Month: May 2018

Your arm is able to rotate outwards. It can do do this from a variety of positions and angles. The muscles that perform these functions are known as the external (or lateral) rotators of the humerus. BJJ aficionados should call them “anti-kimura” muscles. Regardless of name, they are crucial in a variety of situations: 

1. They allow us to feel more confident when countering Kimuras, omoplatas, monoplatas or baratoplatas.

2. They give our shoulders stability when using a straight arm to pass, recompose the guard or post on the floor.

3. They reinforce the integrity of arm-frames when creating space against partners or posting on an elbow against the floor.

The biggest issue in regards to strengthening the lateral rotators is their complexity. Muscle fibres run in myriad directions to allow for a diversity of functions.  Miss a muscle fibre in your strengthening program and your body will be missing a function. To get started, however, keep things simple and try the following three exercises.  

1. Classic lying 90 degree raise (emphasis on the external rotators which also move the arm away from the body)

Essential cues:

• Elbow bent at 90 degrees
• Arm pivoting above ribs with neither forward or backward movement of humerus
• Do not rest the elbow on the ribs

2. Planted elbow raise (emphasis on the external rotators which also move the arm towards the body)

Essential cues:

• Humerus supported slightly in front of the body and slightly below parallel to the floor.
• Press the arm down into the support (firmly but not near maximal effort) as the humerus is being externally rotated

3. Multiple plane posting

Essential cues:

• Start in a perfect pushup position with the spine rock solid and the non working arm behind the lower back. Plant both hands on the floor if one is too difficult. 
• Shift the whole body to move the shoulder carefully beyond the borders of the planted hand.
• Start with a shift behind the hand. Then in front, to the outside and to the inside.  Hitting all four positions counts as one repetition. 

***This is an advanced shoulder stability exercise and should not be performed more than twice a week. Only include it in your program for a four to six week period.

Feel stable and buy time (to find solutions) in bad situations. The anti-kimura muscles, while near invisible, are a major key to making BJJ fighters totally tenacious!