It's summer--yay! What a great time to work on your endurance, strength, speed, agility, and skills specific to your sport. The next series of posts provide tips on how to make the most of your summer in terms of off-season training.

Tip 1: Use resistance bands to strengthen your shoulders. This is especially important if you play shoulder-intensive sports such as water polo, swimming, baseball, and softball.

1. Tie a resistance band to a doorknob or something of similar height.
2. Hold the band in your hand with your elbow next to your side and bent at a 90 degree angle (forearm parallel to the floor).
3. For external rotation, pull the band away from your body. For internal rotation, pull the band toward your body. With both exercises, keep your elbow pinned at your side.
4. Do three sets of 10 to 12 reps for each exercise.