Mobility vs Strength progressions

I'm working on the handstand fundamentals course right now and have the problem that my shoulders are very immobile, to the point where I cannot even perform the second progression mobility of holding a bar behind your back and lifting it up to horizontal and holding. I can get about 60 degrees up.

Two questions

1) How do I improve mobility, as with this hold I can't do it, so simply holding it as far as I can each session doesn't seem to be improving it. How do I progress?

2) My strength is far beyond my mobility, I have been progressing that separately and am currently at progression 8 on the strength side, however I know it says to not progress until you can do both strength and mobility at the same level, so by that I should be sticking on progression 2 of the strength side until my mobility catches up. Progression 2 on the strength side is just so basic for me though that it's almost pointless to be doing it, which is why I've pushed ahead with strength. Can someone comment on this approach and let me know their thoughts?

Developing strength without requisite mobility ensures that imbalance persists.

Pushing ahead on strength at the expense of mobility is exactly why you find yourself in your present situation.

For the time being your strength work needs to go on maintenance until your mobility deficits are corrected.  

Will this be frustrating?  Absolutely.  However it is what it is and is not going to get better until you change the current priorities in your training.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Coach I think I need to tattoo those few sentences on my forehead.

If you want the program to work you need to follow the protocol. Also, with the mobility, you should widen the placement of your hands on the bar to the point where you can lift it completely to horizontal. From here you can work on gradually bringing the hands in to shoulder width. It takes time. Stretch the chest and biceps regularly. Thoracic Bridge Stretch course will take care of the flexibility.

Thanks coach Sommer, strong words and I'll take them to heart. As Travis said, to progress the mobility is the solution to change the grip or some aspect in order to allow me to do the move and then adjust slowly? The course gives good breakdowns of progressions to master the strength moves but doesn't have any training guide to attain the mobility you are lacking

Yes you should change to a grip that is wide enough for you to do the motion as Travis said. I had to start at slightly  over 3x shoulder width (almost 4') and have made gradual progress over time. The Thoracic Bridge stretch series and a lot of the HBP iMs will help you with the required passive flexibility. Movements like this tend to get much easier when you aren't fighting the tight antagonist muscles on the other side.

I had/have a similar problem and I dropped the bar weight down to pvc pipe in addition to wide grip. Amazing how much of my lack of mobility was simply using too much weight.

Practicing should dislocates in both directions after each workout is also helping.  Like Ian said, gradual progress over time.  Your body resisting is it's way of saying "not ready yet". 

10 hours ago, Kevin Herring said:

I had/have a similar problem and I dropped the bar weight down to pvc pipe in addition to wide grip. Amazing how much of my lack of mobility was simply using too much weight.

Practicing should dislocates in both directions after each workout is also helping.  Like Ian said, gradual progress over time.  Your body resisting is it's way of saying "not ready yet". 

Go as wide as you need but definitely add some weight to the dislocate, Coach has been stating repeatedly that unweighted dislocates are not productive for adults other than for limbering up some.

That's interesting, I'm just using a broom handle at the moment. What sort of weight should I be using for these?

IIRC, @Alessandro Mainente recommended using at least 2 kg / 4-5 lbs.