Best Shoulder Warmup Exercise: The PAR-CAR

Trainer Charlee Atkins, C.S.C.S., uses this movement, the PAR-CAR (partial shoulder controlled articulation), to mobilize her shoulders.

“I loving combining the different areas of training,” says Atkins. “This [movement] combines shoulder extension with shoulder rotation in a controlled exercise.”

The Only 10-Minute Warmup You Need To Do

One of the main reasons the exercise is so effective is that it is easily adaptable for those with physical limitations. If you’ve been lifting for a long time, you’re bound to run into some shoulder soreness sooner or later—and if you haven’t, it pays to take preventative measures before any problems develop.

“If you have shoulder issues or your mobility is limited, change the angle at which you extend the arm up (meaning there will be more space between your arm and your ear),” advises Atkins. “The movement is that of an ‘arc,’ so make sure you’re staying in our line of mobility.”

To perform the PAR-CAR, you’ll need a set of dumbbells. This is a movement that should never be done with a heavy weight—so keep anything above a 10-pounder (4.5kg) on the rack.

• Stand in an athletic stance holding a dumbbell in one hand. With arm by your side, keep the rest of the body activated (squeeze your core and glutes) as you slowly extend the arm all the way up overhead.
• Once your bicep gets near or past the ear, rotate your shoulder so the palm is facing outwards and continue extending arm a few more inches behind you.
• Slowly lower your arm to return back to the starting position.

If your shoulders are particularly overtaxed, Atkins recommends dropping the dumbbells and just going through the movement. “If you have any shoulder issues, I recommend first trying without weights,” she says. “You can do this as a warm-up without weights called a Shoulder CAR (controlled articulation).”

Add this at the start or end of your shoulder workouts with 3 sets of 8 reps.

This article originally appeared on Men’s Health US.