How can I improve shoulder mobility and ROM

[Bill Puckett]

Quick background: Male, age 72, 6'4", 225 lbs. Lifting for a bit over one year. Currently doing HLM program.

After recently getting a coaching session from a real SSC (thanks, Nick Klemetson), I've learned that my low bar squat was really more of a high bar squat. Now that I'm figuring out where the bar should be, I've run up against my limits of shoulder mobility and range of motion. I have widened my grip (that helps!) but I'm still pushing against my lack of ROM. One consequence of finding these limits is sharp pain associated with the shoulder at its limits during the squat. So...I want to progress and do proper low bar squats and I'm looking for suggestions, references, routines, etc. to improve my shoulder mobility, trusting that with time I can progress to where there is no pain. I'd prefer not to go the MD/Physical Therapist route unless there is no alternative. Mother Google offers over 40 million opportunities for addressing "shoulder mobility" so that is a bit overwhelming.

I'm currently doing some stretches (daily) with a resistance band. I'm also doing some work with a broomstick to (again) work up against the ROM limits.

I'm hoping for some informed crowd wisdom to help me find some realistic steps to take.

[Charlie Davies]

Replying so it's easier for me to track this thread. Have the same problem.

Male, 51, 5'10" 195 lbs, an episode of adhesive capsulitis & small unrepaired SLAP tears in left shoulder leave me with reduced ROM on that side.

I do the "low bar squat shoulder stretch" at the beginning of each session, but progress if any is quite slow.
Have been doing high bar squats this last year, with one foray back to low bar that ended with a bout of golfer's elbow and back to high bar.

It also affects presses -- I can't get that shoulder quite straight up so my lockout has a bit of layback, and I tend to tweak my back if I push the press very hard.

[Adam Franklin]

Bill, did Nick show you this? If not, add this to your routine!

[Bill Puckett]

Bill, did Nick show you this? If not, add this to your routine!

This is exactly the sort of suggestion that I'm looking for. Thank you! I'm all over this!
I'm ok with working "into" the pain/discomfort, and my concern is to do so in a way that provides improvement in ROM.

So...related question...while chasing this stretching/ROM improvement, do I go back to my less stressful high bar squat until I can more or less reach the desired low bar position? My working answer (open to suggestion) is to backtrack to high bar while working to increase ROM. My concern for now is not to overstress the shoulder and elbow to the point of injury by being stubborn and insisting on the correct low bar positioning.

[Jeff Illingworth]

I think doing whatever you need to do to not piss your shoulder off is a good idea. The older people get, the more pissy shoulders tend to be. You've got several ways to look at this and the choices will depend on what you have available, how much time you have, etc. Working on gradually going from a high bar to a low bar as your reps and sets progresses can work, just remember that as the bar moves down your back, the mechanics of the squat will have to change so you'll need to be more savvy than the usual lifter on where your hips, knees, chest, etc. are going to go. If you can do low bar with a really wide grip, I think that's a better choice but, again, this has some challenges as it takes more effort and thought to keep your upper back locked tight. You can also try a safety squat bar or tie straps to your straight bar and hold on to those and gradually move your hands up the straps closer to the bar as your shoulders loosen up - but this can be mechanically challenging, too. I'd try the strap idea last.

[jww8]

quite painful for this 63yo, that guy can be over 40

[jww8]

I need to keep working this, if not, my ROM will only get worse.

[The Flush]

My 50 year old shoulders suck. I had been using a wide grip with the idea that I would work on the Horn stretch until I could use a narrower grip. With the wide grip my elbows would fly up at the bottom of every squat, the bar would roll up and my weight would move forward a bit. I went for an SSC coaching session this weekend and was forced to go to a narrower grip after working on the Horn stretch and doing some warm up reps. It was quite uncomfortable, but with a lot of coach encouragement and concentration and effort, I was able to keep my elbows down. It felt like it made my whole squat easier. I will probably have to do the Horn stretch forever and plan to do it even on non-lifting days (I have a broom stick in my office that I use). I will have to focus on bar position on on keeping my elbows down for a long time until it becomes more natural. In my case I had to be forced to do it, even though it is very uncomfortable.

Remember as Rip says in one of his videos, if the bar position and grip are comfortable, you aren't doing it right.

[LarryLohkamp]

I feel your pain, Bill. Yes, literally. At 69 I also have serious shoulder mobility problems. My pain comes at the front delt/tricept crease. The stretching video is helping, as is a hang from the chin bar for about 40 seconds before and after the stretching. I stop and do a cross chest stretch every few reps of the stretches. So I start with a hang, then 5 minutes of stretching, then another hang.

I wrap my thumb around the bar. It lets the bar move a little further back in the grip and therefore further down my back. I continue to work on bar position and wrist angle through the warm up sets. Having weight on the bar helps push the bar down and further stretch. I lift with bent wrists. Mr. Wolf (SSC) suggested wrist wraps if I had wrist pain, but at 205# I'm fine, and the wrist are getting straighter each training. I have until recently done the work sets at a bit higher position on the bar, but as of today the bar is stable enough in the low position that I can do my work sets that way.

[grubinski]

I'm 58, and I had the same sort of issues with my left shoulder ... too much pain to get into low bar squat position. I was able to work around them, and squat with a good low bar position and narrower hand position by concentrating on squeezing my elbows towards each other when I'm in the squat position. This tightens my upper back, and completely removes the pain I'd been having that was preventing me using a proper low bar squat.