Injury prevention · Level 1
Band external rotation
Elbow tucked to your side at 90°, rotate the forearm outward against the band.
- Suggested dose
- 3 × 15 rep per side · 30s rest
- Equipment
- Resistance band
- Works
- Rotator cuff
- Pattern
- Rotator cuff
How to do it
- Band anchored at elbow height, stand side-on.
- Elbow at 90° against your waist (a rolled towel helps).
- Rotate the forearm outward and return in 3 s.
Key points
- The elbow stays put
- Shoulder blade back and down
Common mistakes
- Band too strong
- Rotating the torso
Why it helps your tennis
The external rotators brake the arm after the serve: weakness here is a common cause of shoulder pain.
Source: Complete Conditioning for Tennis, ch. 12 (standing external rotation)
Related exercises
- Side-lying external rotationLying on your side, elbow against your side, raise the dumbbell by rotating the shoulder.
- 90/90 external rotationArm out to the side and elbow at 90°: rotate the forearm from down to up (serve position).
- Scaption raiseRaise your arms diagonally (30° from the front) with thumbs up to shoulder height.
- Posterior shoulder stretchCross your arm in front of your chest and pull it in with the other hand.