Flexibility

Resource Guide
A Guide to Improving Hip
and Shoulder Flexibility
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CONTENTS

Contents 3
Introduction 4
What is Flexibility? 5
The Flexibility Controversy 7
How to Use This Guide 8
The Hips 11
Hip Structure 12
The Two Most Common Hip Complaints 14
How to Build Flexible and Strong Hips 15
Change Things Up for Consistent Results 18
Explore What Your Hips Can Do 19
The Shoulders 21
How the Shoulder Works 22
The Joints of the Shoulder 23
What Can Go Wrong in the Shoulder? 28
How to Fix Your Shoulder Pain 31
Address Your Shoulder Pain 33
Choosing the Right Exercises for Your Needs 37
Recommendations 41
INTRODUCTION

With very few exceptions, just about everyone who buys one of our
programs, peruses our free information, or lands on our website for
some other reason have one thing in common:

They want to get more flexible.

And if youre reading this guide, you probably do too. We only sell one
program that specifically addresses flexibility - but flexibility is an
element of training that is near and dear to our hearts, and it really runs
through ALL our programs, not just Focused Flexibility. Flexibility issues
are so pervasive that we really cant neglect them in our programs.

In any case, its probably safe to assume youre looking to improve your
flexibility in particular areas of your body, and youll definitely get some
good tips to help you in this guide.

Flexibility Resource Guide 4

But what exactly is flexibility? What is stretching?

These may seem like simple questions, but its really fundamental to
understand the answers to them if you want to have the best chance of
success.

What is Flexibility?

First, lets talk about what flexibility is not.

Its Not About the Splits

A common misconception is, in order to be considered flexible, you have

to be able to get into the full splits. This is wrong on so many levels.

For some reason, people are obsessed with the splits, and they think the
splits are the only measure of flexibility. In reality, flexibility is about A
LOT more than the splits, and chances are, you have zero need to be able
to do the splits anyway.

After all, stretching is a means to an end, and the stretching you do

should always contribute to your end goal.

So, if your goal is to be able to do a really solid handstand, but you have
stiffness in your shoulders that limits your movement ability, you need to
focus on shoulder flexibility and practicing the splits will not help you
get there.

Many people also think of flexibility in very black-and-white terms

either youre flexible, or youre not. Well, thats not how it works at all.
Flexibility is relative to your particular needs and your particular goals.

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Examine why you want to get flexible in the first place, assess
your needs, and make sure your flexibility practice serves your
goals.

How it Works

So, now onto what flexibility is.

A lot of the quicker gains in flexibility appear to be from a change in the

default tone in your muscles. The nervous system input to your muscles
controls the state of your muscles and how much it is contracted or
relaxed. There is a certain level of this tone whenever you are awake and
moving around.

Stretching appears to affect this nervous system input to the muscles, so

that there is less resistance to lengthening changes.

This has a lot to do with the phenomenon of people that are just tight,
who seem to be bound up and have difficulty with flexibility as a rule, and
even more difficulty in trying to change it.

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Perhaps because of a combination of genetic predisposition, habitual
patterns, and personality, they are quite a bit less flexible than normal.

Actual soft tissue (tendon, ligament, muscle, fascia, etc.) change is the
much debated part of this conversation. Imagine screaming and flying fists
at national conferences. (Well, maybe not that bad)

It is reasonable to say though, that the scarring and adhesions that

happen from soft tissue damage can be affected through exercise. Either
earlier in the time after injury, when the tissue is more pliable, or in the
case of chronic issues, actually restarting an inflammatory cycle so that
the tissue can heal in a better fashion.

But again, whatever the case, worry less on the exact particulars, and
focus on making the changes for your goals. Thats the most important
thing.

The Flexibility Controversy

Its very interesting (to us anyway!) how much of a controversy there is

surrounding the practice of stretching and increasing flexibility. It seems
pretty simple:

If you want to get flexible, you gotta stretch it out!

The main issues are the physiological processes involved in improving

range of motion. There is conflicting research over what is happening
with changes in flexibility, what in particular is being lengthened, and

Flexibility Resource Guide 7

whether anything is being lengthened at all. Its enough to make your
head spin, if you think about it too much!

So our advice is not to dwell on it.

