1. Keep your shoulders held back (using scapular retraction) while seated at your desk for long periods. Forward rounding of the shoulders leads to tightness in pecs and deltoids.
2. Maintain or develop anterior/posterior muscular balance. Example, match chest presses with side rows, and chest fly with reverse fly.
3. Build shoulder stability by performing internal and external shoulder rotations to build the rotator cuff muscles. These exercises are typically left out of people's programs possibly because they are humbling since you cannot use heavy weights. In gyms and studios, I rarely see trainers making their clients perform these exercises. This is a shame.
4. Make sure to stretch your shoulders. The anterior deltoid will typically be the tightest. Use a rope or towel and pull up your arm behind your back. To stretch your anterior delt and pecs you can also do the arm bar stretch using a kettlebell.
5. Trigger Point Performance Therapy is a great self massage tool that should be used to release tight fascia and locked joints. Use the TP ball (or a tennis ball) to open up the chest and shoulders. Use this tool before running or working out.
6. If you have poor shoulder flexibility or if your body structure makes certain exercises borderline painful, avoid them! These exercises include; behind the head lat pulldowns and behind the head shoulder presses. For some people these exercises may lead to shoulder impingement.
7. Do your exercises in the full range of motion to maintain healthy joints and flexibility. Technique and form should be the same in the first and last sets. Use appropriate weights for you strength level.
8. Do not perform upper body plyometrics (eg. box drop-off pushups) if you do not have a solid foundation of strength. The excessive stretching forces will stress your shoulder joint.
9. In most exercises, keep the shoulders depressed and in their sockets. The joint is the strongest in this position. Avoid elevating the shoulders with trapezius to assist lifting weights.
10. Perform moving/dynamic stretching exercises before working out shoulders to improve bloodflow and mobility of muscle and joint. Dynamic stretching exercises of the chest and shoulders include; arm circles in the frontal and lateral planes, arm circles overhead, arm crosses/scissors across chest.
