Shoulder Mobility Challenge: Do You Have What It Takes?

Here is an awesome shoulder mobility exercise you can do. I like to do this as part of a warm-up, or as a ‘’filler’’ exercise.

Start out by performing the first video, and without ANY weight. If this goes well you can use higher yoga blogs, and/or add a very light weight. I’m using 2.5 lbs per hand, and this was more than enough.

The main objective of this exercise is to develop shoulder and scapular controlled mobility, NOT to lift heavy weights. ⁣

Coaching Tips:

Lie down in a prone position, and on the floor. Keep your chin tucked, and neck in a neutral position. Your head, torso and hips should be in a stacked position. Extend your legs.⁣
Place two yoga blocks/other objects so they are parallel, and are approximately just outside of shoulder width apart.⁣
Fully extend your arms, and elevate them so they are an inch or so above the ground. In this position your arms and body should resemble an ‘’I.’’ ⁣
While keeping your wrists and elbows in a fixed position, use the muscles in your shoulders and around your shoulder blade area to lift your arms over the blocks, and so your arms and body form a ‘’T.’’⁣ When you perform this movement, your shoulder blades should retract, depress, and downwardly rotate.
Pause for a count in the ‘’T position,’’ and return your arms to the starting position.⁣ When you are returning to the “I” position, your shoulder blades should protract, elevate, and upwardly rotate.
For the duration of the exercise, do not allow your arms or hands to come into contact with the yoga blocks. You may lightly touch your hands to the floor in the ‘’I’’ and ‘’T’’ positions.⁣
Do not keep your shoulder blades pinned. They are meant to move. ⁣
For the duration of the exercise, your head, torso and hips should remain in a stacked position. Do not compensate and perform the movements by hyperextending your lower back, flaring your ribcage, lifting your chest or head off the ground, or excessively shrugging the shoulders.⁣
Use a range of motion (block height) that allows YOU to maintain proper form. ⁣
Keep your core braced (360 degree brace).
In terms of breathing, do what works and feels best for you.