HS/PE1-im Issues

A few questions:

As a point of background, I realize that the more humbly I step back and try to go back to the basics of this move, the more I realize I have more to work on. Currently, I still have a lot of anterior deltoid pain in my right shoulder. Furthermore, flexion in my arm (raising it up in front of my body to overhead) is difficult and uncomfortable to me. 

Should I use this move as a warm-up every workout? I use a 6lb. bar and it was difficult, then I used a 5lb. bar and it's still difficult. Should I go lower to say 2.5lbs? With raising the arms overhead, do the traps/thoracic area contract in order to pull the arms/shoulders behind the head? Are there are any stretches SMFR (self-myofascial release; foam rolling) that I should do? Alternatively are there other stretches or methods I could use to improve this more effectively? 

I currently do HS/PE2 and PE1-im and PE2-im. PE2 I have worked up to 5x36 seconds. I was doing PE1 but was able to do 5x90 seconds and also was incorporating tuck positions (out of boredom), so I moved on to this. PE2-im is also problematic for me, and I will lower the weight I am using. I have also been working on PE2-im for a much shorter time, so I am not as concerned with these as I am with PE1-im. The reason that that is is because I have some slight discomfort outside of my workouts with shoulder flexion. Hopefully, the questions and concerns were clear enough. Hopefully, people on the forum have some guided advice for this, too.

The RC and HBP iM's synergise with this nicely.

The biggest concern is if you are having pain. Absolutely reduce the load to pain free.

Put up a form check as well if you haven't before.

I have and getting to 180 degrees is the issue. Going to keep at it

- Reduce to at least 2.5lbs.

- Just went thru something very similar myself.  In my case the shoulder discomfort was tight biceps as a result of strength increasing faster than mobility. On off TBs days, try including HBP/PE11-14>iM from Foundation Two and see if that helps.

Yours in Fitness,
Coach Somer

Coach Sommer said:

- Reduce to at least 2.5lbs.

- Just went thru something very similar myself.  In my case the shoulder discomfort was tight biceps as a result of strength increasing faster than mobility. On off TBs days, try including HBP/PE11-14>iM from Foundation Two and see if that helps.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Somer

Don't yet have Foundation Two. The drop in weight is what I had planned on doing, as I dropped to 4lbs from 6 this past Thursday and still couldn't reach 180 degrees. I also realized that I wasn't engaging the shoulders enough on Xiaoping Forwards AND that on the latissimus lean stretch (RC/PE1-im) I wasn't engaging my shoulder enough (from comments received on my form check uploads). While your reference of the HBP stretches from Foundation Two are enticing...I don't believe that I'm yet ready to get the program, functionally speaking not economically. (Though if I were to buy the program it would enjoyable to think about where I will one day end up)

Don't look at it from a strength perspective, you need the additional iM work.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

So what you mean is that I should get F2 and incorporate those stretches in my handstand workouts (and also take more of my ego, ie strength focus, out of my -im work)?

Edit: Purchased F2, the -ims you mention are in the TBs, so I should then practice them other days, too. Understood. Things like HBP/PE8 and PE9-ims also look helpful. Would it not be safe to assume that those would help, too? (Since flexion is largely where I feel stiffness and discomfort)

I'll take that as a yes. OR that you appreciate my having bought more of your programs . Either way, it's  a good thing for my steady and overall progress.

Upon further notice, using 2.5 lbs for HS/PE1-im and PE2-im, allowed me to do the im's with full range of motion (today was the first time I did this exercise and felt it in my traps). Stretching out with HBP/PE8-im, and the PE11-PE14-ims, also helped. Since starting all these routines, since my shoulders haven't felt as mobile as they do today. So thanks, for the tips. I'm going to keep applying these methods and way for the results to show. 

I also incorporated some leg mobility and saw my ankles and lateral knee mobility increasing moderately, too. *Newsflash* this stuff does work.... 

Coach, what would be your recommended volume on the additional iM's? Also, would you suggest iM 11 and 13, or 12 and 14? I'm already doing the TB stretch course, and have noticed improvements in this iM (and shoulder/upper body flexibility in general), but I'm all ears to anything I can do to increase flexibility progress.

Sorry if I'm hijacking Daniel.

Is it safe to say that HS/PE1-im is a trap/neck exercise, as well as shoulder mobility? Because holy guacamole.... my traps are ON FIRE. I guess after having NOT activated them appropriately for last 8 months of doing this exercise, bearing 2.5lbs is a tremendous amount. Thanks for the tips, I definitely feel my shoulder flexion and girdle getting stronger (especially from those HBP mobilities which you suggested). So cheers, thanks for the insights.

I'm really interested in this topic, as I have similar flexion limitations. When you say your traps are on fire, do you mean lower or upper? Much of what I've read suggests that lower / middle traps are underactive in most adults, while upper traps are overactive. Coach - any comments on activating lower traps, either in this or another IM? 

If you look at the video, the kid squeezes his shoulder blades together, which is achieved by activating the traps. The weight is kept overhead and at an angle to the ground with the upper traps.