weighted Shoulder Dislocate: Best way to progress

Hi guys! 

During the GB seminar, I was assisted by Coach Sommer while doing weighted shoulder dislocates. Thanks to him I gradually reduced the width distance rep by rep, and I finally I was able to perform a rep quite close to shoulder width apart: a beautiful feeling, I could'nt imagine I would ever been able to do that. 

So now, I started to work on them, just as a standard 5x5 coupled mobility routine. How do you suggest to progress during such routine? To work always at the same width, and once I get confident, at the next session to reduce the grip and start again ? or better to reduce gradually the grip set by set during the same routine? 

Moreover, I remember in the past in the first reps I felt a bit of pain on my shoulders, I guess because of a lack of a proper warm up! Before starting to work on the current width a single or two sets of a previous mastered grip could be a good idea? 

Any suggestion about the way to progress is welcome!

Thank you!

Alessandro

HI Alessandro you should aim for the second option. my best suggestion after really tons of clients it is the same.

-work always to 5 sets

-first set: must be done with the same width all the time, comfortable. and super slow reps i mean 6 seconds up and 6 seconds back. totally 1' under tension.

-the second set: must be done with a little bit reduced width which must be held for all the reps

-third set: begin with the first set grip, the goal it is to reduce the width for 2 times, so you will do 2 reps, then reduce a bit, 2 reps and reduce a bit.

-the 4th set: begin with the first set grip AGAIN, and work exactly as the third set.

-the 5th set it is done with the last width of the 4th set.

there is no a perfect amount for the width that you have to increase.

this way of work of moving back and forth it is very useful to adapt the nervous system, remember that when someone it is squeezed, something else it is stretched..and stretch means a reset of muscle relfex.

1 hour ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

HI Alessandro you should aim for the second option. my best suggestion after really tons of clients it is the same.

-work always to 5 sets

-first set: must be done with the same width all the time, comfortable. and super slow reps i mean 6 seconds up and 6 seconds back. totally 1' under tension.

-the second set: must be done with a little bit reduced width which must be held for all the reps

-third set: begin with the first set grip, the goal it is to reduce the width for 2 times, so you will do 2 reps, then reduce a bit, 2 reps and reduce a bit.

-the 4th set: begin with the first set grip AGAIN, and work exactly as the third set.

-the 5th set it is done with the last width of the 4th set.

there is no a perfect amount for the width that you have to increase.

this way of work of moving back and forth it is very useful to adapt the nervous system, remember that when someone it is squeezed, something else it is stretched..and stretch means a reset of muscle relfex.

Beautiful tips! I will do as you suggested! Thank you very much@Alessandro Mainente!

I have been trying weighted shoulder dislocates for about a year now and made a bit of progress, but not very much. I noticed after doing dislocates for some time that there was a nagging pain in my left shoulder that would not go away, resulting even in a loss of strength in that arm. I went to a sports physician, who performed a scan on my shoulder. He discovered that I have a bone malformation in my arm, like a spur, that made it impossible for the arm to rotate smoothly, unfortunately exactly where the hardest part (for me) of the dislocate is, with the arm extended and passing behind the head. As a result, the dislocate was causing inflammation and pain. Further scans revealed I have the same thing in my right leg, where the leg fits into the hip socket, making it impossible for me to fully rotate my leg outward without pain and pins and needles. He said my only option was surgery, but the combined cost of both surgeries, even with insurance, is daunting. I'm a little disheartened now, since a full dislocate at the recommended distance between the hands is physically impossible. Does this mean I won't be able to make any progress in my handstand? I had to eliminate dislocates entirely because the pain became too intense. Oddly, skin-the-cats don't aggravate the shoulder as much, I won't pretend to understand why. Has anybody had any similar experiences? Any advice?

On July 17, 2017 at 6:34 AM, Alessandro Mainente said:

HI Alessandro you should aim for the second option. my best suggestion after really tons of clients it is the same.

-work always to 5 sets

-first set: must be done with the same width all the time, comfortable. and super slow reps i mean 6 seconds up and 6 seconds back. totally 1' under tension.

-the second set: must be done with a little bit reduced width which must be held for all the reps

-third set: begin with the first set grip, the goal it is to reduce the width for 2 times, so you will do 2 reps, then reduce a bit, 2 reps and reduce a bit.

-the 4th set: begin with the first set grip AGAIN, and work exactly as the third set.

-the 5th set it is done with the last width of the 4th set.

there is no a perfect amount for the width that you have to increase.

this way of work of moving back and forth it is very useful to adapt the nervous system, remember that when someone it is squeezed, something else it is stretched..and stretch means a reset of muscle relfex.

@Alessandro Mainente don't you think this post should be a sticky? I've been doing dislocates incorrectly all this time and I'm so glad I came across this post.

I think that dislocates technique it is more important than how to progress over a session. you can still use this specific approach but wrong technique.

My dislocates are paired with another movement in the handstand series. I can perform the other movement all day long, but the dislocates are . . . substandard: my hands are so far apart that the bar *just barely* passes over my head. In fact, I have to tip my head to the side just a bit to get the bar over.

What do I mark in the progress meter thingy? "Failed mobility"? Seriously, I've been stuck trying to improve this movement for *weeks*. I feel like shoulder width may not be in the cards for months, and I'm losing motivation to continue the handstand series at all.

Hi Travis, do you have the thoracic bridge series? I think that it is a good supplement for your dislocates progress.

I second making this sticky. I love this progression through the five sets, and can't wait to try it this evening. Thanks Alessandro!

For more general information on dislocates. Shoulder Dislocates

On 17/07/2017 at 11:34 AM, Alessandro Mainente said:

HI Alessandro you should aim for the second option. my best suggestion after really tons of clients it is the same.

-work always to 5 sets

-first set: must be done with the same width all the time, comfortable. and super slow reps i mean 6 seconds up and 6 seconds back. totally 1' under tension.

-the second set: must be done with a little bit reduced width which must be held for all the reps

-third set: begin with the first set grip, the goal it is to reduce the width for 2 times, so you will do 2 reps, then reduce a bit, 2 reps and reduce a bit.

-the 4th set: begin with the first set grip AGAIN, and work exactly as the third set.

-the 5th set it is done with the last width of the 4th set.

there is no a perfect amount for the width that you have to increase.

this way of work of moving back and forth it is very useful to adapt the nervous system, remember that when someone it is squeezed, something else it is stretched..and stretch means a reset of muscle relfex.

a very beautiful concept thanks alex

Is mastery then being at the target width for the 5 th set or doing warm up sets as described then 5 sets at the target width?

Hi Malcolm, the mastery is when you can perform the mastery on all the 5 sets.

Thanks, would you recommend then doing warm up sets as you describe to adapt gradually to the range of movement then 5 sets at target width. 

Yes for sure.