Static Shaping
3×0:30 Box Shoulder Stretch
Place your arms shoulder width apart on a 20″-24″ box. Keeping your head neutral (look at the floor, don’t bury your chin in your chest) push your shoulders open as far as possible driving your head and chest to the floor. The stretch should come from your shoulders and thoracic spine, not your lumbar spine. Again, be patient. You’ll probably look more like the lower image than the upper image when you start out.
Active Shaping
3×10 PVC Shoulder Raises
Lay stomach down on the floor with perfectly straight knees and pointed toes. Hold a PVC pipe in front of you shoulder width apart. Keep your nose on the ground and raise your arms up as high as possible. Take your time with this movement, and fight to keep your elbows locked out. Mastering this stretch is going to be the easiest way to improve your muscle ups. Trust me.
Skills and Drills
3×30′ Pike to Hollow Inch Worms
Begin in a toe-touch position, keeping your feet still walk your hands out to a hands and feet hollow hold position. Pause in the hollow then keep your hands still and walk your feet in. Work on stretching your hamstrings and also quickly finding the hollow body shape.
Should these be done in A. B. C. format alternating between each?
Travis- No, you can do all 3 sets of one exercise at a time, resting briefly between each set. In the future, when something is done in super-set format I’ll be sure to write it out just like Rudy does.
Thanks!
Thanks so much for this. I highly appreciate it and we use it in our classes as well
This is great stuff. Thanks Kaitlin!
Gotta say, the PVC shoulder raises were gnarly this morning at 5:00 AM, but my shoulders felt awesome after!
Hey Kaitlin,
Any alternate recommendations if you don’t have access to a PVC pipe in the mean time? Bands?
Bands are a great option, you can also get creative. Those long socks that crossfitters seem to love also work well, really you can grab anything light and about 12-18″ long.
Are others doing connectivity in addition to other warm-ups as well?
Done in addition to regular warm up. I am so excited about this stuff, I want a better m/u because I failed to get 1 in the open with 2 whole mins.on the clock.
Kaitlin:
Would the “box stretches & PVC pipe” raises be a more preferred method to improving the position of my arms during overhead presses.. i.e thrusters etc. Hope this makes sense..
These stretches are specifically meant for gymnastics movements because we are working with your arms in a narrow position relative to your lifts. With that being said, increased shoulder flexibility and stability will improve your overhead position on everything.
Hey Kaitlin, ideally you wouldn’t want us to internally rotate or dislocate during the PVC raises to get more range of motion would you? I performed them staying as external and locked out as possible. I noticed a video posted earlier with someone dislocating/internally rotating so I thought I’d ask what’s preferable.
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