Struggling to lock out in your overhead press? Can’t seem to stretch far enough to reach the protein powder on the top shelf? Maybe you’ve nailed a powerful turnover in your snatch, but as soon as you finish in the catch, you find your arms falling forward.
Lack of shoulder mobility can show up in many different ways, but one thing’s for sure: It’s a complete pain in the ass.
It’s hardly surprising that so many of us experience shoulder tightness. After all, the shoulder is the body’s most complicated joint, prone to arthritis, tears, and tendinitis. Without the right TLC, the shoulder and its surrounding muscles' range of motion can significantly reduce, affecting athletic performance, increasing discomfort and pain, and making even the simplest of day-to-day tasks difficult.
Luckily, there is a solution: Shoulder mobility exercises.
They may not be glamorous. They aren’t always fun. But they sure are effective in increasing shoulder flexibility.
And if you can weave the best shoulder mobility stretches into your weekly routine before tightness, pain, or injuries occur, then that’s even better.
We’ve made life easy for you by putting together a list of the best five shoulder mobility stretches. We’ll guide you through them step-by-step and answer all your burning questions on shoulder stretches frequency and programming to give you a prehab-led approach to bulletproof shoulders.
Looking to build shoulders that can withstand any challenge? Warm up with these shoulder stretches, then add some of our best shoulder-strengthening exercises to your workout.
What You'll Find In This Article:
The 5 Best Shoulder Mobility Exercises
Why Should You Do Shoulder Mobility Stretches?
How To Add Shoulder Stretches Into Your Routine
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The 5 Best Shoulder Mobility Exercises
Luckily, weaving shoulder mobility exercises into everyday life isn’t difficult: Add a couple to the end of your upper body workout, take a 5-minute break from the screen at work, or do them in the PM in front of the TV. It doesn’t really matter when or where you do them, but one thing’s for sure: these stretches are sure to improve shoulder flexibility, improve posture, and keep that pesky shoulder tightness at bay.
The 5 Best Shoulder Mobility Stretches Are:
1. Banded Pass-Through
Banded pass-throughs (or banded shoulder rotations) are a great shoulder mobility exercise to warm up for an upper body workout, especially those with overhead work such as overhead presses, overhead squats, or handstand push-ups. They also make a great shoulder mobility exercise to do between sets to increase the range of motion in the shoulders and upper back. Grab a long resistance band or a PVC pipe for these and see how you get on.
How To Do PVC Pass-Throughs:
Take hold of the resistance band, holding it 1.5x - 2x your shoulder width, arms extended, palms facing down.
Keeping your arms straight and the band parallel to the ground, lift your arms up and over your head.
Lower the band behind your back as far as you can.
Bring the band back up and over your body, returning it to the start position while keeping your arms straight.
TIP: If you don't yet have the shoulder mobility to complete a full rotation, widen your grip. Alternatively, if you find it too easy, reduce the width of your grip.
2. Single Arm Shoulder CARs
Similar to the banded shoulder rotation exercise, the single-arm shoulder-controlled articular rotations improve shoulder flexibility by moving the shoulders through their full range of motion. This active shoulder stretch may feel difficult at first, but over time, it will increase the strength and stability of the shoulder joint.
How To Do Single-Arm Shoulder CARs:
Kneel down on a mat, keeping your torso straight and arms by your side.
Reach one arm in front of you, slightly across your body, whilst keeping it straight.
Move your arm above your head, rotating your hand so it faces outwards, keeping your arm as close to your ear as possible.
Rotate the arm behind you, flexing the elbow at the end of the movement to place the back of your hand on your spine.
Reverse the movement, rotating your palm and bringing your arm back to the front of your body.
TIP: Start with 3 reps on each side. As your shoulder mobility improves, you’ll be able to keep your arm closer to your body throughout the movement. Eventually, you can also hold a lightweight in your hand, using a 2 or 3-lb dumbbell or kettlebell to advance this shoulder stretch.
