Happy Surf Shoulders

Mobilize, Activate, Move… Surf Shoulders

I think I’m close to a shoulder operation…. and it’s no fun. In all honesty, I’m pretty good with shoulder rehab, training, tissue work etc., but sometimes injuries are just too destructive to deal with non-surgically.

I bothered my shoulder on Friday doing some heavy sprint work… (sprint work is really good for power training and explosiveness). Check out – Sprints: Workout In The Park and Surfer Power Training.

Curly on a GOOD day

Curly on a GOOD day

So, I bothered the shoulder pretty darned good, and intended to rest it. I was taking a drive up to skate a bowl in northern Sydney, and stopped at Curl Curl to check the surf… it was super-fun. 3-4foot wedges, dumping on the inside bar.

I went out against better judgement, and on the 5th wave I felt it go… it was nauseating. If any of you guys have felt that feeling, you know how much it sucks. Surf was quickly over (did get a couple good waves), but got out thinking “that’s gonna be a 20grand operation”.

I had an acute injury, and went out against better judgement. Some of you guys and gals may not have acute injuries, but you probably have some type of dysfunction or postural offset. This can be bad news, and could set you up for an injury down the road.

I want to give you a few things you can work on to clean up those shoulders, and have some Happy Surf Shoulders, cause mine ain’t too happy now. (I realise ain’t ain’t proper english, but i’m using it for effect).

Mobilize, Activate, Integrate Movement, and Get Em’ Moving

Watch this video on YouTube.

Here’s what you’re accomplishing with that series of goodness.

Mobilising tissue on the anterior shoulder, and posterior rotator cuff. The anterior chest tissue can pull the scapula/shoulder girdle out of proper alignment. The posterior rotator cuff can get some gnarly trigger points and adhesions… get rid of them.
Activating Lower Trapezius (to help reposition the scapula) and continuing to mobilise anterior chest tissue. This is basically activating the external rotators of the humerus and the upward rotators of the scapula, while continuing to open up the front of the shoulders, which get pulled forward from you sitting at a desk and staring at a computer for too long (but keep staring at this article because it’s rad!)
Integrating movement, swinging those arms, and letting the nervous system realise the new range of motion, and you’re getting things moving!!!

More Happy Shoulder Stuff…

Full Upper Body Pre-Surf Warmup Sequence

Watch this video on YouTube.

Surfers’ Rotator Cuff Training

Watch this video on YouTube.

Watch video here

Put It All Together with Surf Athlete Training Program

Surfers Shoulders – Essential Shoulder Training is one part of the Surf Training Success program, and gives you the step-by-step process to correcting your nagging shoulder issues.

Stop surfing with pain, discover Recovery Secrets to the muscle activations and tissue release, and learn how to build a surf shoulder training program.

Get Your Shoulders Moving… and then Surf. Painful shoulders suck.

Grab the Surf Athlete Program & Enhance Your Surfing & Health Today…and Forever

shoulders

Cris

My primary goal is to help surfers / athletes/ humans, improve their potential with movement, exercise, nutrition, and the foundations of athleticism. It’s that simple.

10 Comments

eagle098

July 7, 2013 at 8:33 pm

Thanks Chris your shoulder information is awesome. You are great because you understand the problems Surfers have. Surfing in pain is no fun. I even dislike wearing a wetsuit because of all the extra pressure it puts on my shoulder. So I have been waiting till the middle of the day and wearing 2 wetshirts, just so I can have more mobility. Winter is so much harder on the body as its cold so all the muscles are cold. Thanks so much for all your videos and information.

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- crismills
  
  July 12, 2013 at 7:47 am
  
  eagle098 cheers man! glad to hear the information and the site is helping you out. keep it up dude!
  
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ChicoMakita

August 13, 2013 at 2:56 am

Hello Cris! I discovered your site a few weeks ago, during my rehabilitation programming. I had a shoulder operation about 4 months ago (Bankart and Hill Sachs lesions) - 45 days using arm sling, 30 session of physioterapy and maybe i'll need more 30 sessions (I developed an adhesive capsulitis).. The worst part is not the pain, but it's to want to go surfing, but you cannot.. Dammit unhappy shoulder! :( I hope you get better soon! Thanks for all your vids.. They're really clarifying! Best wishes from Brazil.

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- crismills
  
  August 21, 2013 at 12:39 am
  
  ChicoMakita stay diligent with the adhesive capsulitis. some good manual therapy on a consistent basis can speed up the progress. Glad to hear you enjoy the site.
  
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Pingback : Eliminate Stiff Shoulders - Surf Strength Coach

[…] Shoulder Release work – Tennis Ball / Lacrosse Ball.. Happy Surf Shoulders […]
mastercob

February 20, 2014 at 10:19 pm

Thanks Cris. I went on some long motorcycle trips like 5 years ago, and my left rhomboid started hurting like crazy during them. Since then, it takes very little to aggravate that rhomboid (bicycling, surfing, sometimes even just sitting without a backrest). It's nuts how I can't get past this issue. I do a few stretches beforehand and while I'm out in the water. But now I'm going through all your posts about shoulders, and am going to be super vigilant. I have a tendency to scrunch my shoulders when I'm sitting and doing things (like eating). So I think I'm probably doing that while I'm paddling. It really takes a lot of body awareness to figure out what I'm doing wrong when I'm paddling around. Anyway, thanks a ton for all your posts. This site rules.

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crismills

February 28, 2014 at 1:04 am

mastercob hey buddy. could be a number of things causing that issue, but starting with some good applied tissue release should help you out a bit. if it continues to be an issue go get it checked out by a good body-worker/health practitioner. thanks for the positive feedback!

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crismills

February 28, 2014 at 1:05 am

mastercob cheers buddy! some applied soft tissue work to the area should help quite a bit. also look to loosening up the chest tissue to give a bit more "freedom" to the shoulder and help reduce strain on the rhomboid. thanks for the positive feedback about the site!

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Pingback : What I Learned from 6 Weeks in Indo | Surf Strength Coach

[…] If you’re surfing often, spending just a few minutes per day rolling out commonly stiff areas can make a massive difference in maintaining optimal joint mobility, and simply not hurting! Too much tension in the lats can effect your shoulder flexion, which can offset your paddling stroke and promote shoulder impingement… tennis ball. Lower Back tension from holding a paddling posture on repeated 150meter paddleouts… tennis ball. Hips, Posterior Shoulders, Chest, Neck, Rhomboids, Groin… tennis ball. It’s really that simple. It astounds me that more surfers don’t do this, but they’ll still bitch about their body hurting. Roll out muscle tissue with a tennis ball. For more shoulder and tennis ball love, check out HAPPY SURF SHOULDERS […]
Pingback : What I Learned from 6 Weeks in Indo - Surf Strength Coach

[…] If you’re surfing often, spending just a few minutes per day rolling out commonly stiff areas can make a massive difference in maintaining optimal joint mobility, and simply not hurting! Too much tension in the lats can effect your shoulder flexion, which can offset your paddling stroke and promote shoulder impingement… tennis ball. Lower Back tension from holding a paddling posture on repeated 150meter paddleouts… tennis ball. Hips, Posterior Shoulders, Chest, Neck, Rhomboids, Groin… tennis ball. It’s really that simple. It astounds me that more surfers don’t do this, but they’ll still bitch about their body hurting. Roll out muscle tissue with a tennis ball. For more shoulder and tennis ball love, check out HAPPY SURF SHOULDERS […]