Physical Therapist Reveals a 5-Minute Warmup to Eliminate Shoulder Pain and Protect Aging Joints

Back in your glory days, you may have been able to throw heavy weight overhead without giving it a second thought. Now, hauling the same loads up and over might be a different story, resulting in shoulder pain during pressing moves or even in day-to-day tasks like reaching into a high cabinet. There are plenty of reasons shoulder pain shows up, from inevitable wear and tear to limited mobility and overuse. But that doesn’t mean shoulder pain has to be a life sentence. You can still take measures to keep it at bay, starting with something as simple as adjusting your warmup.

"One of the biggest mistakes lifters make is skipping the warmup," says Zach Smith, PT, DPT, of HIDEF Physical Therapy. "Simply doing the same movement pattern at a lower weight for 12 to 15 reps prior to moving up to working weight will increase your muscle and tendon temperature and help reduce the risk of soft tissue injuries."

Still, you may feel like your shoulders could use a little extra TLC. Paired with lighter warmup lifts, Smith shared his favorite way to prep and protect his shoulders using a targeted resistance band approach. Try it before your next upper-body lift.

Related: Strength Coach Reveals the Best 'Anti-Movement' Abs Exercises for a Bulletproof Core and Heavier Compound Lifts

Best Shoulder Warmup Exercises with Resistance Bands

Smith starts his shoulder warmup with some general upper-body cardio, like a rower or ski erg. He’ll also mix in light rows or lat pulldowns with low weight before moving into the following exercises:

Banded Bilateral External Rotation

1. Anchor a resistance band at waist height, holding with both hands and keeping elbows tucked at your sides at 90 degrees.
2. Pull your hands and the resistance band outward.
3. Return to start, keeping tension in the band.
4. Perform 2 sets of 15 reps.

Banded Pull Apart

1. Hold a resistance band straight out in front of you at shoulder height with palms facing down.
2. Pull the band apart by driving your hands out to your sides.
3. Control it back to the start without letting it snap.
4. Perform 2 sets of 15 reps.

Banded A

1. Attach the resistance band to an anchor point at about stomach level.
2. Grab the band or loop around wrists.
3. Pull the band down and apart toward your hips, like you're making an "A" shape.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades, then return under control.
5. Perform 2 sets of 15 reps.

Banded T

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/j_P9Xdh9n2U

1. Attach the resistance band to an anchor point at about chest level.
2. Grab the band with arms straight out in front,
3. Pull the band straight out to your sides to form a “T” shape.
4. Pause briefly, then return with control.
5. Perform for 2 sets of 15 reps.

Banded Scarecrow Row

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/YfPa1s-241Y

1. Anchor the band at chest level and grab with both hands.
2. Row your elbows up and out to shoulder height, like goalposts.
3. Rotate your hands upward, then reverse the motion slowly.
4. Perform 2 sets of 15 reps.

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