If you deal with shoulder pain when lifting your arm, aching at the front of the shoulder every time you press, curl, or pull, or that nagging sore shoulder that just won’t settle down no matter what you try, you’re not alone — and you’re not broken.

You likely have tendonitis in the shoulder, specifically bicep tendonitis. And while most people assume this is just a “bad tendon” problem, the focus needs to shift to why the bicep tendon is compensating and working harder. Often, this is a breakdown in the big 5 system involving the neck, t-spine, shoulder blade, shoulder, or nervous system. When one of these is off, the bicep tendon gets overused and inflamed. You need to fix the system, and this 3-minute follow-along routine does exactly that.

Quick Reference

• Total Time: 3 Minutes.
• Targets: Thoracic spine, shoulder blade mechanics, posterior shoulder stability.
• Goal: Reduce front-of-shoulder pain, free up movement and protect the bicep tendon.

Exercise 1 – Banded Open Book

Purpose: Free up the thoracic spine and ribs so your shoulder stops stealing motion.

Equipment: Light resistance band.

How to Do It

1. Anchor a light band at approximately chest height next to a wall.
2. Kneel beside the wall, holding the band with both hands, arms straight out in front of you.
3. Keep your hips facing forward throughout.
4. Slowly rotate your chest and arms away from the anchor like opening a book. Let your eyes follow your hands.
5. Pause at the end range and then return with control.

Duration: 30 seconds per side.

Tip: Think “chest opening,” not just arms moving. You’re mobilizing your thoracic spine and ribs. One of the most overlooked drivers of shoulder pain when lifting. 

Exercise 2: Banded Extension + External Rotation

Purpose: Wake up the posterior shoulder so the ball joint stops sitting forward and grinding on the tendon

Equipment: Light resistance band

How to Do It

1. Place a light band around both wrists behind your back.
2. Stand tall with your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears.
3. Gently pull your hands apart to create light tension — this is the external rotation component.
4. While maintaining that tension, slide your hands slightly back so your shoulders move into extension.
5. Pause 2–3 seconds at the end, then return slowly.

Duration: 1 minute, slow and controlled

Tip: If the front of your shoulder flares up, reduce the range, Just holding the band tension without moving back is a valid starting point.

Exercise 3: Kettlebell Pull-Throughs

Purpose – Build closed-chain shoulder stability, the kind you actually need for pressing and pulling movements.

Equipment – Light kettlebell or dumbbell.

How to Do It

1. Set up in a high plank position: hands on the floor, feet back, body in a straight line.
2. Place the kettlebell just outside your right hand.
3. With your left hand, reach under your chest, grab the weight, and drag it slowly across to the left side.
4. Set it down just outside your left hand, then use your right hand to grab it and move it over.
5. Alternate back and forth for the full duration.

Duration: 1 minute, slow and controlled

Tip: Keep your hips as level as possible; big rotation defeats the purpose. 

What Happens When You Fix the System

One of our clients — an active gym-goer and boxer — had been dealing with that same persistent front-of-shoulder pain for months. He’d tried rest. He’d tried ice. He’d tried backing off on training. Nothing stuck.

Once he started addressing the Big Five system instead of just the tendon, everything changed. In his words: “It was an annoying pain just there. And now I don’t feel anything, honestly. Like I can go to sleep without shoulder pain, I can go to the boxing gym without shoulder pain, I can do pull-ups without shoulder pain.”

That’s what shoulder pain relief looks like when you stop chasing the symptom and start fixing what’s driving it.

How to Use This Routine

Use these three exercises as:

• A pre-workout warm-up before every upper-body training session
• A flare-up resets anytime your front shoulder or bicep tendon feels irritated
• A daily maintenance routine if you’re currently in an active flare and can’t train at full capacity

You Deserve More

If you’ve already gone through traditional physical therapy for shoulder pain, tried a chiropractor for shoulder pain, or gone down the road of injections and imaging, and you’re still stuck, it’s worth taking the time to do these exercises to relieve your shoulders. But if you’d like professional advice, we’re a click away.