Overhead Mobility Program 

The shoulder joint is the most mobile in the human body. The shoulder is designed as a "ball in the joint" and is sized along with the prominent muscles of the rotator cuff of the thigh. The shoulder has the ability to move with a turn of 180 º.

Many exercises in Olympic weightlifting involve rotation of the shoulder joint and fixation of the bar above the head. For example, the specific snatch mobility movements are quite stressful for the shoulder. Exercises like snatch and jerk put more pressure on the shoulder joint, raising the possibility of damage in case of irregular shape or mobility.

Lack of overhead shoulder mobility can cause compensation in athlete technique, which can lead to injury or overload of other muscles and joints. In addition, the lack of mobility above in overhead position can lead to pain in the neck or shoulder joint. Staying mobile is important for any sport, exercise that involves overhead movement.

The lack of mobility in the shoulder joint in overhead position may be due to numerous factors, an increase in the level of tension in the muscle itself, or insufficient mobility in the thoracic spine (upper back). Stretching and overhead mobility exercises help to improve the thoracic spine and upper limbs movement quality. This routine must also be part of any warm-up and activation program.

Let's examine the fundamental exercise, the military press. All weightlifters and crossfitters do this regularly. But are they really doing it right? A lot of athletes arch lower back when they raise their arms above their heads due to tension in the upper back and shoulders.

It is a way for a human body to determine the ROM required to complete a movement. If any body area isn't working properly, the other will make up for whatever movement you're trying to make possible. We refer to this as a false ROM.

Over time, stiff shoulders can lead to major issues. Your shoulders can be in jeopardy and more vulnerable to damage. Or it could have an impact on the part of the athlete's body that is required to make up for it. That is why shoulder mobility for crossfit is a priority due to a big variety of strength, gymnastic and body weight drills of their training program arsenal.

It is important to strike a balance between mobility and stability in the shoulder joint. Mobility routine for lifters should be combined with exercises to increase the strength of the shoulder joint.

Overhead mobility program exercises are effective in achieving greater range of motion. Improvements in ROM will not be permanent unless the athlete's body learns to activate and use the muscles in the new range of motion.

In addition to stretching, it is important to strengthen the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder.

There are two main muscle groups of the shoulder stabilizers:

Rotator cuff muscle group

This muscle group acts like a suction cup, helping to hold the humerus tightly in the shoulder joint. They are also responsible for the internal and external rotation of your shoulder.

Stabilizers of the scapula 

All movements of the shoulder involve the coordinated movement of the shoulder blade. Strong scapular stabilizer muscles help improve overall shoulder health. 

Although many athletes report that the shoulders are working correctly, it's nevertheless a good idea to periodically check their mobility. There are many different tests to check the mobility of the shoulder joints in different planes of motion.

Here are two simple ones to check the shoulder's range of motion.

Starting position: Sitting position on a bench, straight back, core muscles are tight, shoulders lowered and relaxed. Put the back of the left wrist on the lower back and the palm of the right hand on the back of the head. Keep your torso tense (do not bend your lower back), try to move your hands closer. Mobility is considered good if the distance between the hands is a fist or less. The test must be performed on both sides.

Starting position: lying on your back on a bench or on the floor, legs bent at the knees, feet on the bench / floor. The trunk is tight, the lower back is pressed to the bench / floor. With a straight elbow and palm inward, raise the left arm and bring it behind the head until the palm touches the bench/floor. Run for each arm. If the lifter performs the two-arm test without arching the back, the test is passed.

What to do if there is a restriction of mobility? First of all, if there is pain when performing movements, it is necessary to consult a physiotherapist or doctor.

If it's just a problem of mobility and range of motion limitations that seems to be affecting your athletic skills or weightlifting technique, you need to improve overhead mobility systematically and consistently to develop the quality of movement and health of your shoulder joints.