Hand grip exercises can increase shoulder muscle integrity.

The supraspinatus muscle is a rotator cuff muscle that helps initiate abduction of the shoulder. The supraspinatus also helps to stabilize the shoulder joint by keeping the head of the humerus firmly in place. It is common for strength coaches to have athletes incorporate a series of rotator cuff exercises to target the intrinsic muscles of the shoulder utilizing bands and light weights as part of their workout regime to insure it’s stability.

Athletic trainers traditionally have used an exercise called the ’empty can’ to isolate the supraspinatus in checking or improving this muscles strength. The empty can is performed by standing with the arms hanging at the side as if to do a normal side lateral raise. The arm is then rotated internally, trying to put the back of the hand against the thigh. Maintaining this position the arms are lifted out to the side away from the body with the thumbs pointing towards the floor to a position almost parallel to the ground for each repetition.  This movement brings the shoulder into internal rotation making it difficult to use the powerful deltoid to raise the arm requiring the supraspinatus to do much of the work. 

The supraspinatus can be also be effected strongly by gripping exercises with the arms held above 60 degrees and below 90 degrees, especially by pre-exhausting the deltoids before the hand work begins.

Studies clearly show there are high demands on handgrip force when the arms are elevated. As the hands are exercised the shoulders become under a high load as well. Pre-fatiguing the deltoids and immediately training the grip is a great way to Get the supraspinatus, hands and shoulders Strong.

Pre-fatiguing the shoulders on the Pendulum Shoulder/Incline 

 Immediately using a Rogers Power Grip Wrist Roller to Get Strong