Focus on the changes you see within yourself, establish some kind of
baseline measurement (such as we provide in the Basic Assessment
Positions Protocol of Focused Flexibility) of your condition, go through a
program for a reasonable period of time, and assess how you feel after
that.

Odds are youll be doing and feeling better, and thats the bottom line.

How to Use This Guide

So, now that you know what flexibility is, and what it isnt, its time to
figure out how to incorporate flexibility work into your life in a safe and
effective manner.

Flexibility Resource Guide 8

This guide was designed to take the guess work out of the equation.
Well give you a clear understanding of the areas of the body that tend to
cause the most trouble, and well give you some exercises to implement.

Dont try to take on too much. There is a lot of information in here, and
trying to incorporate everything will just get you in trouble.

To try to avoid information overload, weve separated the Problem

Areas portion of this guide into sections. Feel free to skip ahead to the
section that is most problematic for you before reading through the
other sections.

Even if every one of these areas presents issues for you, take on one
thing at a time. Trying to do all the stretches discussed throughout this
guide will just overwhelm you and tire you out. So pace yourself.

Problem Areas

Any individual can have limited range of motion in just about any part of
the body, but there are definitely some common denominators for most
people with flexibility issues.

The bottom line is most people in todays world spend most of their time
sitting (in a chair, in the car, etc), which is a fairly recent phenomenon.

Not surprisingly, all sorts of research is coming out in recent years

suggesting that all this sitting is pretty bad for longterm health. The
short-term deficits, though, really dont need research to back them up.

Just think about it - when youve been sitting for 2 or 3 hours straight,
your body feels tight and uncomfortable when you stand up.

Flexibility Resource Guide 9

Even if the initial discomfort goes away after a few minutes, the
tightness from sitting for so long, day-in and day-out, accumulates and
can cause some more severe problems.

Taking Action

In this guide, well cover the two most commonly affected areas of the
body - the hips and the shoulders. Well discuss the specific issues
surrounding each of these areas, and leave you with a few exercises to
practice for each one.

Flexibility Resource Guide 10

THE HIPS

Its difficult to exaggerate the importance of hip flexibility and strength

for every athletic activity.

The hips provide most of the incredible power and force that our lower
body can generate for running and jumping, and deficiencies in strength
and flexibility in this area of the body can mean the difference between a
winning performance or a painful end to the game.

Beyond athletic activities, though, issues with your hips can negatively
impact your daily life.

Possible issues include pain, decreased mobility for activities such as

stooping and squatting, and even difficulty with simple daily encounters
such as jumping over a puddle in the street.

Flexibility Resource Guide 11

Id like to share some essential
points about the hips that can help
you understand a bit more about
whats happening in this area and
how it can impact your training
and life.

Hip Structure

When my patients and clients

describe some of their hip issues
to me, they can point to a pretty wide area that seems to be anywhere
from right below their low back to the middle of their legs.

And actually, because of all the various muscles and structures in the
region, thats very reasonable.

Though the hip joint itself refers to the femoral head (the ball on the
top of your leg) connecting to the acetabulum (the socket) of the pelvis,
it really is a much bigger area than you might think, especially when we
account for the large amount of myofascial structures surrounding the
joint.

Just to give you a picture of whats shaking in your hip, heres a list of the
relevant muscles:

Hip Flexors (rectus femoris, pectineus, psoas, iliacus, tensor fascia

lata)

Flexibility Resource Guide 12

 Hip Extensors (gluteus maximus, semitendinosus,
semimembranosus, biceps femoris)

Hip Rotators and Abductors (quadratus femoris, obturator internus,

gemilli, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, piriformis, sartorius)

Hip Adductors (adductor longus, adductor brevis, adductor magnus,

obturator externus, gracilis)

All of these muscles support and allow the hip to move and generate
force in a variety of angles and positions.

Weakness and decreased flexibility in any of these muscles can

compromise performance and possibly generate pain through
inappropriate stress and strain from normal daily and recreational
activities.

The Hip vs. the Shoulder

Compared to the shoulder joint, the hip is much bigger and sits more
deeply in the socket. Because the hips have to carry the majority of our
bodyweight through thousands of steps a day, they need to be quite
stable, whereas the shoulders need to be more mobile in order to move
our hands through all our daily tasks.

