April 20, 2021
If you follow me on social media, I had a post recently as part of my weekly Monday Mobility series. It did really well, which is always exciting. I am honored when the content I share speaks to you. And this one did, so I wanted to expand on it for you!
Controlled Articular Rotations or “CARs” were developed by Dr. Andreo Spina. He defines CARs as “active rotational movements at the outer limits of articular motion.” They are designed to increase range of motion with control throughout the entire range.
Below are some visuals of a shoulder CARs exercise I like to do. I find when swimming and lifting, my shoulder flexibility decreases, so working this exercise in a couple of times a week (after long swims or lift sessions) helps to maintain a wider range of motion. It is important to keep your core braced during CARs and to contract the muscles in your arms. Remember…the first letter of CARs stands for CONTROL! It requires more focus than just swinging your arms around!
First, let’s practice the four directions we move our shoulders. I use a yoga block for all of these exercises. Squeezing it helps me to contract the muscles in my arms and steady them as one unit, allowing me to focus on just moving from the shoulder joint.
Elevate your shoulders by squeezing them up toward your ears, then depress them by sliding your shoulder blades down as far as you can. I think about sliding my shoulder blades down into my back pockets. Keep a solid core brace…I always have to try not to allow my belly to push forward!
Protracting is rounding through your upper back by reaching your arms forward while maintaining a solid core….trying not to lead with your entire upper body. Retracting is literally trying to squeeze your shoulder blades together. This is part of the movement when we practice Cats (protract) and Cows (retract) in yoga and other mobility work.
Now let’s put it all together! As you can see…I am far from perfect on this! Remember how I said keep your torso still? I’m also straining through my neck a little trying to extend my range of motion past its current edge. Always a work in progress!
So why is this important? Mobility, flexibility, and stability are all key in developing different skills as an athlete. It’s not just about increasing our range of motion….but being able to control it.
Keep moving, friends!
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