your rotator cuffs and other parts of the body if you are unfamiliar with this type of training and do it with poor techniques. Pavel Tsatsouline, founder of Russian Kettlebell Certification and author of "Enter the Kettlebell," highly recommends that you work with a kettlebell instructor or a qualified exercise professional before attempting any kettlebell exercises on your own.
References
- "Kettlebells From the Ground Up"; Gray Cook and Brett Jones; 2010
- "Enter the Kettlebell"; Pavel Tsatsouline; 2006
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