This isnt to say that hip mobility isnt as important as hip stability,
especially when we consider that we want to do much more than just
walk or stand all day.

Flexible hips are necessary for the variety of exercises and fitness training
that we recommend here at GMB.

Flexibility Resource Guide 13

The ligaments of the hip are also much thicker and stronger than the
shoulders because of the larger amounts of strain and pressure in this
area.

You generally only see hip ligament issues due to high force trauma or
moderate force, repetitive overuse in sports that require a lot of jumping/
landing, and force production in supranormal ranges of motion (such as
with dancers, track and field athletes, martial and performing artists).

The Two Most Common Hip Complaints

The primary pain complaints regarding the hip are muscle strains (in the
hamstrings, hip adductors, flexors) due to unfamiliar exertion or
overuse, with the root cause of poor movement patterns as a result of
deficient strength, flexibility, and/or coordination.

And along those lines, the primary non-painful complaints about the
hips are in regards to hip tightness.

Flexibility Resource Guide 14

Perhaps its because of all the sitting we do, in our cars, at our desks at
work, and on the couch plopped in front of the TV, but we lose a lot of the
natural hip flexibility we had as children.

Unless your day job has you squatting and twisting on a regular basis,
itd do us well to take our hips through a much greater range of motion
than is needed for our daily tasks alone.

Decreased strength is a concern as well, since the big (and small)

muscles surrounding the hip need more stimulation than is gained from
everyday walking. The prevalence of hamstring and groin strains in
weekend warriors is a testament to how poorly conditioned we are for
more athletic activities when we spend 6 days out of 7 sitting on our
butts.

It would be oversimplifying to the point of error to generally identify

particular hip muscles as either weak or tight.

Just as most everybody thinks they have tight hamstrings, whereas in all
likelihood they instead have weak hamstrings and weak glutes.

Tightness doesnt necessarily go along with strength, nor flexibility with

weakness. It is entirely possible, and likely more probable, to be both
tight and weak simultaneously, especially at the hips.

How to Build Flexible and Strong Hips

So, you know by now that, to build the healthiest hips possible, they need
to be both strong and flexible one or the other wont cut it.

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In the videos linked below, Ill
show you some exercise
variations to improve these
attributes. These exercises will
help you address the various
weaknesses and inflexibilities that
tend to build up over years of
misuse and poor movement
patterns.

Hip Flexibility Training Video

Ive shown a variety of stretches

and flexibility exercises in a previous article (you can find those here),
and theres literally no end to flexibility material on YouTube and other
sites online.

So, in this latest video, I wanted to share some twists on old standbys to
demonstrate how to approach flexibility training in a less regimented and
more exploratory manner.

Click here to watch this hip flexibility video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tc2iwy4vAAc

In general I suggest moving in and out of a stretch a few times before

holding the position for 30 seconds or longer. This serves as both a
warmup and as a natural priming for the muscles to accept a stretch
without the natural reflex resistance.

Dont worry about sets and reps and hold times; instead, re-frame
stretching as experimenting with different angles and positions.

Flexibility Resource Guide 16

From time to time we get
comments from people that they
cant even get into the starting
position of some of the stretches
we show. Well really, the starting
position is wherever you can start
it. The idea is not to mimic the
exercises exactly but to begin
wherever you can, and go from
there.

Hip Strength Training Video

The standard big strength moves such as squats and lunges are
important pieces for building great hip and leg strength, but be wary of
training the same patterns over and over again. Its nothing to do with
muscle confusion or any nonsense like that; rather, its that we tend to
form fixed movement patterns with consistent repetition of any skill.

Consistent repetition is the basis of motor learning!

Yet, this is a double edged sword as every repeated movement gets

ingrained and fixed, even if we dont necessarily benefit from the move.
Changing position and angle of force in exercise stimulates not just the
local muscle, but also the neurological connections between the
respective body areas and the brain.

In this video Ill show you a few new ways to change up classic leg
strength exercises. Give these a test run and let it inspire you to create
some variations of your own.

Flexibility Resource Guide 17

Click here to watch this hip strengthening video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_K8bIIORNBg

Again, dont worry too much about sets or reps. Just see this as an
opportunity to practice.

