Overhead Stretch

Mobility Exercises

Overhead Band Stretch

1. With a strength band looped around a pull-up bar, hold the band and step back until the band has a good stretch. Then, bend over to mimic the overhead position with an externally rotated shoulder, so your palm is up to the ceiling. Let the band pull your shoulder up a bit, but make sure to keep your core braced, so you are not overextended through the spine.

2. Reach over with your free hand grabbing the elbow of the arm that is holding the strength band. Use your free hand to further externally rotate your shoulder.

3. To tie in your lateral seam (your side), lean your hips away from the side that is holding the band.

Front Rack Band Stretch

With a strength band looped around a pull-up bar, mimic front rack position with an externally rotated shoulder position and a bent elbow. Keep your core braced avoiding over-extension of the back and make sure to engage the shoulder to not allow any workarounds or compensation. If you are properly externally rotating the shoulder, the palm of your hand will be facing behind you.

Chin-up Bar Hang

With a chin-up grip (palms facing behind you), hang with an engaged shoulder and braced core.

Pass-thoughs with PVC Pipe, Dowel Rod, or Broom Stick

Standing with a braced posture, grip the PVC pipe with a wide grip. You will likely move your grip around as you look for the threshold where pass-throughs are challenging, but not too challenging where there’s compensation. You should be creating external torque in the shoulder by twisting your pinkies into the PVC pipe like you would twist into the ground on a push-ups. Bring the bar up and over your head fighting to maintain your braced core and pinkies on the PVC pipe and avoiding your shoulder rounding out of socket forward. Instead of static stretching, 30 seconds to a couple of minutes of reps of Pass-thoughs is best.

Around-the-Worlds with PVC Pipe, Dowel Rod, or Broom Stick

1. Standing with a braced posture, grip the PVC pipe with a wide grip. You will likely move your grip around as you look for the threshold where around-the-worlds are challenging, but not too challenging where there’s compensation. You should be creating external torque in the shoulder by twisting your pinkies into the PVC pipe like you would twist into the ground on a push-ups.

2. Bring one arm up overhead with your bicep by your ear with external rotation in the shoulder to mimic an overhead position with that arm. The other arm will stay out to the side.

3. Press the overhead arm back behind you maintaining a straight arm, pinkies on the PVC pipe, and a braced core until the PVC is completely behind you.

4. From there, you can reverse the steps with the other arm and repeat. Instead of static stretching, 30 seconds to a couple of minutes of reps of around-the-worlds is best.