Today, I’ve got a quick look at a common arm care substitution pattern we see when throwers are working on end-range external rotation. In the comparison video below, on the left, as the athlete gets to about 90 degrees of external rotation, he transitions to elbow flexion rather than using his posterior cuff to create clean external rotation. In the corrected version on the right, he slows it down and is able to actively tap into more of his (significant) passive ER.

You may also see athletes flock to elbow extension instead of ER, particularly when using bands/cables in the standing position. With that said, give this lengthier video I did previously a watch if you want to really dig in on the ways this drill can go wrong – but also how to progress it once you’ve got the technique locked in.

For folks who really struggle to compete against gravity with this, we can stand them up and work off the edge of a rack or doorway:

If you’re interested in learning more about how we evaluate, coach, and program at the shoulder, be sure to check out my popular resource, Sturdy Shoulder Solutions.