Change Things Up for Consistent Results

Strong and flexible hips are key for nearly every athletic endeavor, as
well as many aspects of normal, daily life. Since they are key players in
both generating force and attenuating strain, the hips are protective for
the low back and the knees.

Too often we find ourselves performing the same movements every day.
Absorbed in the routine of work and home life, we lose sight of our hips
incredible potential strength and mobility. Spend even just ten to fifteen
minutes a day on fundamental and creative hip exercises and youll
notice a dramatic increase in your ability to move your whole body
strongly and gracefully.

Additionally, athletic ability is measured by quick movement change,

creative actions, and the right use of your strength at the right time.

Just as you should strive to be consistent in your exercise plan, you

should also be vigilant in continually assessing your strengths and
weaknesses. With these various findings and applying your observations
into your regimen, you can persist in productive training throughout your
life.

Flexibility Resource Guide 18

Poor movement involves a combination of strength, flexibility, and motor
control/coordination so it behooves us to work on a diverse range of
movement and exercise, both to keep us motivated and optimally
functioning.

Explore What Your Hips Can Do

Its great to have a foundation of a regimented exercise routine and plan,

which along with consistent, hard effort, brings the best increases in
performance and ability. This is especially true for beginners and people
returning to their training after a long period off.

But at some point youll be hitting diminished returns based upon the
time spent doing the same repetitive actions day after day. When you
start to feel stale, or your energy levels drop, remember the fun you had
as a child just playing around, and seeing what new things you could do
with your body.

Flexibility Resource Guide 19

I shot this video recently, not to teach a particular exercise, but to show
what I mean by playing around with movement.

Click here to watch this video of exploratory hip exercises:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc6AbQXPICU

Take your time and give yourself room to explore all the various actions
and positions your hips can handle. This is the true key to improving all
aspects of your hips range of motion and power.

Flexibility Resource Guide 20

THE SHOULDERS

If youre like most people, youve got, not just one, but two shoulders.

Besides simply keeping your arms attached to your body, the shoulders
do a lot of work, so keeping them healthy is definitely in your best
interest.

Shoulder is pain extremely common, with estimates of up to 70% of

people affected over the course of their lifetimes.

If left untreated, it can turn into a chronic problem that affects daily
activities, such as carrying your groceries and reaching to put them
away, as well as recreational activities like handstands and other
bodyweight control moves we teach here at GMB.

We ask a lot from our shoulders the strength and flexibility to reach,
hold, lift, carry, press, and pull.

Flexibility Resource Guide 21

Its no wonder that the stress and strain of everyday life can cause as
many shoulder problems as traumatic injuries. We simply use our upper
extremities so much that issues are bound to happen.

Lets take a look at how they work, and how just about every upper body
movement and muscle involves the shoulder.

How the Shoulder Works

When most people speak about the shoulder joint, they are likely
referring to the ball and socket joint formed by the humerus (the upper
arm) and the scapula (the shoulder blade).

Its a shallow socket, the glenoid fossa, which allows for a much greater
range of motion at various angles than the deeper socket of the hip.

Another joint is formed at the connection between the clavicle

(collarbone) and the acromion process of the scapula. This A-C joint is
what is injured when someone has separated their shoulder. You can
actually see a gap or step off at that junction point in more severe
separations.

In addition to these joints, there is the connection between the scapula

and the ribs, the so-called scapulothoracic joint.

Unlike most joints that are attached by ligaments, the scapulothoracic

joint is controlled and limited solely by muscle attachments.

Flexibility Resource Guide 22

So with these three joint connections, along with the many muscles
strapped around the area, the shoulder is a complicated structure that
keeps many health care professionals in steady business.

Our purpose here isnt to present all of the finer details of the anatomy
of the shoulder, but to give a broad understanding of whats happening in
the area. This general understanding can help to prevent and/or assist in
the various shoulder injuries that can happen to us.

The Joints of the Shoulder

Because the shoulder girdle is so complex, some basic knowledge of

how joints work will help you understand the recommendations that
follow.

On the simplest level, any joint is the connection between two bones and
determines the axis upon which those bones can move.

The physical connection between joints are ligaments, which prevent

abnormal motion and protect the joint from forces that would otherwise
pull it apart.

