Sue Asks:

Do you have any DVD’s that could be useful in understanding shoulder mechanics that I could use at home to stretch, strengthen, improve my upper body? Since I’m in California, it’s unlikely I will get to you and I’ve not been able to afford the “trainers” I’ve contacted so far in my town.

Here’s The Answer From Aliesa George and Centerworks:

Hi Sue! Thanks for your interest in shoulder mechanics and home stretching and strengthening exercises. At the moment, I do not have a DVD for Shoulder Mechanics. I hope to continue to add new products to my store, and shoulder exercises are definitely on this list, just can’t tell you exactly when something might be available.  However, here are a few great suggestions to help you get a great shoulder exercise program started at home!

Subscribe to my monthly e-newsletter, Wellness Success, and you will be kept in the loop as I write blog posts, articles, and notify folks about new products. I’ll see if I can include something pertinent to shoulders soon!

The one thing that I would definitely recommend to you is the Pilates Spine Corrector and A Barrel of Fun Book combo that’s available in the Centerworks store.

There are lots of great shoulder strength and flexibility exercises that you can do with the Pilates Arc Barrel, also known as the Pilates Spine Corrector.  And using the barrel for the side-lying arm exercises is really helpful to begin improving shoulder mechanics and proper movement through a full range of motion.

I’ve included lots of really good shoulder and arm exercises in my book A Barrel of Fun! Plus, you’ll have core exercises, and leg and hip exercises that you can do too for a full body workout at home! It’s not a DVD, but very easy-to-follow photos and descriptions for all exercises.

This would get you off to a great start! And the newsletter will keep you in the loop as I add new products and resources to my site that you might be interested in using for your home workouts!

The Benefits of Hiring a Trainer

I know that it can be pricey to hire a trainer – if there is someone that’s really good in your area, it would be worth it to schedule at least a couple of sessions to have them help put together a home program and help teach you good mechanics for the exercises they feel are best for you. You then could do a tune-up session every once in a while to add or change your home program. (Just something to consider… but you’ll need to be very clear going in that this is your goal and what you need and expect from your training sessions.)

Attending or Hosting a Centerworks Awesome Workshop

If you think you can round up a group of 6-20 people who would be interested in participating in my Awesome Workshops – and have a gym, church, club, or rec. center that would like to host an event. I would be happy to discuss the opportunity to bring some of my workshops out to California and share my expertise with you live and in person! We could do any of the following workshops: Stress-Free Shoulders (part 1), Shoulder Mechanics (part 2), Arc Barrel Workshop, Fantastic Feet!, Breathing Basics, Healthy Back, Pilates Matwork Master-Class, or Core Challenge-Foam Roller workshop. Fees are different for each course depending upon the length of time and additional equipment needed. If you coordinate the event, and get a minimum of 6 paid participants for a full 6-hour day (2 workshops) your course fees will be complementary! Contact me if you’re interested planning a workshop.

Final Thoughts on At-Home Shoulder Exercises:

You’ve asked some great questions, and I’m sure are not the only one out there looking for good home workout resources for shoulder mechanics, stretching and strengthening. Consider purchasing a Pilates Arc Barrel and the A Barrel of Fun Book – this would be a great combination of Pilates equipment and exercise resources to get you off to a great start with your at-home shoulder exercise workouts. There is also a series of Pilates hand weight exercises in the Centerworks Pilates Supplemental Equipment Exercise Manual, that you might find helpful for your workouts. If you have any other questions, or there is anything else I can do for you, please let me know!

Have a Great Day!

Aliesa George

www.Centerworks.com