Shoulder Mobility Exercises to Improve Overhead Position

Here’s three great exercises to improve your shoulder mobility.

Table Bridges

• Start sitting down, place hands behind you. Ideally fingers pointing backwards. If this is painful on your elbows it means your biceps are tight. Pointing your fingers out to the side will alleviate this. Over time, you’ll be able to point them backwards.
• Lift the hips as high as you can and push them away from your shoulders to stretch them out.
• Hold for 20-30 seconds.

Windmills

• Great “all over body” stretch that asks the shoulders to stabilise throughout it’s range of motion.
• Hold a light weight overhead with arms straight, legs about twice hip width apart.
• With legs straight, reach your “free” arm towards the floor, all the while looking up at your weight.
• Repeat 5 times on each side.

Overhead Cossacks

• Hold a PVC pipe overhead with a ‘snatch grip width’
• Squat towards one side, keeping that foot flat on the floor.
• The aim is to maintain a good upright torso and overhead position throughout the movement.