The most movable joints, the ones we are most concerned about in our
physical activities, are surrounded by a capsule comprised of thick outer
tissue and a thinner inner tissue. Within this capsule is fluid, cartilage,
and other tissue, all of which protect, nourish, and assist in shock
absorption and free movement the most important qualities we want in
our joints.

Flexibility Resource Guide 23

Since the joints are what allow us
to move, they are good reference
points to describe the shoulder
girdle and its components that
can cause pain, stiffness, and
other issues.

To simplify and provide the most

amount of information with the
least amount of headache, well
focus on three major joints of the
shoulder:

Glenohumeral

Acromioclavicular

Scapulothoracic

Within and surrounding these structures are the various soft tissues that
make the shoulder both strong and mobile.

The Glenohumeral (G-H) Joint

The glenohumeral (G-H) joint is responsible for most of the range of

motion of our arm through space, so even relatively minor stiffness in
this joint can affect our activities quite a bit.

As previously mentioned, this is a relatively shallow joint, and although it

allows for a greater range of motion, it also makes the shoulder less
stable and more vulnerable to traumatic forces.

Flexibility Resource Guide 24

The G-H ligaments (superior, middle, and inferior), along with the joint
capsule, work to keep the ball in the socket. When someone dislocates
their shoulder, these are the structures that are damaged.

Because of the variety of soft tissues within the G-H joint, lack of use
often causes stiffness due to adhesions between the many folds and
sliding points. Structures effectively get stuck together like plastic
wrap and restrict your motion. Use it or lose it applies well to the
shoulder.

The big muscles in the upper body all converge at this joint to move our
arms (or our body through our arms).

The pectorals pull the arms forward and across the body, while the
latissimus pulls the arms down and behind the body, and the deltoids
and traps raise your shoulder girdle and arm upward.

These are powerful muscle groups that work hard in all the lifting,
carrying, pushing, and pulling tasks we set out to do.

The smaller muscles at the G-H joint that make up the rotator cuff
assist in maintaining proper position of the humerus within the joint.

The individual muscles have specific motions: Supraspinatus (beginning

of shoulder abduction), Infraspinatus (external rotation), subscapularis
(internal rotation), and teres minor (external rotation and adduction), but
their main job is to hold the humeral head in position while the bigger
surrounding muscles raise the arm up and overhead.

Other important soft tissues at this joint are the bursa.

Flexibility Resource Guide 25

The bursa are fluid-filled sacs that
decrease friction and provide
padding between bone and other
structures for protection and freer
movement. They can be irritated
through trauma (such as a fall or
being hit), or from repetitive
stress and inflammation and
swelling here can cause motion
limitation and pain in the area.

The Acromioclavicular (A-C)

Joint

The acromioclavicular (A-C) joint does not allow as much movement as

the G-H joint, but the movement it does allow is important for the last
degrees of motion for reaching overhead.

It also serves as a rotation point to assist the shoulder blade in moving

correctly, so that we can reach across in front of our body and back
behind us. The A-C joint is also one of the last joints to mature and one
of the first to experience degenerative changes.

Apparently theres only a small window of optimal health for our A-C
joint!

Just as in the description of the G-H joint, daily exercise of working your
shoulder through its full range of motion and flexibility does much for
minimizing problems in this area.

Flexibility Resource Guide 26

The deltoid and trapezius muscles
strap over the joints indirectly, and
provide a dynamic support, but
the main protection from trauma
are the ligaments
(acromioclavicular and
coracoacromial).

These ligaments attach the

collarbone to the shoulder blade,
and from points from one part of
the scapula to the other.

They support the joint to provide a stable pivot point for shoulder blade
motion, and also help to form the roof above the rotator cuff and
humeral head.

The Scapulothoracic Joint

Full shoulder motion in all directions can only be accomplished with a

freely moving shoulder blade along the ribcage.

This motion is dependent upon the muscles attached at the scapula to

the ribs and spine. And there are quite a few muscles the trapezius,
pec minor, all the rotator cuff muscles, rhomboids, and deltoids that
have attachments at the scapula. As such, all these muscles are affected
and can impact shoulder blade mobility and support.

The shoulder blade is essentially free-floating with no ligamentous

attachments to the spine or arm, so the various muscles and fascial
attachments provide both movement and stability.

