How to Fix Tight Shoulders (OVERHEAD PRESS MOBILITY)

Are stiff & tight shoulders holding you back from performing a proper overhead press? Dr. Aaron Horschig shows you today how to screen for the most common limiting factor in this problem - stiff lats - and how to fix it!
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[@aldertonewood6575]

Quick review: 0:17 test 1:34 lat stretch 2:42 pec stretch 3:54 lat stretch 5:34 retest 6:16 squat &press

[@stefanomagaddino6868]

Thanks Doc, I needed that ! OHP has always been a weak point for me. Now I know why. New, grateful subscriber.

[@gianbattistabottini5670]

Thank you very much for your high-quality content. I have had a lot of benefit following your advice. Keep up your excellent work. 🙏👍

[@smolboyi]

You're my hero Dr. Horschig

[@chrisogonas]

This is really useful to me; didn't know how to fix that shoulder/chest pain. Thanks

[@Football__Junkie]

I never thought about lying on the bench with the bar. That’s a great stretch!

[@brit69]

I love you and your channel. Slowly fixing my eight shoulder with your tips.

[@saad-1]

So good Doc. Thank you 🙌🏋️‍♀️👏

[@vult0r]

These helped good!!! 👍🏼

[@fergaldonnelly7303]

excellent stuff as ever.......... any videos on shoulder impingement?

[@bennygilligan]

Quality video I have tight shoulders before I squat this could really help.

[@fitness-fishing-s.kovachev]

Great video! Thanks!

[@SonofGroucho1]

Really useful video!

[@dominicpurnell2899]

Awesome info . Thank God no one disliked this . Tired of ppl disliking stuff just because

[@mohandes0good]

I needed this!!!! .. long day in the office then I go 30 min early before my crossfit class and do this mobility movements

[@chrisway7113]

This looks good! I’m gonna try it.

[@nmnate]

So, to take a step back... for those of us with external rotation flexibility / shoulder stiffness issues... Would swapping pronated grips for supinated grips on our pulling exercises (vertical pull like a pull/chin-up and horizontal like a bent over barbell row) help reinforce better shoulder placement? One of my favorite chest stretches that my physical therapist had me do for quite some time was lying lengthwise on a foam roller (head to butt supported by the roller with spine straight) and putting my arms in a T or W shape against the floor. The deficit helps really light up my lower pecs and get an amazing stretch in an externally rotated position. I'll have to give your 2nd stretch a try for upper pecs, looks pretty solid. It might be more effective lying down as it helps you cue a neutral spine (as opposed to stretching overhead).

[@brandy993]

I love it, thank you

[@Deathdodger100]

Thank you so much!!

[@carlossama5533]

Great video..

[@mcalioglu]

Great video

[@zutinic]

Excellent!

[@Alex-qr1tg]

Awesome vid as usual! Such good and helpful info. Thank you!

[@davebeecher6579]

Dang great job 👍

[@vzimm2813]

💙💙💙💙 thank you!

[@IzzysLambo]

Great video I went from being about 5 inches away from the wall to being able to touch it

[@felipemendonca6992]

Hey doc! Update from last week: the results from rebuilding milo for my shoulder has been great! A new question though: can I do the exercises everyday? Currently I’m doing them every other day, but would like to increase frequency. Thanks a lot!

[@rayres1074]

For anyone else wondering: the usual answer is "listen to your body". There should be no big issues in doing all those stretches everyday though. HOWEVER, the descending pull up movement is to a certain extent a workout so you should do every other day unless it really doesn't tire you at all (i.e. You can do like 5+ pull ups at once).

[@declanosullivan8770]

Ive been doing them everyday after 5 years of injury seems to only be getting better but the muscles that were asleep seem to need a lot of activation and blood glow everyday at the moment

[@aboodsaleh12]

Great!

[@monocyte2210]

Lat stretches feel so good

[@mcalioglu]

best university I ve ever been

[@sunnykhatick7948]

Lovely

[@jirisehor1853]

Great video! I have a problem with the wall test with palms toward the ceiling! Is it still address to stiff lats?

[@leolevy925]

No dislikes, awesome 😎 👍

[@marcelochong4065]

This is a very good vid. Thanks so much. I have a problem on my elbow external rotation. I cannot do a front squat with my elbow bend outward to form a " V\==/V" , do you have any good exercise to help me improve this issue? Thanks soooo much.