3. Reverse Table Top
The reverse table-top shoulder stretch (AKA the crab stretch) is great for opening up your anterior deltoid, providing a yoga-esque stretch to your post-gym shoulder mobility routine. It’s a great stretch to stretch out the muscles of the upper body, including the shoulders, chest, abs, and spine. Plus, it will help strengthen your wrists and arms and improve posture and balance (great for those of you who have spent a large portion of the day sitting down).
How To Do The Reverse Table Top Stretch:
Start seated on the mat with legs extended in front of you and arms by your side.
Bend your knees, placing your feet flat on the floor. Place your hands on the floor, just behind your hips, shoulder-width apart. Fingers should be facing forward, and palms flat on the floor.
Inhale, lift your butt off the floor, and extend your hips, straightening your arms as you do so. Push through your heels and squeeze your glutes, aiming to get your chest, torso, and knees in one straight line parallel to the floor.
Hold the stretch for a few seconds before returning slowly to the start position.
TIP: If you find it difficult on your hands, start on your elbows and build up to the full crab stretch position.
4. Cow Face Pose
Another stretch taken from the yoga world is the cow face pose, which gained its name from its likeness to a cow’s face: The elbows behind the back look like a cow’s ears, while the knees resemble a cow’s mouth (it’s a bit of a stretch, but we kind of see it).
This shoulder stretch is a great hip opener and test of shoulder flexibility, helping to ease shoulder stiffness. The closer you can get your hands together, the more mobile your shoulders are. Don't worry if you can't touch your hands just yet; you'll get there with a little perseverance.
How To Do The Cow Face Pose:
Start kneeling on a mat with an upright torso.
Extend one arm diagonally below you and the other diagonally above.
Flex at the elbow, bring both hands behind your back, aiming to bring your palms as close to each other as possible, and interlace your fingers if you can.
Take long, deep breaths, holding the pose for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Release your arms and return to the starting position before repeating on the other side.
TIP: If you are unable to touch your palms behind your back, you can hold a yoga strap or towel in your top hand. Take hold of it with the bottom hand, and try to slowly inch your grip closer together without forcing it.
5. Behind The Back Lateral Pipe Stretch
Similar to the cow face post, the behind-the-back lateral pipe stretch uses a PVC pipe to allow both arms to work simultaneously in a push-pull motion. This improves shoulder flexibility, particularly the internal rotation of the shoulder, and puts your shoulder mobility to the test.
How To Do Behind The Back Lateral Pipe Stretch:
Start kneeling on a mat with a straight torso.
Grab the pipe behind your head with your top hand (palm facing forward, thumb down).
Reach around to take hold of the lower part of the pipe with your bottom hand (palm facing backward, thumb up), making sure the pipe is in line with your spine.
Pull up on the pipe with your top hand.
Hold for a few seconds before slowly returning to the start position by pulling the pipe down slightly with the bottom hand.
TIP: You should feel the stretch in the front of the shoulder on the side of the bottom hand. Aim for 3 sets of 15 reps on each side.
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Why Should You Do Shoulder Mobility Stretches?
There are a million trainers out there who will tell you to ‘do this hamstring stretch’ or ‘practice that hip opener’; but there’s an all-important body part that is often forgotten: The shoulders.
These might not be the first body parts you think of stretching, but trust us when we tell you that tight shoulders are a pain—literally and figuratively. Whether they’re holding you back from a performance standpoint, such as adding lbs to your overhead press or mastering the overhead squat, or you find simple problems seeping into everyday life, shoulder stiffness is something better avoided.
And as is the case with most things in life, prevention is often better than cure (Why? Check out this article on the benefits of shoulder prehab).
Regular shoulder stretches can not only ease existing pain but also prevent future pain by mobilizing the joint, improving flexibility, and increasing the range of motion. Shoulder blade stretches will massively improve any overhead work, helping you feel more balanced at the bottom of a snatch and nail full depth in your overhead squat. This, in turn, will also help prevent injury by improving your form.
But it’s not just in the gym you need to be thinking of when exploring how to improve shoulder mobility. If you work at a desk or find yourself carrying tension or stress in your upper back, neck, or shoulders, taking even just 30 seconds away from the screen to stretch can reduce tension and pain and prevent pesky knots from forming.