Flexibility Resource Guide 27

This is an incredibly important area for all upper body work in
bodyweight style and calisthenic training. The scapulae need to be
strong and mobile in all directions and combinations of directions
(forward and back in both elevated and depressed positions), to both
protect the shoulder and transfer power correctly from the trunk to our
extremities, and vice versa.

Unfortunately, because of our decreasingly active daily lives and the

ubiquity of desk and computer work, we rarely move our scapulae in all
the varieties of motion they are meant for, and that we need for peak
shoulder health.

And even in most gym and sport exercises, we often limit ourselves to
repetitive common patterns rather than going through the full range of
available motion. This is why the fundamental shoulder opening
gymnastic and handbalancing exercises can be surprisingly difficult and
hugely beneficial additions to our training.

What Can Go Wrong in the Shoulder?

The preceding brief description of the shoulder girdle shows just how
complex and overwhelming this area of the body can be, and all the
problems and issues that can occur with even just one structure not
doing its job.

Virtually all of our upper body muscles converge with the shoulder in
some way and their interrelationship is key for optimal shoulder health
and performance.

Flexibility Resource Guide 28

Though the causes and solutions to shoulder problems are certainly
complex, especially when considering the contributions of the spine and
even hips and lower body, it basically boils down to poorly coordinated
movement at the shoulder.

As I outlined in a previous article the particular causes of injuries can

range from the obvious (trauma from a fall) to the more intricate (nerve
irritation decreasing muscle strength, leading to improper joint
positioning). Whether it is specific muscle weakness, or flexibility
problems (both too much and too little) at muscles, ligaments, and
within the joint itself, these all lead to impaired movement patterns.

And these poor movement patterns can cause repetitive damage to the
tissues in your shoulder even from simply using it in normal everyday
activities. This is why shoulder pain is so common in both professional
and recreational athletes.

Flexibility Resource Guide 29

The Most Common Problems Facing the Everyday Athlete

Now that weve described the basics of the shoulder girdle, its easier to
understand the two most common causes of shoulder pain.

Impingement Repetitive irritation of structures under the acromial

roof and the head of the humerus

Tendonitis Literally inflammation of the tendon. If symptoms dont

subside with rest (~2 weeks), this indicates that a continued stress on
the tissue is continuing the inflammatory response.

There are a variety of causes of the impingement syndrome from muscle

strength and flexibility imbalances, capsular tightness, neurological
effects and so on, but the global end result is the irritation of tendons,
bursa, and other tissue causing inflammation and pain.

The inflammation and swelling that can occur is a critical problem

because there is not a lot of open space in this region, and the expansion
of tissue from swelling can further irritate the issue. It becomes a
vicious cycle, which is why this syndrome is so common.

Tendonitis should actually be easily taken care of, with adequate rest and
staying away from the painful motion, the inflammation should run its
course and heal within two weeks.

But, just as with impingements, there can be several reasons for

continued irritation. When this condition lingers, it can progress to more
damage to the tissue (tendonosis). Its essential to address the root
causes if you want to resolve the condition permanently.

Flexibility Resource Guide 30

How to Fix Your Shoulder Pain

I like to joke about shotgun therapy.

You essentially throw everything at a patient and hope something sticks.

It often works, but then you have no idea what single intervention (or
combination thereof) worked, or didnt work. Its a total crapshoot, and I
for one dont like gambling on my patients wellbeing.

Thats why I dont recommend trying all of these suggestions at once. Im

providing you with options and allowing you to use your instinctive
feelings of This feels right!

Thats the very best I can do over the Internet.

Everybody Feels Pain Differently, Mmmkay?

Pain is a very complex subject. One mans pain is another womans

discomfort.

The latest pain science reveals that there can be little correlation
between tissue damage and the perceived pain. You can take two MRI
scans of different people showing obvious structural problems, and one
will report no pain while the other can barely move without wincing.

Pain is a construct that is emergent, complex, and without simple

solutions.

This is quite clearly seen by the millions of people dealing with a variety
of back, neck, and extremity pain, some resolving quickly and some
turning into years of problems despite many types of treatment.

Flexibility Resource Guide 31

(This article is a great summary of the current pain science. Though it may
be a bit too technical for the lay reader, the list at the end of the article is a
great synopsis of useful strategies for changing perception of pain through
movement.)

