B.A.S.S. – Balance. agility. strength. stretching

Garden B.A.S.S. Week 7 – Simple Strong Shoulders

By Sally nield & sue mavin

Kneeling on hands and knees is one of the first coordinated movements we learn as children. Crawling builds shoulder stability, core control, and whole-body coordination.

And it remains a life skill.

You use 4-point kneeling when you:

Pull out weeds
Plant seedlings
Inspect leaves closely
Clean under the sink
Reach under a desk
Retrieve something from the floor

If this position feels tiring or unstable, it often reflects shoulder strength and endurance.

This week, we build that strength. Watch the B.A.S.S. video for the 4 exercises, and read below for more tips from Sally and Sue.

What’s happening in your shoulders?

When you weight bear through your hands, your shoulder blades need to stay firm against your rib cage.

Serratus anterior plays a key role here. It helps anchor the shoulder blades so your chest doesn’t sink toward the floor.

Working alongside it:

Rhomboids and trapezius help prevent the shoulders from creeping up toward the ears.
Rotator cuff and deltoid stabilise the shoulder joint while one arm supports your body and the other moves.
Triceps keep the elbows straight — which becomes demanding over time.

When these muscles share the load well, the position feels organised and strong.

When they fatigue, the weight shifts into the wrists and shoulders, and everything feels heavier than it should.

Building strength and endurance here makes ground-level tasks feel more manageable — and helps you stay confident getting down and back up again.