Stretching may not be the most exciting activity, but shoulder mobility is something you shouldn’t skip.
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How Should You Add Shoulder Mobility Stretches Into Your Routine?
So you’ve got the best shoulder mobility stretches, but when should you do them? Luckily, shoulder stretches don't take all day, and there are three main ways you can add them to your routine.
These are:
Shoulder stretches before your workout (these will be dynamic stretches, where you move your body through a position that warms up the muscles to be used in the workout).
Shoulder stretches after your workout (These are static stretches, which involve holding a position for 15-30 seconds or longer).
A focused stretching session (This may be a full session focusing on shoulder flexibility exercises or may include some shoulder mobility stretches alongside other body part stretches)
If you have a workout planned that involves shoulder exercises, dynamic shoulder mobility stretches before your workout are a great way to prepare your muscles and joints for the workout ahead.
Adding static shoulder mobility stretches post-workout will help stretch the muscles and minimize the risk of DOMS (delayed-onset muscle soreness).
We know warming up and cooling down can sometimes feel a bit tedious, but we’ll let you in on a secret. Studies have proven that a comprehensive warm-up can improve performance by up to 79%, whereas static stretches enhance flexibility and have the potential to improve muscle strength and power (study) [1,2].
If you’re feeling unmotivated to stretch, trust us when we say stretching is a lot more fun when you’re following a trainer via The Gymshark Training App! Give any of our stretching and mobility workouts a go, and see how much easier stretching becomes.
How Often Should You Do Shoulder Mobility Exercises?
For many things, consistency is key – and it’s no different when it comes to shoulder stretches. To keep your shoulders healthy, aim for 2 to 3 shoulder mobility sessions a week, including a mix of static and dynamic shoulder stretches. If you think this sounds like a lot, then don’t worry: these shoulder mobility stretches don’t take long (5 to 15 minutes at most), but it is best to decide on a schedule and stick to it if you want to see progress.
Should I Stretch My Shoulder If it Hurts?
Shoulder stretches shouldn’t hurt, but if you are experiencing shoulder tightness or stiffness, some gentle stretching can often help ease pain and improve ROM. Effective shoulder stretching, whilst sometimes uncomfortable, should be pain-free and should help to release any pent-up tension or stiffness.
If you experience pain, stop stretching immediately. If the pain doesn’t subside or continues to occur, seek advice from a medical professional.
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Get Ready For Pain-Free, Mobile Shoulders
Whether you're struggling with day-to-day activities or you're pushing yourself for a new overhead squat PR, working on your shoulder flexibility is a non-negotiable. It isn’t always fun, and it sure isn’t sexy, but your body (and lifts) will thank you for it.
Don’t fool foul to arguably the most problem-plagued joint in the body. Perform these shoulder stretches 2 to 3 times a week to keep your shoulders mobile, pain-free, and healthy.
Grab your yoga mat, and let’s get started with the best shoulder mobility exercises you’ll ever find.
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WRITTEN BY: Alex Kirkup-Lee
Alex is an inhouse Content Writer for Gymshark’s Health & Conditioning categories. A qualified Personal Trainer, CrossFit Level 1 and Functional Fitness Coach, Alex is experienced in training clients from a range of sporting backgrounds. With a passion for functional training, her favorite workout is anything that includes deadlifts, rowing, or wallballs.
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References:
Fradkin, A.J., Zazryn, T.R. and Smoliga, J.M. (2010). Effects of Warming-up on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review With Meta-analysis. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, [online] 24(1), pp.140–148. doi:https://doi.org/10.1519/jsc.0b013e3181c643a0.
Arntz, F., Markov, A., Behm, D.G., Behrens, M., Negra, Y., Nakamura, M., Moran, J. and Chaabene, H. (2023). Chronic Effects of Static Stretching Exercises on Muscle Strength and Power in Healthy Individuals Across the Lifespan: A Systematic Review with Multi-level Meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 53. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-022-01806-9.
