Sunday, November 2, 2014

Shoulder Routine to Get Ready for Fast Twitch Activation!

Training Fast Twitch Muscle Fibers
And Developing Strength with Speed



  RANDOM FACT!! Did you know that “Strengths” is the longest word in the English language that has only one vowel? 

As we know, fast twitch and slow twitch muscle fibers are spoken about in many aspects of training for athletes and sports enthusiasts. This is to create a well-rounded athlete that encompasses Endurance, Power, Speed, Force, muscular and anaerobic endurance.  And…the only way we can improve is if we keep pushing our body past the limit of what it can already handle right?  But how do we do that without injury? How do we train certain systems like fast twitch muscle fibers? 

I have a history of shoulder injuries, and I was attacked with bilateral bicep tendonitis in March, which was severe enough to halt a lot of strengthening of my arms and shoulders.  It focused me in terms of biking but halted swimming and upper body strengthening.  It was painful and disappointing.





Once I recovered and felt good enough to push myself, I had a goal of performing some Olympic movements such as a clean and jerk in order to work my fast twitch muscle fibers.  I also wanted to use kettle bells in transverse movements and to start deadlifting heavier weight. I knew this would be key to improving my muscular endurance and force, as well at the fast twitch muscle fibers. 

Wall Ball: 18lb medicine ball thrown 8-10 feet up in the air 


ANOTHER FUN FACT!  When more than 100 athletes competing in the Olympics, 2 in particular were found to have a higher than average percentage of fast twitch muscle fibers.  Dara Torres and Greg Louganis.

This is the schedule I started.  I went very light the first week because the goal is, to move the muscle and direct blood flow to it while exercising it’s range of motion.  You want to feel the muscle working but you do not want to have pain.  You have to find a weight that is comfortable at a slow pace and for higher repetitions. 

Pushing the Sled followed by repetitions of KB squat to overhead press.  As you can see I improvise!


Week 1 Shoulder Exercises:
           
Exercise
Weight
Reps
Sets
Internal and External Rotation of Shoulder
Light resistance band, side laying, Cable Column
12-15
2-3
Empty Can
0-5
12-15
2-3
YTM’s
0-3
12-15
2-3
Short arc Shoulder Raises
5-15
12-15
2-3
Dips
Body Weight
12-15
2-3


Week 2 Shoulder Exercises

Exercise
Weight
Reps
Sets
Body Blade at Scaption.  Progress into ER/IR movement.
Makes those ends move!!
8-10 nice and slow or timed for 20”
2-3
Arnold Presses
Light weight 3-8lbs
12-15
2-3
Straight arm front and side shoulder Raises
Light Weight 5-12 lbs
12-15
2-3
Face Pulls
Light weight
12-15
2-3
Planks on Hands
Figure 8
Body Weight
12-15
2-3


Week 3

Exercise
Weight
Reps
Sets
Kb Thrusters with single arm
15-25 lbs
12-15
2-3
Deadlifts
¼ to ½ your body weight
12-15
2-3
Kb squat to overhead press
15-25
12-15
2-3
Wall Ball
5-15
12-15
2-3
Dips
10-15lbs
12-15
2-3


I felt like this was a great progression for me and I enjoyed the process.  I pushed my body at every week and made the exercise difficult of the prescribed repetitions were not enough.  I changed that aspect more than the weight.  I think this program is very interchangeable and is different for every individual based on their personal goals and their medical history.  Some programs could easily be replicated for two weeks at a time. 

Week 4 you’re there!

After I warmed up for 10-15 min, I walked into the gym and took the empty bar and broke apart the clean and jerk into different parts.  I worked on my deadlift form and the transition to the shoulders.  I performed from front squats with the bar racked on my anterior delts. I slowly added weight starting with 20lbs and did most of the same drills to make sure my shoulders felt comfortable with the movements.  I ended up staying with 80 lbs and performing about 60 reps total.