Here are some traditional exercises that are improved by using The Pronator. Try these exercises for yourself or with your patients and feel the difference.
For all exercises select an appropriate weight or resistance and safely secure it to The Pronator.
Body Region: Forearm
Pronation/Supination with a Dumbbell: Start with arm supported and wrist off the edge of a surface. While holding The Pronator, rotate your hand palm up to palm down. Repeat this motion for chosen repetitions.
To increase bicep activation during this motion, try it with your arm unsupported.
Pronation/Supination Resistance band: For a full eccentric and concentric resisted motion, use a resistance band for this exercise. Start with your arm supported and wrist off the edge of a surface. Rotate your hand away from the resistance band and return it slowly in a controlled manner.
To challenge motion, try with arm unsupported.
Radial deviation: Start with your arm supported and wrist off the edge of a surface. Allow your wrist to tilt away from your body and then return by pulling up.
To challenge motion, try with arm unsupported.
For an alternative gravity resisted exercise, allow your arm to hang by your side and complete the same motion.
Ulnar Deviation: Start with your arm supported and elbow resting on a stable surface, hand pointing toward the ceiling. Allow your wrist to tilt away from your body toward the ceiling. Control the motion as you slowly lower The Pronator back to the starting position.
To progress this exercise, allow your arm to hang by your side and complete the same motion, this time with The Pronator in your hand pointing behind you.
Body Region: Shoulder
Shoulder external rotation with supination: This exercise can be done with a dumbbell but is best accomplished with a piece of resistance tube or a cable column. Standing with The Pronator held in a neutral grip, rotate your hand away from your body, while keeping your elbow by your side. It is important to maintain a 90 degree angle at the elbow during the exercise. While rotating your hand away from your body, turn your hand palm up. To complete this exercise return to the starting position and repeat.
To best complete this exercise with a dumbbell, lay on a bench on your side. While keeping your elbow on your side, raise your hand toward the ceiling, simultaneously rotating The Pronator toward the ceiling.
Standing holding The Pronator in a neutral grip, rotate your hand toward your body while keeping your elbow by your side. It is important to maintain a 90 degree angle at the elbow.
Shoulder external rotation with elbow and shoulder at 90 degrees: Grip The Pronator with a band anchored in front of you or a weight attached. Start with your shoulder abducted to 90 degrees and elbow bent to 90 degrees. Maintaining this position, rotate your hand and The Pronator back to finish pointing up towards the ceiling.
Shoulder internal rotation with elbow and shoulder at 90 degrees: Grip The Pronator with a band anchored behind you or weight attached. Start with your shoulder abducted to 90 degrees and elbow bent to 90 degrees. Maintain this position, rotate your hand and The Pronator forward to finish with The Pronator pointing up towards the ceiling.
Standing three way raise: This exercise can be done using dumbbells, a selected piece of resistance tube or a cable cross machine, anchored by your feet. Start with The Pronator below knee height and maintain proper body posture. With your arm straight, raise The Pronator directly in front of your body (sagittal plane/flexion) to your max reach. Repeat this exercise raising your arm directly to your side (frontal plane/abduction) and on an angle between the first two exercises (scaption/scapular plane).
Standing three-way raise with internal and external rotation: To make the shoulder raise exercise more complex, complete all three planar motions with your palm turned down for one rep then repeat with your palm turned up.
90 degree isometric holds with shoulder internal and external rotation: Using these same three planes of motion, attempt to hold your arm at 90 degrees while you twist your hand and arm, palm up to palm down.
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation Diagonal pattern 2: Standing with a chosen resistance attached to The Pronator and opposite end secured at ground level. Start with The Pronator near your opposite hip. Keep your arm straight and maintain a straight elbow through the motion. As you raise your arm above your head, bring your arm across your body while rotating The Pronator to point towards the ceiling. Complete the exercise by returning to the starting position and repeating.
This exercise can be repeated with the opposite shoulder or with both arms at the same time.
Body Region: Elbow
Triceps extension with wrist ulnar deviation: Holding the Pronator, bring your arm above your head with a bent elbow. From this position, raise your arm above your head until your arm is fully extended. With your elbow extended, tilt your wrist and point The Pronator to the ceiling. Complete the exercise by returning to the start position and repeating.
Bicep curls with supination: The bicep Brachii is responsible for two motions in the elbow-flexion and supination. The Pronator allows you to strengthen both motions of the biceps simultaneously. Grasp The Pronator with a selected weight securely attached. Start with you arms by your side, palms facing you and Pronator in front of your waist. Begin by flexing your elbows and rotating your hands to be facing palm up by the end of the motion. Complete the exercise by returning to the starting position.
Body Region: Scapula
Prone T: Lay face down on a bench or stability ball with The Pronator grasped in each hand. To start this exercise, raise your arms straight out to either side of your body. The focus of this motion is to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Complete the exercise by returning to the start position.
Prone T with Internal/External Rotation: Lay face down on a bench or stability ball with The Pronator grasped in each hand. Start by raising your arms straight out to either side of your body. While doing this, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together. Then hold your arms directly out to your sides (in a T position) and rotate your hands first toward the ceiling and then to the floor. This will challenge your middle trapezius muscle stability while increasing rotator cuff strength. Complete the exercise by returning to the starting position.
Prone Y (lower trapezius): Lay face down on a bench or stability ball with The Pronator grasped in each hand. Start by raising straight arms up and out to form a letter Y position. While accomplishing this motion, focus on squeezing your shoulder blades down and together. Complete the exercise by returning to the starting position.
Body Region: Core
Standing chop: Stand with The Pronator securely attached to a cable cross unit or a piece of resistance band in a position at waist height. Grasping The Pronator with one hand and keeping your arm straight throughout the motion, pull The Pronator across your body twisting your shoulders while maintaining a neutral pelvis. Complete the exercise by returning to the start position. This exercise can be repeated for both sides of your body.
Rotation: Stand with The Pronator securely attached to a cable cross unit or a piece of resistance band at shoulder height. Grasping The Pronator with two hands, and keeping arms straight through the motion, pull The Pronator from above your shoulder across you body towards your opposite hip. Complete the exercise by returning to the start position. This exercise can be repeated for both sides of your body.
