Wall Extensions

[leo]

Hi

Just a quick form check question - when completing the exercise, should you you be in the position of:

• whole spine be completely flat against the wall
• scapula pressed up against against the wall - maximising scapula press to wall (no round shoulders)
• shoulder joint area be also pressed hard into the wall

I'm pretty much trying to find out what is ment to be done in the 'back department' and also what is the desirable scapula movement

Many thanks

Leo

[Coach Sommer]

should you you be in the position of:

1) whole spine be completely flat against the wall?
2) scapula pressed up against against the wall - maximising scapula press to wall (no round shoulders)?
3) shoulder joint area be also pressed hard into the wall?

Yes, to all of them.

Yours in Fitness,
Coach Sommer

[iyaites]

For people with tight shoulders, it can be very helpful to first do the Wall Extensions on the Floor. For example myself, when i first started doing those, my shoulders where so tight that i had trouble even attempting the "surrender" position on the wall.
On the floor, i had much more ROM, being able to move my arms slightly up and down. If you are so tight that you have great difficulty even moving your arms in the starting position, i think it may help alot having someone pressing your arms into the floor and helping you "getting started"

By the way this is a great movement for stretching/mobilizing the upper spine. The area between my shoulder blades always feels great after doing a few Wall Extensions!

[gymmie]

When I'm doing the extensions, as I move down, I feel intense pain in my left back shoulder, only the left side. Could this be due to inflexibility or otherwise? Coz when I'm working on BL the pain is there too.

[Blairbob]

bingo.

[gymmie]

So should I continue with this exercise or is there others that I can do to loosen up?

[Blairbob]

describe the pain more in detail?

mild or sharp and stingy?

[gymmie]

I would say the pain is quite sharp and intense, last quite awhile before it goes away

[Blairbob]

stop before you hit that ROM.

possibly do it on floor, lying down.

cuban presses in air.

[gymmie]

Alright I'll try that out and see how it goes. thanks. Btw what's cuban presses?

[Blairbob]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyQKP48F5kY&feature=related

I prefer these with light DB, not a bar. I have my young boys do these unweighted or with ankle weights in their hand or something very light. Go slow like wall slides.

[jl5555]

This type of movement explained here is one reason why a site like this is so valuable. It reminds one that the simplist of moves are often the most useful. It also helps one to decipher why in spite of hard work that progress doesn't seem to come.

In my case while fairly flexible from yoga I was frustrated by not being able to take my handstand abilities to the next level. I have the strength to hold headstand for well over a minute and 30+s for handstand (unsupported, off the wall.) But I have trouble piking up to HS and HSPU eludes me. I knew I was fairly tight in my shoulder girdle but after attempting wall extensions the lack of my progress came to light.

I have been relying on back and arm strength to power over what is poor form alignment in my handstand. Lacking the ability to get full arm extension up next to my ears means that as I try to pike down or up my arms and shoulders collapse when not locked out.

Trying wall extensions I was unable to get much above 90 degrees. Wow! I've now incorporated this into my daily stretch routine and can see some progress just in a week. I might throw in the cuban press as well....

[mike.m]

what do the experts think about doing these on the floor ? Will I get the same results ?

[schlaffmann]

I'm no "expert", but I know that doing the exercise on the floor will give you less benefit than doing it against the wall. On the floor you have gravity helping to keep your back and arms flat. On the wall, you do not have that assistance, so it requires more strength and active flexibility to maintain good posture while performing the exercise. If you can only do the movement correctly on the floor, stick with that. Soon you will be able to do it against the wall.

[Erik]

I don't suppose it would be acceptable to have your legs on the wall and your back/shoulders/arms on the floor? I do these at home, and everywhere on the walls there are either bookcases, mirrors or doorknobs. There's enough room for me to put my legs there (as long as they don't move), but not enough to properly move my arms.