What are some good exercises for the back of the shoulder? My trainer tells me that this muscle is crucial in virtually all pulling exercises, yet I am not sure how to go about training it.
Your trainer is correct. The back of the shoulder, or rear deltoid, is a muscle that plays an integral part in any and all activities that involve pulling. These include rowing, climbing, and even throwing a baseball or serving in tennis. Aside from that, it also serves to stabilize the shoulder joint itself. A weak muscle may lead to shoulder impingement - a problem commonly associated with overuse and repetitive motions (such as pitching) - and other problems associated with an unstable shoulder. Here are a few exercises guaranteed to strengthen that important part of your shoulder:Reverse flys can be performed with or without a bench. In order to perform this exercise on a bench, it must be high enough off of the ground so that you can fully extend your arms downward without impediment. Grab two moderately light dumbbells (this exercise doesn't require excessively heavy weight; it is effective with low weight) and lie face down on the bench, arms perpendicular to your body. Slowly and deliberately extend your arms outward from your sides, keeping the elbows relatively straight (a slight break is okay) until they are parallel to the floor. Squeeze momentarily, and then return to starting position. If no bench is available, this exercise can be performed in the following way: Bend at the waist until your torso is parallel to the floor, with your arms (dumbbells in hand) pointing towards the floor. Looking straight ahead (this helps ensure back alignment), bring your arms out to your sides as if you were lying on the bench. Squeeze at the peak of the movement, and then return to starting position.
An exercise that you need a cable for is relatively simple, yet effective. Adjust the pulley height to slightly below your shoulder. Attach a rope or a D-grip. Stand next to the machine, and grab the rope with the opposite arm across your body (so if you are standing with the machine on your right side, you will be working your left shoulder). Keeping your arm parallel to the floor and as straight as possible, move it all the way across your body until it is at your side (picture a back hand in tennis). After doing a set, switch hands.
Another good exercise requires a flat bench and a double cable system. Set the weight relatively low to begin, as the motion for this exercise takes a little getting used to. Place the bench equidistant from each pulley, and adjust the height of the pulley on each side to its maximum. Attach the bars used for cable flys (the D-shaped ones), and grab one in each hand so that your arms are now perpendicular to your torso. Turn around completely (180 degrees) so that your hands and arms are crossed, while still holding on to the D-grips. Lie flat on the bench. In this position, your arms should be pulled in opposite directions. Slowly extend your arms out and down, so that at the peak of the movement, your arms are parallel to the floor. In essence, you are doing reverse flys on your back. The benefits of this movement are the ability to work both shoulders at the same time, and the continuous tension that cable work gives you.
Since this exercise is primarily for stabilization and not so much for power, it is recommended that the rep range be kept relatively high, say in the range of ten to 16. Sometimes, because of the fact that a lifter may not be used to the motion, some slight pain will be felt in the shoulder joint. Should this happen, just lower the weight and focus even more on keeping strict form.
When should I eat after working out?
Experts say the ideal time to eat is 40 minutes to an hour and a half after a workout. As far as what you should eat, a meal that is high in protein (lean red meat, poultry, fish), as well as in starchy carbs (baked potato, brown rice), and low in fat is considered optimal. It has been determined through research that your body begins to repair the muscle that was broken down during the workout at around this time (40-90 minutes post-workout), and thus this would be the best time to replenish your protein stores.
