Shoulder flexion stretch question

Hi all!

In order to improve my shoulders flexion , I've been practicing this exercise.

I saw it done just like in the pic, at the stall bars, or even on the ground.

I have to clarify two stuffs:

1. How Should I have to keep my butt? at the same height of my knees, or backward or forward? Basically is it the better the top pic or the bottom one? Which is harder, and give the best benefits?

2. Should I keep PPT or APT? I have to say my goal is to improve shoulder flexion for a good handstand, so it makes me think of keep PPT! But I'm not sure....

Thank you!!

Always PPT.

 

APT will give you the illusion of shoulder mobility (took the words from Coach Sommer).

 

What I do is stretch my muscles individually first; chest, lats, arms, then I do this one but on the wall. Keep your legs bent with PPT and lean on the wall.

 

Also, do this version but with straight legs and BENT arms. Play around with bent arms in different angles and width. This will stretch your shoulders and arms.

Hollow Man said:

Always PPT.

APT will give you the illusion of shoulder mobility (took the words from Sommer).

What I do is stretch my muscles individually first; chest, lats, arms, then I do this one but on the wall. Keep your legs bent with PPT and lean on the wall.

Also, do this version but with straight legs and BENT arms. Play around with bent arms in different angles and width. This will stretch your shoulders and arms.

Hollow Man, let me clarify this. Regarding The streth you mentioned, Do you mean always with knees on the floor?

I saw this other method on a standing position.

In this pic I see legs a bit bent (I don't know if it is better to perform it with completely straight legs), and butt looks a bit backward from feet.

That's why I don't have a clear idea on how should I keep my butt.

Maybe with knees on the floor , and on standing position is different. But as my flexibility improves, where should be my butt , compared to feet level? Both for standing and knees on the floor position... For example Should be more closer to the wall (just like the girl on the first pic?) or should It move away from wall?

For the wall stretch, it's a good idea to press your chest against the wall.

 

 

But with straight legs, you will be force to arch your lower back. With bent legs (not kness on floor as this will remove the some of the load), and just bent legs, you can lean against the wall with your chest while minimizing the arch in the lower back.

 

Play with it, and you will feel it.

Use your external oblique to take your belly in then focus on pushing the chest down on the kneeling version.

mauler said:

Hi all!

In order to improve my shoulders flexion , I've been practicing this exercise.

Screenshot_2015-04-20-10-55-43.png

I saw it done just like in the pic, at the stall bars, or even on the ground.

I have to clarify two stuffs:

1. How Should I have to keep my butt? at the same height of my knees, or backward or forward? Basically is it the better the top pic or the bottom one? Which is harder, and give the best benefits?

2. Should I keep PPT or APT? I have to say my goal is to improve shoulder flexion for a good handstand, so it makes me think of keep PPT! But I'm not sure....

Thank you!!

 

As this thread has already demonstrated, there are any number of variations on this stretch.

The variations fall into two main categories, tight hollow or arched back.

 

If you are doing this specifically as HS prep then you want to keep tight hollow.

 

So, to answer question 1: the pictures tell the story, drop your hips too much and you will wind up arching. Keep the butt up enough to avoid arching.

 

Same goes for PPT, you wan to have enough PPT to have a flat lower back.

 

The Missing questions here regard the ribs / upper back and shoulders.

 

- Use your legs to pull away from the box and get your shoulders in the 'by your ears' position.

Scapula are protracted. (i.e. don't pinch your shoulder to your ears)

 

- As you lower your shoulders, lift your lower ribs at the same time to create a fulcrum around the shoulders. Put the stretch in your chest, not you upper back.