Bridging and back flexibility?

So I am trying to increase my back flexibility as I really want to be able to do a bridge walkover and a bridge to stand.

I learned from Ido to put my feet on something higher then floor and this made it so my shoulders are over my hands the way they should be but I feel like I have hit a wall and dont really know where to progress from here? I have lowered what my feet are on but it just makes my shoulders uncomfortable.

What do you gymnasts and what not do for that bridge flexibility?

Thanks in advance.

Most of it should be about shoulder flexibility

element3904 said:

Most of it should be about shoulder flexibility

yup... that's mostly what is preventing me from being able to fully extend in the bridge; very tight shoulders.

my (long term) remedy is including band shoulder mobility work and a few bridge wall walks in my WOD warmup; and trying to include (not succeeding as much as I'd like) wall extensions post-WOD.

add cuban presses, stick dislocates, hang in german hang, and perhaps myofascial massage in the shoulder area.

thanks for the responses guys.

I already do german hangs and dislocates pretty consistently, no weigts to do cuban presses sadly =(

any help with smr massage for shoulders bb? I do it for hips, legs, and back but no idea when it comes to shoulders

appreciate the help

Do you have access to elastic bands? I use them for performing Cuban Presses; just stand in the middle of the band, grab the ends and perform the move.

Get a baseball or raquet ball or lacross ball. Roll on it or roll it over where the pec attaches to the shoulder. Follow Slizzards videos on shoulder mobility. Roll on the ball while laying your back on it. Roll around till you feel tightness, then roll until it loosens up.

Yep, you can do 1 arm cuban presses with bands. Something I like to do. I even came up with a good exercise though I have yet to film it. It works for me. Basically it's one of the stretches with bands that K-Star of http://www.mobilitywod.com does but I tweaked it a bit. Works great for my elbow.