Boulder Shoulder AGAIN!

Boulder Shoulders AGAIN!

            We’ve already discussed the importance of the shoulders, also known as the deltoids (also known as delts), because of their full rotation movement and how they take the weight of many exercises.  But they also have a whole new importance and usefulness in daily activities and more importantly physical contact sports.  The delt gives full extension to the arm and allows it to maneuver across your whole body.  In most physical sports you are either moving your arms around a lot, or you have to keep your arms in a specific position for long periods of time.  In sports like football, or track, you are constantly moving your whole arms to give yourself forward momentum and speed while running.  In sports like wrestling, boxing, and martial arts, you need to defend yourself by always keeping your hands up by your jaw or down by your legs. 

            In boxing or wrestling you need to work your shoulders in a different way than most athletes.  Most athletes work shoulders to gain mass and strength, which is perfectly fine, but for boxing and wrestling, the focus should be more towards speed and power.  For example, in boxing, you go to throw a punch, if you’ve been working your shoulders hard and heavy, your punch will most likely be slower and easier to dodge and counter.  If you’ve been working your shoulders light and high repetitions, your punching will be faster and with the right technique will be much harder.  This goes for many sports based on the quickness of your shoulders to move your arms or extend your arms.

            So in order to get the speed and strength you need in your shoulders, you need to do light weight exercises and high amounts of repetitions, and this is also a good way to add definition and tone to your muscles.  By adding less weight you are not straining the shoulder and you are not breaking down as many fibers to make them big and slow.  And also by adding higher reps to each set you are still getting a good, strong, tiring workout, like you usually would.  Also when working shoulders you want to hit all three heads of the shoulder to make sure they are strong and ready. 

            One great lift to hit all three heads in your delt, is called the anti-gravity press.  The anti-gravity press is done by bringing a bench to about a thirty degree incline.  Grab a light barbell, and lay on the bench with your stomach resting against it and your chest above the top of the bench to allow full mobility while performing this lift.  Grab the barbell and push it outward away from your body without letting it fall away from you.  Then return the bar back to your chest while still keeping it in the air.  This is a very difficult lift which is why light weight is very important.  This lift along with other basic lifts will add strength and speed to your shoulders which is essential to most sports.

            Well always remember to work your shoulders with light weight and a lot of reps to give you that speed in sports.  Remember, we’re all in this together, keep your stick on the ice.   
here is a website to show the details of what im talking about http://www.livestrong.com/article/525164-muscles-that-get-stronger-from-boxing/