Extreme flexibility and strength in shoulders just not possible?

[Katharina Huemer]

About a year ago, I could do Front and Back Walkovers and Tick Tocks without any problem.

Now I got some serious, visible shoulder muscles from all the press handstand and planche work and it seems as if it is harder than ever before. I do stretch my shoulders almost everyday, although not as excessively as my splits, but it seems as if they have gotten so much tighter. 

It is definitely not from me getting older, because I am more flexible than ever in my splits and pancake. I have all splits 10 inches hyperextended with square hips and I also have an hyperextended pancake and my needle kicks and split jumps are all in overspilt.

But a year ago, I could get into a bridge and immediately push my armpits back without much stretching. I could also put both my hands completely together behind my back and "shoulder dislocates" or skin the cats on bars were super easy. Now, I can barely touch my fingers behind my back, skin the cats hurt and it takes some warm up and stretching before I can into a good bridge position and then it is pretty uncomfortable. I can still do walkovers of course, but they don't feel as easy as before.

Also, my shoulders are hurting after I did walkovers and Tick Tocks.

After a lot of warm-up and pre stretch, my bridge still looks like this.
I can actually push my armpits even further behind my arms. But as I said, it takes time and is not very pleasant and one minute after stretching, everything feels tight again. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_(exercise)#mediaviewer/File:Bridge_position.jpeg

I am not sure if I am maybe stretching too less? Is it possible that it is really from me getting stronger and bigger shoulders?

Should I focus super duper hard shoulder flexibility or should I just accept that with getting stronger, the flexibility will decrease? Of course, I will still stretch them and all those backhandsprings need some flexibility anyways. But should I just accept that walkovers won't be as easy as before and maybe stop working them as they hurt my shoulders? 

I did a lot of them yesterday, and today I can't raise my right armsover my head, because it hurts so much. I think it might be a little tear in the rotator cuff or anything.

I would be fine with no more walkovers, I mean, now press handstands are super easy and I am close to pike through on floor and I am working hard on my planche, which I think is a lot cooler than simple walkovers!

Looking forward to getting your opinion!

[Coach Sommer]

Mobility and strength can be maintained; you simply have to do a better job of monitoring their relationship so that you don't end up with such a large unexpected gap.

 

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

[Katharina Huemer]

Thanks for your wise words, Coach.

Of course I always do different stretches after strength training as well as the coupled mobility in Foundation. 

What do you think about walkovers, kickovers and limbers in general? What I have heard is it a pretty controversial topic, especially the back walkover on beam. I know that if an athlete is flexible in their shoulders and knows proper technique, they shouldn't cause any harm. But many times gymnasts get stress fractures or pain in their lower back from the repetitive stress of back walkovers.
I can do both Back and Front Walkovers and of course Tick Tocks and Kickovers. I have always liked Front Walkovers a lot more than back ones. Once warmed up, I can really push trough my shoulders and almost don't feel any stretch in my back, just sometimes when I miss the timing I have to "arch up". But for the Back Walkover, it always felt as I have to bend down using my lower back, I haven't done millions yet, but I am scared I can maybe injure myself. And if I do several tick tocks in a row it hurts my shoulders and I really have to stretch beforehand.

So would you recommend slowly increasing flexibility until I can easily do walkovers and tick rocks or would you say it is better if I just work on flexibility and keep the front walkover?

Do you generally recommend athletes to train walkover and limbers? Are they good for anything besides looking good?