Strengthen shoulder girdle to gain shoulder flexibility

Because I started gymnastics at the age of 14, I have for now a lack of shoulder flexibility which really handicap me through the practice of almost every event, so I decided to find how improve this flexibilty: I really can't open my shoulders, in fact I can't even do a bridge!

It also appears that my chest is most strenghten than my back and thus involve my shoulders to be "pulled forward" which I think increase this straightness through my entire shoulder girdle.

Therefore I was wondering if strenghten the shoulder girdle will help me to gain flexibilty, and how to build this strengh?

Does couple this idea with pure shoulder flexibility exercices (like bridge with feet elevated) can permit me to gain shoulder flexibility?

This is what I want to know because I'm very very motivated to increase this flexibility... Thanks to everyone!

You have to strengthen the shoulder girdle a bit just to be able to transition through the handstand in kickovers and limber movements.

Erik, my boy on team who has very poor shoulder flexibility actually has a really hard time with Wall HS because his shoulders are not open when he does them. Of course Wall Runs are just as hard. He has yet to ever do 1m on the Wall HS but can press to HS, hold a free HS for 5-10s at best, hold a HS on PB and walk in a HS about 10 feet. However, he has a really hard time with Wall HS.

As well, he can barely do a bridge on ground without wide arms that are bent. His kickovers tend to be pretty ugly even when off a height as the shoulder angle tends to close in.

1. Drop all pressing movements

2. focus on stretching out your chest and lats, and retracting your scapulae all the time

3. More horizontal pulling for now.

4. Work your bridge flexibility A LOT.

5. Work wall angels/wall extensions A LOT.

6. Foam roll your thoracic spine

7. Shoulder dislocates with a band

Hum ok here is a good start but I have a few questions: - Do planche, front and back levers, iron cross, manna, HS PU and HS Wall Runs can help to strengthen the shoudler girdle or on the contrary should be avoid during the time we stretch the shoulders?

- I found some stretch for the lats: this stretch has to last at least 1mn or it can last less than 1mn?

I'm actually bulding a daily routine to stretch the shoulders and make them stronger to increase their flexibility that I will post soon!

All strength work strengthens......

Static stretching is generally done after working out... but you can do it more if you're tight.

Every 10s of stretching try to make the muscle longer by moving into a deeper stretch. If you can continue to do so then continue.. otherwise stop. I find 30s is a good number and do that 3-5 times or so.

Ok but you said "Drop all pressing movements" and HS PU for exemple build strengh but are pressing movements so can we performs then or not if we really want to gain shoulder flexibility?

lyzis said:

Ok but you said "Drop all pressing movements" and HS PU for exemple build strengh but are pressing movements so can we performs then or not if we really want to gain shoulder flexibility?

I said that because you are imbalanced. If you want to fix your imbalance then do the stuff I listed.