Shoulder Flexion Back to Wall
Improve shoulder mobility and thoracic extension with the Shoulder Flexion Back to Wall exercise.
Description
This exercise improves shoulder flexibility and strength. Stand with your back against a wall and raise your arms, keeping them straight and close to your ears. Try to touch the wall with your hands.
How to Do Shoulder Flexion Back to Wall
- 1Setup
Stand with your back, head, and glutes firmly against a wall, with your feet about 6-12 inches away and a slight bend in your knees. Ensure your lower back maintains a natural, slight curve, avoiding excessive arching.
- 2Setup
Bring your arms forward and up so your elbows are bent at 90 degrees, palms facing each other, and the back of your hands and forearms are resting lightly against the wall.
- 3
Slowly begin to straighten your arms, sliding them up the wall, aiming to bring the back of your hands and wrists towards the wall above your head. Inhale as you raise your arms.
- 4
Continue extending your arms overhead, striving to keep your entire back, head, and the back of your arms in contact with the wall throughout the movement.
- 5
Hold at the top for a moment, focusing on reaching as high as possible without arching your lower back away from the wall. Exhale as you slowly lower your arms back to the starting position with control.
Tips
- Actively press your lower back into the wall by engaging your core to prevent excessive lumbar arching as your arms go overhead.
- Maintain constant contact with the wall using your head, upper back, and glutes to ensure proper thoracic extension and avoid compensation.
- Focus on controlled, slow movement throughout the entire range of motion, rather than trying to force your arms into position.
- If full range of motion with straight arms is challenging, start by performing the movement with slightly bent elbows and gradually work towards straightening them over time.
Common Mistakes
- ×Arching the lower back excessively: Actively brace your core and press your belly button towards your spine to maintain a neutral spine against the wall.
- ×Losing contact with the wall with your head or upper back: Consciously press your head and shoulder blades into the wall throughout the entire movement to ensure proper posture.
- ×Shrugging the shoulders towards the ears: Keep your shoulders relaxed and depressed away from your ears as you raise your arms to prevent neck tension and promote proper scapular rhythm.
Related Exercises
Shoulder Circle
Improve shoulder mobility and reduce stiffness with gentle shoulder circles. This bodyweight exercise rotates your shoulders forward and backward,
One Arm Against Wall
Engage your latissimus dorsi and teres major with this simple, effective one-arm isometric hold against a wall.
Inverted Shrug
Strengthen your upper traps and improve shoulder stability with the inverted shrug. Hang from a bar and depress your shoulder blades to lift your body.
Forearm Wall Slide
Improve shoulder mobility and thoracic spine extension with the Forearm Wall Slide. This gentle exercise helps open the chest and upper back.
Dumbbell Complex Push-up Row Clean and Press
The ultimate full-body dumbbell complex combining a push-up, row, clean, and overhead press in one flow.
Dumbbell Renegade Row to Squat
Build total-body strength with this demanding complex combining renegade rows and explosive squats.
Track Shoulder Flexion Back to Wall in your workouts
Log sets, reps, and weight. See your progress over time.
Get Ellim — Free