My Favorite Shoulder Stretch

If you are not stretching your shoulders regularly, chances are they are tight!

As someone who suffered from a chronic shoulder injury, I use this sequence daily to keep my rotator cuffs mobile and healthy.

Here are the details:

• I like to start with classic shoulder dislocates with a 6 ft. stick. The name sounds crazy but it's actually really good to practice.

• Then I move on to the "figure 8" stretch to add a bit of complexity to the shoulder rolls.

• I finally do partial side to side raises as shown as the last exercise in the video.

You can go for 5-10 repetitions of each exercise and repeat the full sequence 3 times for a great shoulder warm up!

If you need further guidance, you can get ALL my calisthenics and mobility programs, as well as personal coaching here!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is regular shoulder stretching important? Regular shoulder stretching is important because shoulders that are not stretched frequently tend to become tight. Stretching helps keep the $\mathbf{rotator}\mathbf{cuffs}\mathbf{mobile}\mathbf{and}\mathbf{healthy}$, which is especially important for preventing chronic injury.

2. What are the three exercises included in the daily shoulder mobility sequence? The three exercises in the sequence are:

• $\mathbf{Classic}\mathbf{shoulder}\mathbf{dislocates}$ (using a 6 ft. stick).

• The $"figure8"\mathbf{stretch}$ (to add complexity to the shoulder rolls).

• $\mathbf{Partial}\mathbf{side}\mathbf{to}\mathbf{side}\mathbf{raises}$.

3. What equipment is needed for the first exercise? The first exercise, the classic shoulder dislocate, requires a $6ft.\mathbf{stick}$.

4. How many repetitions and sets are recommended for this routine? It is recommended to perform $5-10\mathbf{repetitions}\mathbf{of}\mathbf{each}\mathbf{exercise}$ and $\mathbf{repeat}\mathbf{the}\mathbf{full}\mathbf{sequence}3\mathbf{times}$ for an effective shoulder warm-up.

5. What is the benefit of the "figure 8" stretch? The "figure 8" stretch is used to $\mathbf{add}\mathbf{complexity}\mathbf{to}\mathbf{the}\mathbf{shoulder}\mathbf{rolls}$, improving the range of motion beyond simple rotational movements.