I did the blackburn shoulder move for a week, and here's what happened to my upper back and shoulder stability

I lift weights (sometimes). I use a rowing machine (sometimes). I flap my arms, pretending I can fly (very rarely, and usually after a few drinks). So my shoulder muscles are not completely neglected. But I also sit at a desk (a lot). I’m doing it now, in fact, and my posture is pretty good. One of the reasons for that, I am sure, is the fact I have been doing the blackburn exercise all week and am more aware of my upper back and shoulder position than usual. I am not hunched over, protecting my keyboard as if it were my last bone. The blackburn is the little exercise that could. And did.

What is the blackburn?

First off, the name. It may sound like a black ops operation Jason Bourne was determined to expose with maximum frowning, but no; the move is actually (if prosaically) named after noted rehab researcher Turner Blackburn (the American Academy of Sports Physical Therapy honors therapists with the Turner A. Blackburn Hall of Fame / Lifetime Achievement; the first to be so recognised, in 2005, was… Turner Blackburn).

Second, the exercise itself: the blackburn is a surprisingly simple move, or series of moves, designed to improve shoulder stability and strengthen the upper back by working the muscles surrounding the scapula (shoulder blade), as well as the rotator cuff muscles and tendons, which support the shoulder. Rotator cuff injuries are increasingly likely as we age; they affect approximately 30% of adults over 60, and 62% of adults over 80, so it’s well worth putting in the work.

How do I do the blackburn?

Prone Y T W - YouTube

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• Lie face down, with your forehead resting on a small rolled towel, or something similar. This is to ensure your neck is relaxed and you’re not holding it off the floor. Your arms should be resting by your side, palms facing up. I recommend you use a yoga mat for this move.
• Move your arms slightly away from your body (to form an A shape) and draw your shoulder blades down and back. Raise your arms off the floor, hold for a couple of seconds, then return them to the floor. Next, move your arms out wide into a T shape, palms down, and again raise and lower them. Turn your hands, give a thumbs-up sign, as if you’re pleased with yourself, and repeat the move. From here, slide your arms either side of your head, into a Y shape; then raise and lower, palms down. Now do the same move with thumbs up. Finally, slide your arms into a goalpost position, elbows bent. (This move can also be done in a W position, upper arms closer to your body.) Raise and lower, then return to start position. So, to sum up, it’s A, T, T (with thumbs up), Y, Y (with thumbs up), and goalpost (or W).
• In each position, do not raise your arms higher than is comfortable; this move is about control. It will be harder to raise your arms from the Y position, and you may find your lower back arching to complete this part of the move. If this happens, or you notice tension in your neck, lower your arms until your back is straight and relaxed. You should feel this move in your shoulders and upper back. If you have a shoulder injury, do not attempt the blackburn.
• Do two or three sets of the moves, each set lasting about 20 seconds.

I did the blackburn move every day for a week and this is what I learned

I did not know what to expect from this exercise. I had done nothing like it, either in terms of the muscles worked (which told me something about my lack of attention to this area) or the minimal movement involved. To be honest, I was sceptical. But not for long. It’s an amazing little move. It is also possible to do this exercise with a seven-month-old puppy standing on your back and having the time of his young life.

A little does a lot

On day one, I found it easy to raise my arms in the A, T and goalpost positions, but was surprised (and a little disappointed) by how little I could raise them in the Y positions. When I tried to go higher, I noticed my back arching, so I lowered my arms and held them as straight as I could. Do not try to overdo this one, especially when your arms are stretched out in front of you. The move is doing its work, no matter how limited your range. Perform it slowly, concentrate on drawing your shoulder blades together, and remember to breathe. By the end of even one brief session, I could feel the effort in my upper back and shoulders. That pleasing sensation continued throughout the week.

Sit straight and stand tall

By the end of the week, I could raise my arms higher at each stage of the move, even the Y. On day five, I tried it with a 2lb weight, which made things harder, of course, but a weight is a good way to progress the move. The blackburn is a low-key, undemanding exercise, but one I can recommend without hesitation. It’s not designed to build muscle; rather, it reminds you that those muscles are there and should be used. I finished the challenge a couple of days ago, but I can still feel its effect. It has made me more aware of the muscles in that area, some of which I was not even familiar with (the rotator cuff muscles are the supraspinatus, the subscapularis, the infraspinatus, and the teres minor… nope, me neither). I also noticed a pull in my chest, thanks primarily to the T sections of the exercise. The blackburn doesn’t look like much, and it won’t leave you out of breath or cursing yourself, but I can assure you that, even when you’re lying down on the job, it’s working.

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