The ability to fully reach your arms overhead is a mobility must have in weightlifting, crossfit, and everyday function. The main components to expressing full overhead mobility include:
Shoulder capsule mobility
Lat flexibility
Thoracic mobility
The thoracic spine is the base for overhead mobility. It is also what people mean when they talk about having better posture. You can visualize its importance by first slouching and attempting to raise your arms overhead. Take note of where your fingers point. With your arms overhead, now sit up straight and note again where your fingers point.
Given the rise of work from home options in the past 2-3 years having a targeted mobility routine for our less than ideal home office space and increased screen time is vital to our overhead positioning and pain-free performance. Below are 4 of the best exercises for improving and maintaining your thoracic spine mobility.
Bench Thoracic and Lat Stretch
Focus on moving through the spine. Utilize box breathing to get the most out of your mobility efforts with this drill.
Foam Roller Thoracic Extension
To make sure you do this one right the first time, place your feet on box or wall to limit your ability to move in the lower back.
Banded Wall Slide
Reinforce your new thoracic mobility into your overhead strength. Keep your rib cage down to ensure the movement comes from your shoulders and thoracic mobility versus your lower back.
Prone Thoracic Extensions
Potentially the best exercise to emphasize strengthening of the postural muscles for the thoracic spine to help you stack more weight overhead.
How to use these drills…
Mobility on non-recovery days should only be 5-10 minutes and not limit your exercise session. Performing 1-3 of these drills before a workout is more than enough. Remember the goal of your mobility routine is to improve your performance. It is not the main focus of your performance that day.