Volleyball Players! Say Goodbye to Shoulder Pain with These Exercises for Shoulder Mobility
Shoulder pain can be a common problem for beach volleyball players. The constant overhead motions and strain on the shoulder can lead to shoulder pain and decreased mobility. However, there are exercises you can do to help alleviate pain and improve your shoulder health in volleyball. In this blog post, we'll go over some of the most effective exercises for shoulder pain and mobility that will keep you in top form on the court.
- Shoulder Mobility
- Rotator Cuff Strengthening
- Scapular Strengthening
- Shoulder Stretches
- 60 Day Training - Mobility and Agility
How Do You Improve Shoulder Mobility for Volleyball?
Start with shoulder circles: arms at your sides, rotate in small circles and gradually make them bigger — 3 sets of 10 reps in each direction. Stiff shoulders are the ones that get hurt, so mobility work comes before strength work in my routine.
Shoulder mobility is crucial for preventing shoulder pain and injury. Without proper mobility, your shoulders can become stiff and prone to injury. One effective exercise for improving shoulder mobility is shoulder circles. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms by your sides. Slowly rotate your arms in circles, starting with small circles and gradually increasing the size of the circles. Do 3 sets of 10 reps in each direction.
Find these exercises and more in the online volleyball course below! Take your game to the next level and conquer pain once and for all.
Workouts for Volleyball - Add Inches To Your Vertical Jump
What Rotator Cuff Exercises Protect Volleyball Shoulders?
Side-lying external rotations are the staple: elbow bent 90 degrees and tucked into your side, rotate the arm outward as far as you can — 3 sets of 10 per side. The rotator cuff surrounds the shoulder joint, and strengthening it is what protects you through thousands of arm swings.
The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that surround the shoulder joint. Strengthening these muscles is key to protecting your shoulders from injury. One effective exercise for rotator cuff strengthening is external rotations. Lie on your side with your arm bent at a 90-degree angle, and a towel or small pillow under your elbow. Keeping your elbow tucked into your side, rotate your arm outward as far as you can. Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.
Why Does Scapular Strength Matter for Shoulder Health?
Your shoulder blade is the foundation every arm swing is built on — it drives shoulder movement and stability. Prone Y raises (face down, arms overhead in a Y, lift toward the ceiling with shoulders away from your ears) for 3 sets of 10 keep those muscles strong.
The scapula, or shoulder blade, plays a critical role in shoulder health. It serves as the foundation for shoulder movement and stability. Strengthening the muscles around the scapula can help prevent shoulder injuries. One effective exercise for scapular strengthening is the prone Y raise. Lie face down on a bench with your arms extended overhead in a Y-shape. Lift your arms up toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders down and away from your ears. Repeat for 3 sets of 10 reps.
Which Stretches Keep Volleyball Shoulders Loose?
The cross-body stretch is the one I never skip: pull one arm across your chest with the other, hold 20-30 seconds, 3 sets per side. Regular stretching keeps shoulders limber and prevents the stiffness that leads to injury.
Stretching is a key component of any shoulder health routine. It helps keep your shoulders loose and limber, which can prevent stiffness and injury. One effective stretch for the shoulders is the cross-body stretch. Bring one arm across your body and use your other arm to gently pull it closer to your chest. Hold for 20-30 seconds and repeat on the other side. Do 3 sets on each side.
What Program Ties Shoulder Health Into Full Volleyball Training?
My 60 Day Max Vertical Training program includes the shoulder pain and mobility work from this post inside a complete volleyball workout plan. It's the structured version of everything here, with support from our team.
Don't let shoulder pain hold you back from dominating on the beach volleyball court. Try our 60 Day Max Vertical Training program, which includes exercises for shoulder pain and mobility, as well as a complete workout plan to take your game to the next level. Our program is customized to your needs and goals and includes support from our team of expert trainers. Sign up today and start improving your shoulder health and your beach volleyball game!
What Should You Do Once Your Shoulders Feel Better?
Keep training — but train smarter. A lot of shoulder pain in beach and sand volleyball comes back when players return to old arm-swing habits, so pair this mobility work with real technique coaching. All of my full skill courses are inside the Better at Beach membership — $1 gets you all of it for 7 days, then $49/month or $497/year if you stay.
If you want hands-on reps with live coaching, our 3-day beach volleyball camps are $599 — about the price of 8–10 private lessons — with no more than 10 players per coach. The fastest-improving players we see combine the online membership with a camp: coaching before, during, and after.
