One of the coolest pieces of kit to help bring shoulder workouts back to life are stone locks. They are an old school training device, used by Shaolin monks. In China thousands of years ago iron wasn’t plentiful so the monks would either carve them by hand or mold cast them with whatever was available.
The angle is designed in such as way that not only does it strengthen your shoulders, but the entire arm as well. The monks would incorporate these into their daily exercises.
1. One-legged front raise
20 reps each side.
Stand on one leg, to activate the core, and raise the pad lock to shoulder height.
2. One-legged side raise
20 reps each side.
Stand on one leg and raise the pad lock to the side. Do not raise the arms above your shoulder line.
3. Horse stance punch
Do 30-second bursts.
Stand square on with your knees bent with the padlocks raised in a boxing-style guard position. Now punch forward, alternating arms.
4. Full uppercut
Do 20 reps.
Stand in a fight or parallel stance. Keep the locks at shoulder level. Now lower one lock down to your waist and then turn your hip and punch the lock up to the opposite shoulder then repeat on the other side.
5. Front-to-side-raise
Do 20 reps.
Stand with your knees bent. Raise the lock in front of your body to shoulder level and then bring your shoulder blades together as your move the locks out to the side. Lower to your hips then raise them again to restart the movement.
6. Renegade row
Do 10 reps.
Place the locks under your shoulder and get into a push-up position. Next push down on one lock as you pull up the other.
7. Lunge-to-side raise
Do 20 reps.
Standing upright, step forward into the lunge and raise the locks to your sides at shoulder height. When you press back from a lunge return the locks to your sides.
8. Burpee to punch-out
Do 10 reps.
Start with the locks on the ground either side of your feet. As you shoot your legs back, drop down into a push-up holding the locks, then explode your feet back to your hands and stand-up and punch the locks forward.
Find workouts and more in every issue of TRAIN magazine.
