Supplmental flexibility/ROM exercises

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

G’day folks,

It’s been a while since I was last on here.

I’m returning to training tonight after an extended break and since I’ve had good results from it in the past, I will be running the Beginner Program (Gen 1) again to get back to a solid base.

I just wanted to ask if anyone had some recommendations for additional exercises/programming that could help improve my shoulder flexibility/ROM a bit quicker than just doing the program as written?

I’ve read some of Dr F’s comments about flexibility as a general topic and appreciate why he doesn’t recommend “stretching”, but I was wondering if there were any other recommendations that could supplement the Beginner Program?

When I have been lifting consistently, I have used my maximum ROM in pretty much all lifts. And whilst I have noticed improvements in ROM…my shoulders have been a weak point for over a decade now and have been the hardest to improve.

My shoulder flexibility in the rearwards direction (external rotation, putting hands behind back, position on bar for squat, getting bar back enough for OH press, etc) is pretty rubbish from an old humerus break, 10 years of full time desk/computer job and not enough upper back work.

I don’t have any pain when lifting and other than a brief stint of subacromial bursitis 6 or 7 years ago, the only thing that irritated my left shoulder was doing the push-up challenge last year, which was sorted by breaking up the daily quota into groups of 20 instead of 30.

So, if anyone has has a recommendation for improving shoulder strength/mobility/ROM that I can add to the Beginner Program…I’m all ears.
Otherwise, I’ll just run the program as written and play the long game.

Thanks!

2

I think picking a few exercises that expose you to “extended” ranges of motion can be useful as therapeutic movement if this is a personal interest to you. Dumbbell pull overs and facepulls with external rotation might be a suggestion. You can put them at the end of a workout or as part of your warm up. I do have concerns about adding too much “extra” for folks with limited training resources, e.g. someone on the Beginner program, but I trust you can moderate yourself.

3

Thanks for the response.

I had the suspicion the answer would be to add very little or just play the long game with the programming, so I’ll wait for the volume to step up a little and trial adding what you suggested.

I’m pretty good at self regulation now, so I’ll be able to tell if it’s too much.

Thanks again.

Love you’re work.

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