[@madsdybro6854]

Hey Aaron. What’s the name of the press you refer to in this video -couldn’t quite catch it? Really enjoy your work!💪🏼 Cheers, Mads out of Norway✌🏼

[@thetrippasnippingsasquatch6539]

Could you do a video on scapula retraction and how keep it engaged during exercises please

[@eitantaub5503]

I love you.

[@stevemontgomery9966]

Great video. Hope all the new paint was dry ;)

[@chukupuku3978]

Hi Dr Aaaron, i am suffering from front and lateral/back hip pain. At my lateral/back hip pain i can really touch deep with a lacrose ball on some 'strings' or muscles and it is painful but it is never get released. i am trying more than a month to work on impingment for the front hip pain but it is not really helping... could you please share your thought about my situtation/or do a video about that? Thanks a lot and best regards Aviv

[@dw_iso_fun]

Yah shoulder work!! You’re gunna rehab me whether you want to or not:)

[@VuPham-vp9od]

OVERHEAD PRESS MOBILITY 1/ Chin up (lat flexibility) ----- 3 rep (5s eccentric + 3s hold at bottom) 2/ PVC pec stretch ----- 3 rep (10s hold) 3/ PVC BOX lat stretch ----- 3 rep (10s hold)

[@gregorypaulsumares8394]

Doc can you give some exercises and stretches for getting to the overhead squat. I can do 1/3 of a squat with bar pressed overhead. if I squat deep the bar moves forward.

[@christhainguerrero7211]

I notice some of these stretches you’ve recommended for front squats as well. I noticed my left wrist gets a paint when I front squat. Can you tell me what could be causing that?

[@LockOn95]

*Looks at thumbnail* “Fix these” Me: “what’s wrong with my armpits?”

[@ITxc]

i love u bro

[@kylegideons2822]

Love

[@barrie3516]

When doing the V stretch on the box I feel pain in the tops of my shoulders and can’t get a stretch on the lats. Is there a way I can change the position so I don’t get pain in my shoulders? Thanks

[@osh241]

How much of an effect does you lower back mobility have on this? I feel my lower back is over arched, getting a flat back is difficult unless I raise my knees when lying down.

[@daventure]

That could just be a sign for a weak lower abdomen if your low back arches while lying down/ doing the lat stretch. Try to tense the abs on this and push the low back into the bench. If it's not possible, do drills like the dead bug/ Reverse crunches/ lying leg raised while always trying to keep contact with the ground and your lower back

[@maartos8749]

This also works for a more straight handstand?

[@jadsoueidi9068]

I feel like I would lose a shoulder if I hang in under arm position. Would it be easier to narrow the grib .. any advice ?! What is a good regression of the negative under arm pull up .

[@jamesgallant3553]

I have arthritic shoulders and would like some means of increasing external rotation etc. I have pain in my shoulders when pressing overhead. I cannot press overhead completely and cannot put a bar on my back for squats. Any suggestions would be appreciated. I have been working on this for several years with minimum results thus far.

[@dustinallen8888]

Do you have any videos to help with single DB OHS?

[@luciuswillson]

Ok, so I can touch my knuckles to the wall seated and hands in the clean position. If though I rotate my hands and get a chin up grip I can’t get my hands even close to the wall and it feels like my hands want to spin off the pvc pipe. Any help

[@cotilake]

I have a problem with my left shoulder lagging behind my right and I feel my traps(?) being recruited to compensate Does this mean tight lats or is it my actual shoulder?

[@gerdsiebern9648]

There are no reasons for a dislike.👍👍👍👍👍😊

[@vijaynevrekar7490]

I'm having supraspinatus tendinosis so can I do this?

[@ColinM.481]

Are floor slides a bad option?

[@xdarthpool6463]

What do I do if I have extreme tightness in my forearms when doing this lift? I can do the lift simply fine, but I swear the muscles in my right forearm popped on the way up on every rep.

[@orchid1507]

Thank you so much for this video ! Could you please do a video on tennis elbow, how to identify its causes and what to do to relieve it and build strong forearms ? Thanks !

[@DrAlexStrahle]

In general, looking for tenderness on the outside of the elbow (palms facing forward). Some general massage through the extensor mass (forearm) and slow eccentric with light weight (just a couple pounds) is going to go a long way. Make sure to address any issues up and down the chain such as wrist, shoulder, scapula, and thoracic spine mobility.

