Rehab Exercises for Injured Shoulders from Tony Horton (Video)
People often ask Tony what type of workout to do if they’ve injured a certain muscle or joint. Well today you’re in luck. He’s sharing the shoulder rehab exercises he used to build strength in his shoulder after an injury. Below is a never-before-seen, comprehensive strength-building workout developed with the help of two physical therapists and an orthopedic surgeon. This workout isn’t just for rehab though. If you’re looking for an incredible shoulder workout, this will PUMP you up.
*These shoulder rehab exercises worked for Tony, but everyone is different, which is why you should always consult with your doctor BEFORE beginning this or any other workout.
Schedule for Today’s Shoulder Rehab Exercises
• Perform all single arm moves with your stronger, or non-injured, side first!
• Throughout each move, don’t shrug your shoulders—keep them down
• Repeat exercises 1-5 as a circuit, resting minimally between exercises
• Perform the entire series a total of three times
1. Inversion Raises (00:35)
• Stand holding two light dumbbells by your sides.
• Rotate your arms inward, turning your palms outward until your thumbs are facing behind you.
• Maintaining this inward-rotated position, slowly raise your straightened arms forward until they reach shoulder height.
• Pause for a one count.
• Return to the starting position.
• Repeat for 30 slow, controlled reps.
2. Rototations (2:29)
• Lie on your right side, holding a light dumbbell in your left hand.
• Pin your left elbow against your side and bend your arm 90 degrees.
• Slowly lift your left hand and forearm towards the ceiling as far as possible without letting your body rotate.
• Lower your left hand towards the floor, returning to starting position.
• Without touching the weight to the floor, continue for 20 reps.
• Repeat the move on your left side.
3. Wind Ups (4:58)
• Lie chest down on a stability ball, legs extended behind you.
• Holding a light dumbbell in each hand, extend your upper arms directly out to the sides with your elbows 90 degrees, allowing the forearms to hang toward the floor (this is the starting position).
• Keeping your elbows stationary, rotate your upper arms simultaneously, lifting the backs of your hands toward the ceiling as far as possible (this is the finishing position).
• Reverse the move, returning to the starting position.
• Repeat for 10 reps.
• Holding the “finishing” position with your right hand, repeat 10 more reps with your left hand.
• Holding the “finishing” position with your left hand, repeat 10 more reps with your right hand.
• Finally, perform 10 reps alternating: one hand goes forward as the other goes back.
4. Rotation Fly (7:11)
• Attach a resistance band to a stationary object at about belly button height.
• Hold the handle in your left hand, tuck your left elbow into your side and step back to create some tension on the band.
• Keeping your elbow stationary and your arm bent 90 degrees, rotate your upper arm outward, pulling the back of your hand back as far as possible (this is variation one).
• Return to the starting positions.
• Extend your left arm straight out to the side, pulling the band all the way across the body while keeping your torso straight. (this is variation two).
• Alternate between variation one and variation two for a total of 15 reps.
• Repeat the entire sequence using your right hand.
Make it easier or harder by moving closer to or further from the anchor point.
Rotation Fly, Reverse Variation (8:32)
• Rotate your body so that the anchor point is to your left.
• Hold the handle in your left hand and tuck your left elbow into your side, bending your arm 90 degrees.
• Keeping your elbow stationary, pull your arm across your body, finishing in the “sling” position: forearm parallel to the floor, left hand near your right ribs.
• Return to starting position and repeat for 15 reps.
• Repeat the entire sequence using your right hand.
Make it easier or harder by moving closer to or further from the anchor point.
5. Wingspanners (11:13)
• Stand, holding two medium-weight dumbbells by your sides.
• With your elbows at your sides, hammer curl both dumbbells, thumbs facing up, until your forearms are parallel to the floor.
• Keeping your elbows bent 90 degrees, raise your elbows out to the sides until your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
• Hinge your elbows open until your arms are straight, getting your body into a T position.
• Lower your arms down to your sides.
• Repeat the movement at a deliberate pace for 15-20 reps.
Remember to repeat exercises 1-5 as a circuit, performing the entire series a total of three times.
And for more moves like these, see P90X3 Eccentric Upper and P90X3 CXV, available along with more of Tony’s programs—including P90, P90X, P90X2, and 22-Minute Hard Corps—at Beachbody On Demand.
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