Mitchell Hooper Discusses the Significance of Shoulder Well being for Strongman Success

The Arnold Strongman Traditional champ is utilizing a “boring” exercise to prep for the World’s Strongest Man.

Written by Roger Lockridge Final up to date on April 10, 2023

2023 Arnold Strongman Traditional (ASC) champion Mitchell Hooper is within the last levels of his preparation for his subsequent contest — the 2023 World’s Strongest Man (WSM), being held Apr. 19-23, 2023 in Myrtle Seashore, SC.

Transitioning from the early-March ASC to the WSM didn’t go away the Canadian strongman a lot time to relaxation, so “The Moose” has been coaching onerous with a goal in sight for fairly a while. He’s additionally been doing different work to keep up optimum wellness, as he documented in a current YouTube video revealed on his channel on Apr. 3, 2023.

This session at Athletic Kulture in Barrie, ON, Canada wasn’t one which would come with main lifts one may anticipate of a strongman simply weeks away from the game’s greatest competitors. As an alternative, Hooper centered totally on “accent” actions designed to keep up shoulder well being and joint stability.

Hooper might be seen performing bent-over lateral raises to focus on the rear deltoids, standing lateral raises, face pulls, and strolling with a 48-kilogram (105.8-pound) kettlebell in a single hand overhead (referred to as a “waiter’s stroll”). He additionally did walks whereas holding a lighter kettlebell the other way up to work on stability.

When explaining why he was specializing in the actions, Hooper cited the occasions within the Finals of the WSM.

“If you consider the occasions within the [WSM] Finals, max dumbbell and Fingal’s Fingers might be notably taxing on shoulder stability. So, (I’m) dedicating a day to that … I’m not as huge and as robust within the chest and shoulders as most. So, engaged on weaknesses whereas making ready for [competitions] …

That is the toughest little bit of all the coaching, to me. Doing a few of this fundamental, boring stuff. Since you don’t get into this sport since you get pleasure from constructing a base. You get into the game since you get pleasure from lifting heavy issues.”

All through the coaching session, Hooper’s videographer prompted him to extra totally clarify his choices for the coaching day. Hooper, who holds a grasp’s diploma in train physiology and operates a private coaching and train physiology studio, went in-depth sharing a number of tricks to reap extra advantages from the shoulder-health centered routine.

To higher goal the rear deltoids in the course of the bent-over dumbbell lateral, Hooper defined:

“Biomechanically, should you externally rotate your arm, you’re taking [the muscular stress] off of your rear delts and also you’re taking it off of your again, and also you’re turning it into extra of a [side deltoid-focused] lateral elevate. So attempt to maintain the elbows identified to the aspect.”

After performing the waiter’s walk, Hooper provided cues to higher tackle shoulder stability in the course of the overhead train.

“Elevated scapula — deliver your AC joint to your ear. And actively stabilize the shoulder. Actively squeeze every thing across the shoulder. Preserve it protected.”

Hooper then transitioned to bottoms-up kettlebell walks, inverting the load to goal the ball of the kettlebell towards the ceiling, additional difficult his shoulder stabilizers. Equally, he provided sensible efficiency ideas.

“Anybody can squeeze the deal with so onerous that inertia doesn’t matter. The secret’s to have a super-loose hand, so the accountability is in your elbow to remain underneath your hand, quite than your hand doing the be just right for you.”

Hooper stepped on the size in the course of the exercise and revealed a physique weight of 145.4 kilograms (320.5 kilos). He instructed his 18,400 subscribers that he’s 5 kilos heavier than he was on the 2022 WSM. Hooper then concluded the session with cable exterior rotations for the rotator cuffs and a treadmill run, aiming for optimum distance in three minutes.