Best indication of open shoulders?

Hello guys. I'm wondering what the best test is to decide if you have open shoulders to start your freestanding handstand work for the day. Having closed shoulders makes it harder to PPT which makes it harder to work on a a straight body freestanding handstand. My shoulder Mobility&Flexibility is shit if I don't do 5-10 minutes of shoulder dislocates and stretches before my workout.

The best one I can think of is laying on your back, flattening your lower back on the ground and raising your arms and placing them overhead on the ground (must be shoulder width apart).

Without dislocates and stretches, I have to arch to place them on the ground, but even then my whole arms aren't in contact with the floor.

Paulizdaman said:

Hello guys. I'm wondering what the best test is to decide if you have open shoulders to start your freestanding handstand work for the day. Having closed shoulders makes it harder to PPT which makes it harder to work on a a straight body freestanding handstand. My shoulder Mobility&Flexibility is shit if I don't do 5-10 minutes of shoulder dislocates and stretches before my workout.

The best one I can think of is laying on your back, flattening your lower back on the ground and raising your arms and placing them overhead on the ground (must be shoulder width apart).

Without dislocates and stretches, I have to arch to place them on the ground, but even then my whole arms aren't in contact with the floor.

You want a test to see if your shoulders are open enough or you want exercises to open them even more? Clearly they are not open enough, dislocates should open them just have patience.

Handstand against a wall with chest facing wall; walk your hands as close to the wall (5 cm optimal) while your legs are straight and chest does not touch wall. When you can do this you are close to a freestanding handstand.

I want to know about a test that indicates ideal open shoulders for handstands. I know the exercises to open up my shoulders, but mine aren't open 24/7. I have to warm up and do mobility work before I feel like they're open. But I'm not sure how open they are or if they're open enough for a perfect handstand.

I can get close to the wall in a chest to wall handstand, but not to an extent where my wrist are touching the wall. But I suppose if I'm ever able to do so, then that's an indication of perfect open shoulders?

Paulizdaman said:

I can get close to the wall in a chest to wall handstand, but not to an extent where my wrist are touching the wall. But I suppose if I'm ever able to do so, then that's an indication of perfect open shoulders?

Not necessarily. You could actually get your wrists so close to the wall that your shoulders would end up closing. It depends on your own anatomy.

For me, I do use the chest-to-wall handstand to open my shoulders before free hs work, using the optimum hand distance for my own body. I've tried the supine drill you mention in your first post, but I prefer wall hs. Another one I sometimes use is back-to-wall handstand, open the shoulders as your weight leans onto the wall through your feet. Kind of like a mexican, but maintaining the straight body line.

When you tried "my" supine drill. Did you lay completely flat on the ground? With lower back press into the floor, legs, upper back on the floor aswell? Also, did you pull yours ribs in? Pulling my ribs in, and having PPT, I can not touch the floor with my arms overhead. Literally impossible. Like 30-45 degrees away.

Also, dynamic bridge stretching performed correctly should also get your shoulders warm quick, at least it works for me. I do not have to warm up before training (bent arm strength is my warm up), so if you are frozen it could perhaps be an indication of a too high workload, adjustment to new exercises or improper cool down (no stretches). This is just guessing my part.

Paulizdaman said:

When you tried "my" supine drill. Did you lay completely flat on the ground? With lower back press into the floor, legs, upper back on the floor aswell? Also, did you pull yours ribs in? Pulling my ribs in, and having PPT, I can not touch the floor with my arms overhead. Literally impossible. Like 30-45 degrees away.

Your shoulders are still "Closed."

Downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana) will help "Open" your shoulders more.  Be patient with your body when you do these yoga postures. Your body didn't develop the issues you get to correct overnight and it will take time to get where you want to be. 

Paulizdaman said:

When you tried "my" supine drill. Did you lay completely flat on the ground? With lower back press into the floor, legs, upper back on the floor aswell? Also, did you pull yours ribs in? Pulling my ribs in, and having PPT, I can not touch the floor with my arms overhead. Literally impossible. Like 30-45 degrees away.

Yes. This is a basic bodyline drill and I can daydream in the position. (Mind you, 12 months ago I could not even hold this position correctly for a second) You might want to take a look at H1, it seems that you are training two steps ahead of where you actually should be. Take a step back and progress will explode. H1 will start you off with the shoulder flexion mobility you need...30-45 degrees makes you a zombie

GoldenEagle said:

Your shoulders are still "Closed."

 

Downward facing dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana) and Extended Puppy Pose (Uttana Shishosana) will help "Open" your shoulders more.  Be patient with your body when you do these yoga postures. Your body didn't develop the issues you get to correct overnight and it will take time to get where you want to be.

Yes, I'm well aware of how poor my shoulders are. But thank you, I will include your tips in my routine. I already do shoulder dislocates from different positions and grips, and I do this other stretch that goes like this: I place my hands as if I'm about to surrender, but instead of having them next to me, I put them shoulder width apart in front of me. Then I place the hands and forearms on the wall, put my head in between my arms and pull down. Very uncomfortable for me, but it's helps!

Other than this, I'm gonna do foam rolling, stretch lats, pecs and shoulders.

Micawberian said:

Yes. This is a basic bodyline drill and I can daydream in the position. (Mind you, 12 months ago I could not even hold this position correctly for a second) You might want to take a look at H1, it seems that you are training two steps ahead of where you actually should be. Take a step back and progress will explode. H1 will start you off with the shoulder flexion mobility you need...30-45 degrees makes you a zombie

I am planning on buying H1 and F1, but I don't have money now. And I start university in 2 weeks, so I have to be extra careful with money.

I don't understand why you would say that I should take a step back without knowing my routine. All I do now is PPT drills, Hollow body hold, Build support strength and endurance with Chest to wall handstand, and work on having ideal open shoulders.

maybe it's because i was so stiff before, but the cue of "reaching" out with my hands as much as i can and then flexing my arms(opening shoulders) involves the trapz a lot more. if you have access to H1 material, i recommend looking into it, Goldeneagles recommendation of Downward dog (with the right activation) will do great stuff for you in the same department. that opened up my shoulders quite a bit and i was hella tight up until recently. 

Paulizdaman said:

 

I don't understand why you would say that I should take a step back without knowing my routine. All I do now is PPT drills, Hollow body hold, Build support strength and endurance with Chest to wall handstand, and work on having ideal open shoulders.

you implied in your original post that you are working free hs and you've mentioned that you are working the supine drill. With your closed shoulders, this is enough to know that you are working ahead of where you should be according to coach's standards set up in H1.

Micawberian said:

you implied in your original post that you are working free hs and you've mentioned that you are working the supine drill. With your closed shoulders, this is enough to know that you are working ahead of where you should be according to coach's standards set up in H1.

I apologies. I am not native English speaker. I meant that when you're ready to start freestanding handstand. I do admit that I sometimes kick up into a hanstand just because it's fun, but I don't work it in sets or reps, etc.

The supine floor drill is just a test to see how open your shoulders are. I don't work with it. I don't really understand either how you can "work" with it. If you're talking about having to stay there with PPT and rounded inwards chest for a longer time, then yes maybe it can be difficult for some.