Whether you are die hard fitness advocate or you only recently dipped your toes into the world of strength training, mobility is and will be an ongoing concern. Gymnastic movements and Olympic weightlifting ask a lot of the upper body, which can present a problem for many, particularly those whose jobs that call for plenty of sitting or desk work. Improving shoulder mobility to facilitate these movements must be a priority.
Improved shoulder mobility = more effective and efficient movement patterns = better performance output. Improved shoulder mobility will also affect your joints and muscle health in everyday life, allowing your body to move and function as it should, with reduced risk of injury and pain.
So, where do you start? First, while both flexibility and mobility play a part in the effective movement of the shoulders, consider there is a distinct difference between “shoulder flexibility” and “shoulder mobility.”
Shoulder flexibility refers to the ability of the soft tissue muscles to stretch or temporarily elongate. Someone with good hamstring flexibility, for example, will be capable of pulling with a resistance band their knees to their chest while laying flat on their back and maintaining a straight leg.
Shoulder mobility, on the contrary, is the ability for the shoulders to move through a range of motion with control before being restricted. This includes having the requisite strength, coordination, and body awareness along with flexibility. Possessing excellent mobility, then, will be of far greater benefit to an athlete than possessing excellent flexibility.
How To Improve Shoulder Mobility
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Foam rolling and myofascial release. Both concepts promote the break-up of scar tissue, improve blood circulation to targeted areas, and release knots.
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Dynamic motion stretching.
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Strength building.
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Static stretching. As mentioned, one part of possessing excellent mobility is to improve flexibility. One example is long-duration static stretching such as yoga.
8 Exercises That Improve Shoulder Mobility
1. LATISSIMUS DORSI FOAM ROLL
Latissimus dorsi muscles play a strong role in facilitating overhead mobility, particularly allowing the arms to pull back in the press and extend in the snatch. Lying on one side, place a foam roller behind your armpit and slowly rock back and forth, focusing on tight or sore areas.
2. ROTATOR CUFF TRIGGER POINT RELEASE
The rotator cuff is made up of four muscles coming together as tendons to form the cuff. They can become particularly problematic if tight when cycling through barbell/kettlebell overhead movements such as low-load clean and press on the turnover. Grab yourself a trigger point ball and click the link here to watch how to release the muscles of your shoulder blades
3. WALL EXTENSIONS
Wall extensions are incredibly simple and can be performed anywhere with a wall, making them one of the simplest and easiest mobility exercises for shoulders. Sit or stand against a wall with your hips and whole back flat against the wall. Raise your elbows to a 90-degree angle, keeping in contact with the wall as much as possible. Attempt to slide your arms up the wall while maintaining hip, back, and arm contact.
4. SHOULDER DISLOCATES
You have probably performed a few of these in our pre session warm-up and noticed the stretch through your chest and front deltoids. Grab a PVC pipe or broom handle with a wide grip and roll it in front of your face and over behind without bending your elbows. Start cycling these regularly and you will notice your hand placement getting closer together.
5. KETTLEBELL Z PRESS
The kettlebell Z press is a fantastic exercise to build strength through the smaller deltoid muscles. Sitting on the ground with your legs fully extended and abs tight, perform a strict press overhead. Bonus points for incorporating a four- to five-second tempo!
6. DOOR FRAME HANGS
Another easy drill to do at home is door frame hangs. Position yourself inside a door frame, gripping the entryway anywhere from 90 to 180 degrees and pushing your torso through. Keep in these stretches for anywhere from 30 seconds or more while maintaining full-belly breathing.
Want to find out more how we can help you become pain free? For existing members who are not doing PT or you may have enquired us but not taken the next step, Email me at [email protected] to book your Complimentary 45min Functional Movement Screen. This is not available to any new sign up in the last 3 months.