Magic bullets do work sometimes, but they arent a high percentage bet.
The miracle treatments that do occur involve a peculiar combination of
good timing, patient/practitioner rapport, the particular condition, and a
bit of luck.

The reality of pain science requires an approach that is flexible and

adaptable to your individual situation and may require all the avenues
available to break through the problem.

So how do we know if what we are doing is going to affect our pain and
function?

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You Just Have To Give Things A Try

Yes, there is available research with evidence-based therapy and

training that is quite good, but honestly and practically, you wont know
until you try.

It doesnt seem very science-y, but it is actually the essence of science.

Tips to remember:

Perform an intervention over a reasonable amount of time and then

measure the results thats about as scientific as it gets. Give these
strategies a try for 1 month, then reassess.

Ive broken the following strategies into categories for both ease of
understanding and integration into your current training.

Youll soon see that certain exercises match well together. Also, the
category of motor control/patterning is very important and if you can
do the movements without pain, you should include these into your
program as soon as possible.

Improving your skill in these exercises and modifying your habits,

especially those generating pain, are the key to long lasting change.

Address Your Shoulder Pain

There are three major issues that can cause shoulder pain issues with
flexibility, strength, and/or motor control. Below, youll find videos with
exercises to help you address each of these issues.

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Exercises for Improving Shoulder Flexibility

The following video offers some tips and tactics for improving your
shoulder flexibility and motion:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNaLqploNBQ

The goal isnt necessarily to stretch a particular muscle, but to open

your shoulders into new positions that allow a freer movement pattern.
These improved motions can decrease stress to irritated tissues and
also make your chosen recreational activities/exercise smoother and
easier to perform.

With each of these exercises, dont be afraid to play with different angles
and different lines of force sometimes a slight variation of the basic
movement can allow you to access different regions of that range of
motion.

In general I use a dynamic contraction in and out of the end range of

the stretch for a few repetitions (5 to 12) then hold for a period of time
(30 seconds to a minute), as shown in our Focused Flexibility program.
Dont be afraid to experiment with repetitions and hold times, some days
will be better than others, and some days youll find yourself doing the
bare minimum.

The most important thing in flexibility training is consistency. Do a bit

everyday and youll get results.

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 Exercise/Movement Key Points
Both arms or one at a time
Side-to-side motion at end range
Shoulder Openers on Bench Scapular flaring at end range
Improves shoulder flexion and upper thoracic back
bending

Shift to the same side arm for a light joint traction

Roll forward and back to find the specific area of greater
Shoulder L-Stretch
tightness
Works on deltoid and posterior joint capsule

Hand elevated on bench or on floor

Both hands or one at a time
Scaption Angle Chest Stretch
Angled for safe and deeper stretching of chest and
anterior shoulder

Improves upper thoracic back bending with less strain on

Elbows on Bench shoulders
Play with angles of shifting side to side and also rotation

For a more specific spinal extension force

Foam Roll Play with side bending and breathing patterns
End with back muscle contraction/activation

Strength Exercises for Reducing Shoulder Pain

This video outlines a variety of strengthening options that you are likely
not including in your current training program:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzVP5tSRbd4

Targeting the muscles of the shoulder blade and rotator cuff, these are
great movements to improve the stability of the shoulder girdle.

These exercises are best done either at the end of your current routine,
two to three times a week, or as its own dedicated training session.

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 Exercise/Movement Key Points
Emphasizing shoulder blade retraction (pinching together)
and depression (pulling down towards the hips)
Performed with shoulder externally rotated (thumb
Prone Scapula Series rotating outwards) to decrease impingement and to
activate the rotator cuff
Best done in higher repetitions range (12 to 20 reps)
Play with static holds along with dynamic motion

Lying on side with elbow propped up to create space

between arm and your torso
This improves blood flow to the shoulder and improves the
Side Lying External Rotation
angle of force
Best done in moderate repetitions range (8 to 12 reps)
Play with static holds along with dynamic motion

In a variety of positions, training scapular elevation and

depression in both protracted (shoulders pulled forward)
and retracted (shoulder blades pinched together) positions
Trains scapular muscles and also the rotator cuff,
Scapular Motion with Weight particularly the more vertical the pressure, such as in the
Bearing through the Arms inverted shrugs
Shift weight side to side while maintaining shoulder
elevation or depression
Play with static holds along with dynamic motion
Best done in higher repetitions range (12 to 20 reps)

Shoulder Motor Control Exercises

The video linked below demonstrates a key part to improving shoulder

function the introduction of new movement patterns with stress and
force from different angles, and with challenge to coordination and
spatial awareness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o47GYJtu-C0

The crucial word here is play. Play with movement variations, angles of
pressure, and make each repetition slightly different than the last.

