MoPro
TrainersEye · Shoulder Health
Shoulder Rehab M
Trainer's Eye
Phase 3 · Cuff strength · Session M

Small muscles.
Big job.
Train them properly.

Phase 3 opens on the rotator cuff itself — resisted rotation in both directions, then the back of the shoulder.

  • Msession
  • P3Cuff
  • 12:00on the clock
  • — donecompleted

Tendons want load

Tendon pain responds to progressive loading, not to rest. Rest lowers capacity and the pain returns with the task.

Endurance over maximum

Cuff endurance, not peak strength, is what fails first and what predicts symptoms returning.

Eccentric control

Lowering a load is where shoulders are usually hurt and where control is usually missing.

Three couplets · two rounds · twelve minutes · a shoulder that reaches

A

Rotate out

Resisted ER + side-lying ER
A1

Standing external rotation — towel resisted

60 s · slow reps

Elbow pinned to the ribs; rotate the hand outward against the towel, three seconds back.

Easier less tension  ·  Harder more tension

R1R2—
A2

Side-lying external rotation — loaded

12 reps · ×2

Towel under the elbow, bag in hand; rotate up, pause, lower for three seconds.

Easier lighter  ·  Harder heavier

R1R2
B

Rotate in

Resisted IR + towel IR
B1

Standing internal rotation — towel resisted

60 s · slow reps

Elbow at the side; pull the hand across toward the belly against the towel.

Easier less tension  ·  Harder more tension

R1R2—
B2

Towel internal rotation pulls

12 reps · ×2

Towel over the shoulder; the lower hand pulls down while the upper resists gently.

Easier less resistance  ·  Harder more resistance

R1R2
C

Behind

Prone extension + full can
C1

Prone extension pulses

60 s · slow reps

Face down, arms by the sides; lift the straight arms and pulse small, blades squeezed.

Easier smaller pulses  ·  Harder hold a light jug

R1R2—
C2

Prone full-can raise

12 reps · ×2

Face down, arms in a Y with thumbs up; lift to shoulder height and lower slowly.

Easier no weight  ·  Harder light weights

R1R2

The clock

Round 1settle in — 70%, perfect tracking
0:00A1 → A2
2:00B1 → B2
4:00C1 → C2
Round 2own it — beat Round 1 by quality
6:00A1 → A2
8:00B1 → B2
10:00C1 → C2

Each couplet: 60 s scored → the loading set → 10 s to move on. Done at 12:00.

How to run it

  1. The cuff's job is to hold the ball centred in the socket — endurance matters more than maximum force.
  2. Elbow stays pinned and the wrist stays straight on every rotation rep.
  3. Slow out, slower back: three seconds on the return of every rep.
  4. Burning in the back of the shoulder is the cuff working. Pinching at the front is not.

Tick it off

MovementRound 1Round 2Best
A1Standing external rotation — towel resistedslow reps in 60 s —
A2Side-lying external rotation — loaded12 reps
B1Standing internal rotation — towel resistedslow reps in 60 s —
B2Towel internal rotation pulls12 reps
C1Prone extension pulsesslow reps in 60 s —
C2Prone full-can raise12 reps
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-SHOULDER-M