[@orchid1507]

Thanks ! As a matter of fact I noticed that when I do a couple of reps with light weight before my workout I don‘t have any pain !

[@akhilmehta007]

What about lack to thoracic extension range/mobility not allowing you to press overhead?

[@DrAlexStrahle]

Very common problem! Try some quadruped rotations or laying over a foam roller.

[@keithhopkins1346]

Aaron: If I sit cross legged like you do in the video, my knees are very high. What muscles are tight and need stretching?

[@catsandbarbells]

Your hip complex. Search for stretches for your inner thighs. The pigeon stretch for your outer hip should help too.

[@keithhopkins1346]

@@catsandbarbells thx

[@George-cp1vc]

How many sets and reps?

[@lorenzopagl]

I was born with really low shoulder mobility. I trained in crossfit and weightlifting for years but I still can't lock my shoulder even in a simply push press. I trained my mobility for 2 years: for some months i made mobility every day, but after any improvement, losting motivation, I started training mobility only once a week (Age 24 now). Till today even if I am training a lot in strength and power (cleaning 2x bw), I can't partecipate in weightlifting competitions because of my damned shoulder. It's so hard for me to keep going, without any results.

[@theandrewheuss]

Have you tried pail and rail? RPR methods? Functional range conditioning? It’s helped me a little

[@tomasmolina2463]

I #askSquatUniversity if in a overhead press my shoulder blades need to be locked behind "pinch" or allow them to move freely

[@bart9522]

Should I even do push press / military press if I have overhead mobility issues? I feel like I might injure myself.

[@SisypheanRoller]

Work on mobility first for a few weeks. Press overhead with light weights and start linear progression once your mobility is decent.

[@jimmylavan26]

1 month later and no dislikes? I’m in shock

[@maartos8749]

3 months in still 0!

[@martincabrera5916]

4 months in still 0!

[@TheGr8one1022]

@@martincabrera5916 someone ruined it

[@cxa011500]

@@TheGr8one1022 I feel like there must be a bot that goes around and dislikes videos, because I can't understand why anyone would dislike some videos.

[@shomarifraser]

1 year later

[@CompleteCommando]

Didn't watch full instruction- PVC pipe stuck in eye..HELP

[@enrgys_world]

so i have done this many times, but when I lift my arms overhead, I find that my shoulders contracts really hard, i think my shoulders are tight

[@awildgrendel7148]

Do you have an official class/course I could take to earn some certifications? I am highly interested in exercise Science and improving body imbalances.

[@SquatUniversity]

Nothing like that yet - I do perform seminars usually (1-2 a year) but since COVID i've put those on hold.

[@kolec76]

damn I touched the wall with 0 problems, not even arching my back at all, I can actually be few inches away from the wall and still make it with no arching. I guess this vid not for me! My fav. movement ever is the OHP tho ;)

[@SarcastSempervirens]

Dude, I have no pecks or lats, I have stiff painful shoulders. That make it hard for me to develop any real muscle that would hinder me from shoulder movement. I have no use of a ton of ball work or peck and lat stretches. I can't even lift myself up like that. Is there anything I can do to fix my shoulders? Band work?

[@DrAppleMedia]

Lats: work on just hanging the way he did on the bottom position. Just do a dead hang (preferably with arms externally rotated) Pecs: Have your hand in an open palm pressed into a wall and your arm straight out to your side. Let's say you take your right hand. You'd press your right palm into a wall with your hand straight out to the right, you'd then turn your body to the left to feel a stretch in your right pec. If these instructions are not helpful just look up a chest stretch. Having "no muscle" just makes you more likely to be stiff. Mobility is about strength through a large range of motion Edit: now that I think about it, strengthening your chest is a good idea too, try a deficit pushup, even if you gotta go on your knees for the pushup

[@batuhandagl6826]

My shoulders crack like there is no tomorrow while doing the test

[@OuhibGhomari]

Am i the only one who can't do the stretch at 4:30 because it makes me feel a huge discomfort/pain in the shoulders ?

[@batuhankonu2015]

Can we apply for internship?

[@umer1234100]

Second🙁 #squatUclub

[@samueljones2878]

what if your a big fat strongman like me not sure I can do the first stretch lol 🤦

[@Atg.po1]

First

[@Sandring44]

Congrats bro

[@tylerharwood5743]

hello everyone welcome to wendy’s

[@ea5266]

(hears the muffled mic) *LITERALLY UNWATCHABLE*

[@hkabak3999]

First