Question regarding lat/shoulder stretches

Hello everybody. 

I'll start with a bit of background - I've spent a few years lifting weights and got rather big and "strong" - by appearance I look way stronger than I am lol. 

About a year ago I was exposed to movement culture and realized I'm weak, I didn't enjoy the methods they used and did Calisthenics for a bit instead with some focus on mobility and generally saw some improvement. 

I've decided to go for Gymnastic Bodies a month ago because I wanted to see just how weak I am - and fix it. 

Overall I don't have the best posture but not the worst, I have a slight anterior tilt still (used to be terrible)

I have also a bit of kyphosis / rounded shoulders but it has also improved tremendously since switching to calisthenics a year ago. 

On the foundation one courses all the pulling work is very easy for me, I am still going slowly through the progressions, currently at RC/PE2 but before I was doing the program I did elevated rows for 15 reps x 4 easy, front lever rows as well. 

The strength portion is easy for me, I believe my form is correct as well (I can post if needed) 

However on the iM 1-2 I don't feel any stretch, I just feel like I'm holding the bar and leaning backwards. 

The only way I can feel a stretch in my lats is if I lunge, the side where the leg goes back gets a good stretch if I lunge - however that doesn't look like any of the iM prescribed. 

I tried the iM3 and can feel that better. 

I do find Bulgarian rows and hinge rows challenging (I just tried to see) 

I'm not sure what to make of this, should I continue progressing with the  strength portion? I know the answer is probably not lol, but I don't know how to address this?

I always found pulling/hanging very easy, I can hang on one arm for almost a minute, I can perform a decent back lever on bar and rings, pull ups with 40% bodyweight. 

When I hang I don't feel a stretch in my lats. 

I find pushing excersies with locked elbows a bit challenging but this is improving (I couldn't do scapular shrugs in the beginning with locked arms but now I can) 

I'm assuming things are related and I'm flushing out my weaknesses - is not being able to feel the basic stretches a weakness or is it that my pulling is alright? 

Should I continue or regress? 

I've lost a fair bit of strength the last month since I stopped my old program and switched to GB - it does demoralise me a bit, especially since it was something I was always happy about and well, it's nice to be happy about something I'm worried that if I get stuck on the basic mobilities I will lose my strength further and for a lack of any better way to say it it is very depressing

 

 

 

HI AVner, there is much reasons behind a low level of muscles stretch:

-super tight muscles/fascia and joint capsule;

-wrong technique.

since nobody here can say something about the first option I would like to see the execution of the exercises, from the first PE/IM so that technique can be adjusted, if necessary.

Hey Alessandro 

I've included both the PE and iM of RC01 here 

Pe

Mi

 

Are you simply resting or are you trying to push you away from the bar with the legs?

I do push away with my legs and shoulders. 

In this one (iM1) I feel a very slight stretch. iM2 just feels awkward. 

Is my PE alright? 

PE is ok. if you can perform mastery. 

IM can be more challenging than others, depends from person to person.

Should I just keep on progressing then regardless of how much stretch I get? 

 

Thanks for the replies. 

yes, if you match the range of motion required for passing over. in this case, you can.