Flexibility for a proper handstand

For people with tight shoulders, what have you found effective to get them mobile enough to be able to do a handstand with good form.

For me, my shoulders aren't flexible enough to let me maintain the hollow position when I reach straight up. So when I'm in a handstand I always end up arching my back and/or bending my arms to make up for my lack of flexibility. "Hollowing" always pulls my hands back down in front of me.

I've been focusing religiously on fixing this problem since the beginning of this year but I've seen only minimal, if any improvements.

What I've been doing so far, are broomstick or band dislocates, leaning against something with my arms straight above my head, skin-the-cat stretches, pull-up bar hangs (weighted and unweighted), and pec stretches from various angles.

Any suggestions on what to do differently?

Google "thoracic mobility."

We call that "Cat" stretch.

Foam rolling/SMR helps.

I've been stretching out by hand one of my really tight guys using contract-relax/PNF. However, it is difficult to ascertain any increased ROM.

My new method I will be using with said boy is something called a Yogi HS against the wall. He tells me it stretches more than anything else as it is interesting how much load you can put on the shoulders.

From a stomach to wall HS, walk your hands out at least a foot or so (maybe two). Now while piking at the hips, bring your feet lower on the wall. At the same time, push your head in and chest toward the wall. My uber flexible Gumby kid can't feel it but the rest of us without hypermobile shoulders feel a good stretch.

You can also do it from back to wall HS as you slide your butt down the wall and push your chest away from the wall.

Either position open the shoulder angle and place load on the shoulder girdle. They suck.

Currently he is just starting to use them and doing 2 repetitions of 10-15s. We'll bump up volume in time besides incorporating 2 sets of wall slides and cuban presses and shoulder flexion and extension.

I had forgotten about them for a long time until recently. Oops.

Thanks. I did some of that foam rolling on the thoracic spine as well as my lats and I can feel a difference already.

Kick ass! I love this place. I'm starting on my thoracic mobility tomorrow.

Start doing these things:

1. Posterior capsule stretch, sleeper stretch, external rotation stretch

2. Lats stretch, pec stretch, pec minor massage. Can use basketball or other ball and lie on top of it for pec rolling.

3. Deep tissue massage all around the scapula; anterior, lateral and posterior shoulder; coracobrachialis, biceps brachii, and brachialis.

4. Nerve glides (google first link)

5. Band dislocates and wall slides

6. Foam roll thoracic spine (put 45s on your chest for deeper stretch). Also, roll side to side as you are rolling and try to arch your back

Here's a good set of vids on scapular mobility and stability (Ido's):

Thanks, Brain. I didn't think about weighting the SMR on foam roller.

slizzardman said:

Kick ass! I love this place. I'm starting on my thoracic mobility tomorrow.

What place? I want to start on my thoracic mobility as well!!