The Best 5 Exercises for Overhead Shoulder Mobility

The Best 5 Exercises for Overhead Shoulder Mobility

One of the most common problems my patients ask me about is how they can improve their shoulder mobility. I see this a lot in weightlifters, crossfitters, and gymnasts because of how often they do overhead skills such as snatches, jerks, handstands, back walkovers, and back handsprings. In order to do these skills correctly, and to avoid compensation and injury, one must have enough shoulder flexion, shoulder external rotation, and thoracic extension. Otherwise it’s common to hyperextend through the lower back or wrists to get the bar or body overhead.

Here are the 5 best exercises to improve your overhead shoulder mobility:

  1. Foam Roll Thoracic Spine: Place foam roller on your mid back, hands behind your head. Lift hips off the floor and use your legs to roll from mid back to upper back. Keep head back, looking up to the ceiling the whole time. Repeat 10 times or 30 seconds.

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2. Foam Roll Lats: Lie on your side, place foam roller under your armpit. Have your bottom arm outstretched, thumb pointing towards the ceiling. Use your legs to roll from just below armpit to just above. Repeat 10 times or 30 seconds each side.

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3. Thoracic Extension over Foam Roller: Place foam roller on your mid to upper back. Hold 5-10 lbs in your hands, with arms overhead. Lean back over foam roller, reaching the weight to the ground. Do not let your hips come off the floor. Repeat 10 times.

4. PVC Lat Stretch: Kneel on the ground with elbows on a bench. Hold a PVC pipe in your hands with an underhand grip. Try to keep elbows close together and hands wide, making a “V” shape with your arms. Lean hips back towards your heels, rounding lower back. Stretch should be felt in lats/shoulders. Repeat 10 times, with a 3-5 second hold.

5. Eccentric Lat Strengthening: Lie on your back on a bench, hold a weighted bar or a PVC with 5-10 lbs on it. Keep back flat to the bench with feet up. SLOWLY lower weight down as far as you can go/until you feel a stretch in your lats/shoulders, about 5 seconds. Pause for one second, then return to the starting position at 90 degrees. Repeat 10 times.

Give these a go and let me know how it helps! Still need more help with your shoulder mobility? Reach out and schedule a one on one appointment with me today!