Alternatives to Overhead Shoulder Pressing

​A sore shoulder (or shoulders!) does not mean you have to stop overhead work altogether. In fact, you can view it as an opportunity to get strong in other areas. Here are five ways to work around shoulder pain using kettlebells and make your shoulders stronger and safer than they were initially!
 

1. Bottoms up training. Simply balancing a kettlebell holding it bottoms up can do wonders for the shoulder. If you can clean the bell into position, even better. If you can move with the bell in the bottoms up position, even still better! Professor McGill has confirmed the benefits of bottoms up work through his research on core and back training in his lab
2. Carries. Carrying the bell in any position, whether at your side, in the rack position or overhead if symptoms allow, will also safely train the shoulders, not only to maintain strength by holding the bell but also in that carrying the bell (or bells) encourages a “shoulder friendly” posture…with minimal conscious effort.
3. Partial Turkish getups. The Turkish getup takes you through an array of shoulder positions from 90 degrees of flexion (straight out), 90 degrees of abduction (out to the side) all the way up to 180 degrees flexion (arm overhead). The overhead demands increase throughout the progression of the move. If overhead gives you the most difficulty yet you are able to perform the lower movements safely, simply get stronger in the first few steps of the getup to however far you can go. You can still gain a lot from training the partial getup!
4. Floor presses. Typically we’ll start the Turkish getup with a two hand floor press if the goal is to put a heavy weight overhead (since a one hand press can be limiting on how much you can use for a full get up). But if you want to get in more reps in this position, the single arm floor press can be a useful exercise itself if going overhead is provocative of symptoms.
5. Eccentrics. Let’s say pressing a moderately heavy bell causes discomfort. One alternative, if a light bell is not a problem, is to get that light bell overhead but then emphasize the lowering phase. In other words, fell like you are PULLING the bell downward. This is one way to remain strong in the full range of motion, but simply with a different type of contraction.

 
These are just five choices, but there are surely many more. If you need any help treating sore shoulders or guidance in selecting appropriate exercises, give us a call/text at 520-306-8093 or reach out to us through the website!