The shoulder is themore mobile joint of the body and one of the most used, mainly in CrossFit®. In fact, almost all the exercises we do during training use this muscle district. However, it is not enough to have only nice strong shoulders; it is also necessary to be able to move them with ease and amplitude.
It is well known that shoulder mobility is one of the biggest difficulties for sportsmen, especially for former athletes, but also for frequent box and gym goers.
True, we often talk about the shoulders, but the question of range of motion is often overlooked. That is why today we will see the best exercises to improve shoulder mobility.
Index
The best exercises for shoulder mobility
First of all, it should be noted that it will be necessary spend more time before or after training to work on mobility sectors and shoulder flexibility.
These exercises, in fact, are anything but enjoyable and fun, but they can make a difference when it comes to lifting the barbell above your head in the Snatch, improve gymnastic movements on the bar, help align the body on the handstand walk and much more.
With this in mind, we have selected 5 important stretching exercises which can help you get one greater freedom of movement. As mentioned before, follow them and do them pre or post workout.
Controlled shoulder joint rotations (bodyweight)
They are simple and easy to do. Just move the shoulder through its full range of motion with control and in a variety of directions.
Slowly rotate your arm forward, backward and sideways, very slowly and paying attention to the limits. This is a great way to find out how far your mobility goes.
Cuban rotations
The Cuban rotations strengthen the four rotator cuff muscles, the main culprits of shoulder injuries.
To perform this movement, it is sufficient to have a bar, an unloaded barbell or even a PVC pipe. The sequence of movements can be seen in the video below:
Widen the shoulder extension (with PVC pipe)
Keep the PVC pipe behind your back and try to raise it as high as possible. When you feel you have reached your limit, slowly lower your arms and repeat again.
Force more and more movement and relax afterwards. Make sure your torso doesn't move together and hold the position for a few seconds. Exhale the air on the way up and inhale on the way down.
External rotation (with PVC pipe)
External rotation is also a great option, just grip the PVC tube with one arm and pull the tip down with the other hand.
Movement is a great choice for those who need to stretch their shoulders and wrists. For CrossFit®ters it is great for improving wrist mobility to perform the clean perfectly.
However, here too, keeping the torso straight is extremely important.
Shoulder mobility (with cane)
Hold the stick in front of your body and pass it behind your body, without bending your arms. If it's easy, close it more pinch (made with three fingers) and repeat the movement a few times until you reach the limit where, to pass, you will have to bend your arm, this is the sign that you have reached your limit.
You can also do a reverse hand grip inside the stick; this makes movement more difficult.