INTRODUCTION
Claudia came to me frustrated.
She’s an ex-IFBB athlete 7 lifelong lifter who struggled with recurring shoulder issues for 5 years (including pain, tightness, recurring flare ups).
She’d tried resting. Stretching. A couple of “rehab routines.”
But despite her efforts, nothing lasted. And she started to wonder whether this was her normal. Whether she was just ‘unfixable’.
She’s not alone — most people stay stuck in that same cycle…
They spend months (or years) on:
- Rest cycles that make them weaker
- Endless stretches that never stick
- Cookie cutter routines with bands or 3kg dumbbells
But no matter how much they try…
They feel tighter, more fragile & fearful than ever.
But then, Claudia did something different…
She didn’t settle for rest, fluff rehab, or “playing it safe”. She started with proper strength training… rebuilding her shoulders from the ground up.
BUILDING FOUNDATIONS
The 4 exercises below formed the base of her program.
They weren’t random drills.
They were chosen to address the weak links holding her back — restoring control, mobility, and stability so she could eventually press, pull, and train hard without hesitation.
#1) Reverse Fly
How to:
- Set up cable at shoulder height
- Attach cuff below your elbow
- ”Chest up” and pull elbow bacl
#2) Lateral Raise
How to:
- Cable at belly button height
- Bend your elbow to 90º
- Keep forearm parallel to floor
#2) Isolated Pulldown
How to:
- Set cable at top position
- Point your elbows outward
- ”pull your chest through arms”
#4) Arm Flexion
How to:
- Cable at finger tip height
- keep elbow pointing behind you
- lift upwards and in
AVOID THIS MISTAKE
The 4 exercises above were part of Claudia’s Phase One program.
There are 3 in total:
Restore — isolate weak links, rebuild mobility and stability.
Rebuild — progress to compound lifts with control and confidence.
Perform — train heavy, play sport, and move freely without limits.
Most people think:
“I just need to find the right exercises”
Wrong.
That’s the first step.
The 2nd step – you need to execute them correctly for YOU (right cable height, the right exercise technique & form).
And then?
You need to progress those exercises correctly.
• Reps & Sets
• Range of motion
• Liting speed
• Frequency
Without this precise progression? You’ll end up back at square one.
Push too little or too slow = no progress.
Push too much or too quick = flare-ups and frustration.
But if you progress (rep range, sets, speed & range of motion) appropriately week on week, you WILL build strong, mobile shoulders & train without limits – just like Claudia did.
And she’s not alone…
Another client, Brandy, found it impossible to push her shoulder when we first started, but with the right guidance – Brandy saw a 144% increase in strength in just 10 weeks (see graph below):
QUICK SUMMARY
Without the right structure, even the best exercises in the world can leave you stuck, or worse — overdoing it and breaking down again.
If you’d like help implementing these and knowing exactly how to progress them inside a proven system, book a 30-minute strategy session here.
We’ll map out your situation and see if you’re a fit.
PS.
Not only do you get step by step guidance and feedback from me personally… you also get lifetime access to my custom exercise library.
It’ll show you:
1/ How to perfect your form
2/ The exact muscles you’re working
3/ How to reduce injury risk while training
It’s taken me 10,000 hours of trial and error to gather these simple but powerful insights. You get access to them immediately and they’ll change how you train forever.
