[cleveryoutube video=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F67aJT3YIaY” vidstyle=”1″ pic=”” afterpic=”” width=”” starttime=”” endtime=”” caption=”” showexpander=”off” alignment=”center” newser=””]
Back in the day I used to suffer from what I like to call FSS (Flimsy Shoulder Syndrome)
Pretty much all through high school my shoulder integrity was horrible. I always felt the weakness in my shoulders. Especially while doing exercises like the Over Head Press and Dips (I used to hate doing dips cause they would always point out the flimsiness in my shoulders. Believe it or not it was even hard doing body weight dips. So I stupidly decided to avoid them).
That was until my first year at community college. I studied Exercise Science and luckily the director of the exercise science department was friends with the strength coach at my old high school, Coach Mckenna
He offered everyone that was taking ES as a major a deal on the next certification Coach Mckenna was hold at the Irish Strength Club weight room at my high school.
I took advantage of this and reserved my spot right away. This was a cert on using alternative tools for training, like kettle bells, huge ass tires, sleds etc.
Luckily for me I’ve was training like that all through high school at the exact weight room this was being held at.
But this exact day Coach Mckenna taught us a routine that changed my FSS forever. It was so simple yet so effective, that right after the first workout with this method I felt a huge difference in the stability of my shoulders. I knew I was gonna use this for the rest of my life.
After the 2 day certification was over I went to Home Depot and bought a 6’1, one inch PVC pipe, which literally cost me a dollar and some change.
I took the PVC pipe and I would go through the routine 3 times a week.
Holding the contracted position for 3 to 5 seconds
As the strength and stability in my shoulders improved I would increase the time but no matter what I would always do 3 to 5 sets.
Fast forward 3 years and I’m here now able to do dips with 45 pounds plates attached to my belt. My shoulder stability and strength are far beyond what I could have ever imagined. Personally I thought I would always have flimsy shoulders.
But I was lucky enough to take that cert and learn from Coach McKenna exactly how to improve my flimsy shoulder syndrome.
Thanks Coach
So if you’re interested in adding this PVC workout into your training to get rid of your FSS then keep these things in mind
- Whenever you contract and bend the PVC pipe always engage your scapula
- During the isometric hold make sure to exaggerate your breathing, this will help you avoid the valsalva effect (the valsalva effect is when your blood pressure increases tremendously from holding your breath during exercise)
- I wouldn’t recommend using this workout as rehab if you’re coming back from a shoulder injury. Get your shoulder back to health and if you notice a loss of strength and stability in your shoulders then you can start adding this PVC workout into your routine.
Talk to you later,
