Shoulder Stretching with Dave Durante and Jake Dalton

💡Shoulder Stretching Updates with Dave Durante and Jake Dalton💡
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🤔Continuing the collaborative theme from Power Monkey, I wanted to share a really important video on one of the most commonly used shoulder stretches in gymnastics - the seated overhead partner stretch. Here you can see it demoed by Dave Durante (@davedurante) and Jake Dalton (@jake_dalton) last week at Dave’s handstand station at @powermonkeyfitness Camp X. -
😳If improperly done, this shoulder stretch can very quickly lead to shoulder pain and quite a bit of frustration with limited flexibility progress. A few important things to remember are that we are looking for -

✅ A mild stretching sensation under the armpit area through the soft tissue
❌ No pain in the top of the shoulder
✅ An armpit forward position to maintain external rotation and take tension up in the internal rotators
❌ Avoidance of an armpit in it head forward which may predispose rotator cuff or bursal impingement
✅ Core engagement with depressed ribs
❌ No compensation coming from the lower back through hyper extension -

We also have to think about the bigger picture, 
1️⃣ There are many reasons why someone can’t get their arms overhead (soft tissue, thoracic spine, strength imbalance, technique, fatigue) so screening is essential 
2️⃣ When soft tissue is the primary factor, it’s usually a combination of the lat, trees major, pec, and possible the subscap / triceps / bicep. These internal rotators and adductors tend to impact overhead motion due to the way they impact scapula and humoral motion 
3️⃣ Communication between partners is key, and we are aiming for consistency over intensity based on the latest research in flexibility and stretching.
4️⃣ Remember stretching is only one factor among many others like soft tissue care, eccentrics, strength balance, and proper programming. -
👌Hope this helps! 

CSCS #gymnastics #shoulderstretching #alwaysthinking #powermonkeycamp #SHIFT #TeamChampion