There were some rainy days in Northeast Kingdom so I spent them reviewing and commenting video recording of my last seminar on combining strength and flexibility training. At the seminar I had the participants go through exercises that simultaneously stretch and strengthen the involved muscles, and even help with posture correction. One of these exercises is the back bridge twist.
I like this exercise because in one movement, all the muscles of the shoulder are both strengthened and stretched, while the glenohumeral joint is in the close-packed position. Of course this is not the only shoulder exercise in which that happens—there are special exercises with weights in which that happens too—but this exercise is very pleasant and requires no weights.
Excuse the poor form of my back bridge. I had a total shoulder dislocation and it will take me a while to do the back bridge well. That I can do a back bridge at all is a great achievement of all who helped me with my shoulder’s rehabilitation. How great the achievement? See the X-rays below.
My dislocated shoulder—muscles torn off, ligaments torn, joint cartilage surfaces dented
My shoulder after reduction—that is with its bones where they ought to be
