What’s a “healthy shoulder”?

And what are “shoulder health” exercises?

The terms “health” and “healthy” are often thrown around as smoke-bomb terms for the word “better”.

But “health” isn’t a thing.

Health is an outcome - an amalgamation of many different variables.

For example, a “healthy” diet is one that:

• Is always contextual to individual goals. If you’re trying to gain weight, a “healthy” diet puts you in a caloric surplus. If you’re trying to lose weight, a “healthy” diet puts you in a caloric deficit.

• An individual can follow and be consistent with - long-term.

• Provides the necessary nutrients for an energized body and mind.

• Is capable of adapting based on individual needs and changing goals.

In the same way, a “healthy” exercise is one that:

• Is always contextual to individual goals.

• Is within the person’s ability to perform and progress in, long-term.

• Is one that, based on new information, is capable of being adapted to new demands and emergent information about the individual.

So, what may be a “healthy” exercise for one individual might not be for another.

Everything may look perfect on paper - but if someone is uncomfortable performing a motion, is it truly “healthy” for them?

There are no “healthy” exercises in the way that there are no “healthy” diets - exercise and nutrition should always be catered toward individual contexts.

So, on a general level, we can’t say that certain exercises are healthy, while others aren’t.

For the same reason, single exercises shouldn’t be considered “better” for shoulder health, while others shouldn’t be considered “worse” for shoulder health - at least, not in absolute.

With that said, there is one foundational principle that we can apply across all individual contexts:

The “Arm” Muscles

People often categorize exercises for the biceps and triceps as “isolation” exercises that should only be done for show.

And while growing juicy biceps and triceps certainly has its merits, I contend that arm training provides substantial benefits to “shoulder health” - if there was such a thing - that many don’t recognize.

Why?

Both of the biceps and the biggest tricep (the long head of the triceps) have actions at the shoulder.

While these actions aren’t “prime mover” actions as the pecs, lats, and deltoids might create, they are just as important to a properly functioning shoulder joint.

Look at the biceps and specifically how their contraction might influence the shoulder joint:

Pictured in blue is the long head of the biceps and in red is the short head of the biceps.

Both heads of the biceps contribute to joint stability at the shoulder whenever they contract - whether in an “isolation” motion like a curl or a “compound” motion like a pull-up.

Look at the long head of the triceps and specifically how its contraction might influence the shoulder joint:

Again - whether in a triceps extension “isolation” motion or something more integrated, the long head of the triceps contributes to shoulder stability as much as any other muscle that crosses the shoulder (including the rotator cuff!).

So what does this mean?

Performing curls and extensions is as important as any other “shoulder health” motion you can do.

Training the elbow directly in a variety of positions - arms at the sides, arms above the head, arms somewhere in between - provides a substantial stimulus to the coordination of contraction around the shoulder itself.

So what are some examples of these motions?

Training the biceps and triceps with our arms at the sides:

Training the biceps and triceps with our arms overhead:

Training the biceps and triceps with our arms in front of the body:

Training the biceps and triceps with our arms out to the sides:

Spicing up your arm training with a variety of shoulder positions will undoubtedly yield a high return on investment from a “shoulder health” standpoint.

Improve contraction, and watch the magic happen!

I hope this helps.

-Ben