Feel free to add these moves whenever you can, either as a warmup for
your current routine, or as a cooldown, or even when you have a spare
few minutes of time.

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 Exercise/Movement Key Points
The scapula should move freely through countless angles
of motion
Perform in a variety of straight arm positions On all
Scapular Motions in Straight Arm fours, on p-bars (or other elevated equipment), crab and
Positions bear positions, and upside down
Dont count repetitions, dont push past fatigue, take your
time and play with it using a concentrated and mindful
attitude

Play! Have fun! Its okay, youre allowed.

Choosing the Right Exercises for Your Needs

The broad categories of shoulder strength and flexibility encompass a

variety of exercises and movements much more than we can show in
one article.

The exercises presented above will address common issues for most
people, and are especially useful for those who participate in movement
disciplines and activities like those we teach here at GMB. The best
approach is to assess your particular needs and choose the exercises
that best fit your situation.

In general, look at how symmetrical your strength and flexibility are

between both shoulders. Is one a bit different than the other?

If so, thats a great starting point and measurement for adding on

specific shoulder exercises.

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Decide Based on Your Goals

If you are training for a sport or have physical goals in your exercise
regimen, you are probably already aware of what you need to do to
improve your performance.

Being as strong and flexible as possible is a great goal, but

its not a useful training focus.

Instead, you should have specific targets, especially when you have
issues such as shoulder pain and stiffness. As we keep harping here at
GMB, goals are important tools for your training. Goals give you direction
and a sense of purpose, when you otherwise may feel like you are just
floating along.

Floating isnt necessarily a bad thing, but its not the fastest way to reach
a goal either.

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But Dont Neglect Novelty and Exploration

In the case of Motor Control, the sense of free-form play is the right
attitude.

Novel movements break up your normal routine and wake up your mind
and body. Physical habits and holding patterns creep up on you slowly
and settle in without you being aware.

New movements just for the sake of doing them give you benefits far
beyond those of the actual physical effort. Every way of getting out of the
doldrums and plateaus of training is a precious commodity.

Especially when it concerns chronic pain.

There can indeed be a habit of pain you can be so accustomed to pain

and dysfunction that it gets sticky. We tend move in the same ways day
after day especially in our exercise training.

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Being stuck in these same movement patterns is a big player in
continuing pain complaints despite different treatments. In the pain
science article above, the emphasis is on variety and altering movement
as much as possible to break free of patterns and the pain cycle. And the
last tip Ad lib and have fun could have been taken out of the first page of
the GMB playbook!

Dont neglect the importance of improvising and playing with movement.

Its more than just fun, its also a key to better health and fitness with
less pain and dysfunction.

Creating Your Own Shoulder Recovery Routine

Take some time to examine your particular needs and play with adding a
few of these techniques to your training.

For the flexibility exercises, choose a couple of variations for the

shoulder opening and see how it affects your condition over a couple
of weeks.

And the same for the strength exercises pick two moves that seem
to be the weakest for you, and incorporate them into your regimen and
re-assess in a month.

For the motor control exercises, pick a couple that look the most fun
to do and sprinkle them in to your sessions and daily activities, youll
be glad you did.

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RECOMMENDATIONS

The recommendations in this

flexibility resource guide will take
you far with improving your hip
and shoulder flexibility. Of course,
youve got many other body parts
as well, and your particular needs
will differ from another persons.

Thats why our Focused Flexibility

program is fully customizable and works off of assessments of your
personal needs and goals.

When youre ready to take your flexibility work further and address your
areas of stiffness more specifically, Focused Flexibility is a good next
step.

Click here to learn more about Focused Flexibility.

If you have any questions about resource guide, or any other training
questions, dont hesitate to get in touch.

Thanks for being here!

The GMB Team

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