Shoulder mobility is how well your shoulder joint moves. The shoulder planes of movement include: flexion, abduction, internal rotation, external rotation, horizontal abduction and horizontal adduction. Most of the time, people are limited in overhead flexion and behind the back internal rotation.
This is important because think of your day-to-day activities and how often we use our arms...reaching in the cabinet, pouring coffee, getting dressed, reaching for your wallet, fastening your bra, lifting your kids, grabbing your purse or backpack. We use our arms ALL THE TIME!
If you happen to be limited in overhead flexion or how much you can fully reach overhead, then here are 2 exercises you need to try right now!
๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ข๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฟ
This exercise focuses on improving ๐ฆ๐น๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ค ๐๐ฑ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ and ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ท๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต to increase your ability to fully reach overhead and perform any overhead exercise (snatch, presses, anything hanging from the bar, overhead squats)!
This exercise also feels awesome if you are stiff in your upper back, have been sitting a lot during the day or stuck in one position during the day. Itโs also a great warm-up prior to working out. Try it, I dare you!
๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ:
Grab a barbell (about chest height) or use the wall or a countertop.
Sink your chest toward the floor, feeling a stretch in your upper and/or midback. (wherever youโre limited) as you push your hips back.
Hold anywhere from 3-5 seconds.
Exhale as you sink down for a deeper stretch.
Repeat 10-15x!
๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐๐ฟ ๐ข๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฑ ๐ ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฒ๐ป๐ฐ๐ต ๐ง๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฐ ๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ ๐ ๐ผ๐ฏ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
This is another exercise that focuses on improving ๐ฆ๐น๐ต๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ฉ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ข๐ค๐ช๐ค ๐๐ฑ๐ช๐ฏ๐ฆ and ๐ฆ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ท๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐บ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ณ ๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ฉ๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ฐ๐ช๐ฏ๐ต to increase your ability to fully reach overhead and perform any overhead exercise (snatch, presses, anything hanging from the bar, overhead squats)!
This is an intense thoracic spine self-mobilization and feels awesome if youโre stiff there! You can also bias stretching your lats if you think about keeping your lower back rounded as you shift your weight back. Even if you donโt have a bench, use a chair at home.
๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ:
Kneel on the ground in front of your bench or chair.
Grab a PVC pipe or interlace your hands and put it behind your head.
Sink your chest toward the floor, feeling a stretch in your upper and/or midback (wherever youโre limited) as you push your hips back.
Hold for a breath, exhale as you sink down for a deeper stretch.
Repeat 10-15x!
This may be uncomfortable if you have limitations in your shoulder joint but it should not increase any pain in your shoulder or back! Share with a stiff friend! If you still feel limited in your shoulder mobility or want to learn more, contact us today at 615-982-4062.
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