Your shoulder blades attach to a group of muscles that work together to stabilize the entire joint of your shoulder in order to help you function correctly. Unhealthy shoulder blade function can lead to shoulder pain, which can impact your weightlifting routine and possibly lead you to have to take some time off from working out.

You probably go to the gym to make strength and muscle gains, which you are able to do when you add intensity and weight to your lifts. However, you will usually keep adding until you are in pain. But you can avoid becoming injured and having to sit out by taking the time that you need to build a more durable system in your shoulders, which begins with your shoulder blades.

Your shoulder blades sit on your back and are attached to your body by a variety of muscles and ligaments. The rotator cuff is an important part of this system because it helps stabilize the major bone in your upper arm. You use your rotator cuff in almost every movement that you do with your shoulders.

Without stabilizing ability of your shoulder blades, you would be more prone to injury while lifting at the gym. Especially when you’re training hard and things are more difficult and intense, your shoulders need shoulder blade stability to stay healthy and gain muscle.

There are a few exercises you can do to keep these muscles healthy. The key to doing these exercises is to focus on your form and not try to over do it with the amount of weight that you're lifting. Try to do three sets of 12 reps of every move either twice or three times each week before you start your workout.

Shoulder Blade Retraction

You will use a band for this exercise. Start standing up with your feet shoulder width apart. Hold a resistance band set up and retract your shoulder blades. Do this by squeezing your shoulder blades together in the back. Pull the bands toward you at stomach length and hold this stretch for a moment. Then, return to your starting position to complete one rep.

Resisted Wall Slide

Start standing with your feet shoulder width apart and your elbows touching a wall. Tighten up the muscles in your core and make sure your elbows are equal in height with your shoulders as you are leaning against the wall. Have a band around your wrists and place them against the wall as well.

Press your elbows into the wall and stretch your shoulder blades in order to push your upper body away from the wall. Hold this position and move one elbow horizontally. Hold this position for a moment and then return to your starting position. Repeat on the other side to complete your first rep.

Prone Stability Ball

Get down on your knees and lean forward onto a stability ball. As you are holding a lightweight dumbbell in each hand, squeeze your shoulder blades together. Form a "Y" shape with your torso by raising your arms. Stop for a moment when you are in a perfect "Y" shape and then lower your arms back toward the ground. This is one rep.

Do these exercises to keep your shoulder blades in tip top shape so you can also keep your shoulders healthy and you can avoid becoming injured at the gym and having to take some time off. Remember, it is important to focus on your form here more than your speed or the amount of weight that you are lifting. You want to engage your entire shoulder system while doing these exercises so there isn't a muscle left out which could then be prone to becoming injured.