Name: Playbook - Rob Riches - Stretch & Mobility - Ep 3.1: Shoulders, Pecs, & Back
Uploaded: 2023-11-03T21:52:28.378Z
Duration: 30 min
Description: Stretch & Mobility - Ep 3.1: Shoulders, Pecs, & Back

Welcome to week 3 of my Stretch & Mobility Program. Within this routine today you will be focusing on the Shoulders, Chest, and Back.

Each movement is performed for two sets, with an increase in time on the second set. The first set should be to allow you to warm up to the movement, and really feel the joints, muscles, and tendons that are involved. The second set allows you to increase the stretch or range of motion further.

For all movements, it's important you ease into it and find the level of stretch in which you feel comfortable with. Focus on taking several long, slow, and deep breaths in and out, inhaling through the nose, and as you breathe out - slowly start to increase the stretch slightly.

Visualize the muscles you are working on and see them lengthen, stretch, and increase in their range of motion during each set.

I also recommend performing 5-10 minutes of light cardio before starting, so as to improve blood flow around the body, and warm up the muscles and joints.

Loop a resistance band around a sturdy bar or pole (about chest height up from the floor), & pull one end through the other to ensure a secure hold. 

With your back to the pole, place your right hand through the open end, & keep keeping the elbow firmly at the side of the body with the band passing over the outside of your arm, raise your hand up as though you're about to punch forwards. 

Keeping this arm position, step forwards until you feel tension on the band, then push your hand forwards without allowing the elbow to move. The idea is not to extend your arm forwards, but rather to exert enough force with the same tension from the band, & you can feel a deep stretch within your right chest. Hold this for 15-20 seconds and take deep breathes in through your nose & exhale through you mouth. 

You can further increase the stretch by rotating your body away from the side of the band, (for the example above, you would be rotating your body to the left). 

Repeat with other arm.

Banded Loaded-Arm Chest Push

Loop a resistance band around a sturdy bar or pole (about waist height up from the floor), and pull one end through the other to ensure a secure hold. 

Place your right hand through the open end, and supinate the hand (rotate your hand clockwise so the palm is facing upwards) and grip the sides of the band firmly. With your right arm behind you (palm upwards), position yourself forwards to that you feel tension in the band. 

Keeping your feet in a fixed staggered position on the floor, start to turn your body away from the band (rotating to your left), until you feel a good stretch in your shoulder and bicep. 

Hold this for 15-20 seconds and take deep breaths in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. You can further increase the stretch by positioning yourself farther forwards from the secured band. 

Slowly reduce tension in the band and remove your hand. Perform with the other hand.

Open Chest Banded Pull

Lay face down on a mat with a medium/large sized massage ball under your left pec (just where it meets the shoulder). 

Keeping your right arm bent and in front of your head to be used as support, manipulate your bodyweight over the ball by changing the position of your arm.

1. Flat alongside your body. 
2. In a push-up position, but still with the chest on the floor. 
3. Fist pushing into the floor next to your waist as you turn your head and look towards your left elbow. 

You can also lay more on your side so that your left arm is stretched out upwards on the floor with your head resting on the upper arm, and the massage ball in the same place on the chest. This position will allow you to rock back and forth over the ball in a see-saw type motion. 

Find a trigger spot and hold this position for 15-20 seconds as you take several breaths in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. 

Slowly remove the ball and repeat under the right side of your chest.

Face Down Pectoral Massage Ball Scrub

Lay on the floor facing upwards with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place a small/medium sized massage ball (or lacrosse ball) under your left trap muscle (the triangular-muscle coming down from the neck towards the shoulder). 

Lay back flat on the ball and hold a dumbbell or kettlebell in your left hand, and extend your arm vertically upwards as if pushing the dumbbell to the sky. You can also hold a weight plate directly above your chest with both arms stretched out, and slowly turn rotate it back and forth like a large steering wheel. 

Position your body around the ball in small movements until you find a trigger point. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds and take deep breathes in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. 

Lean off the ball and place it on the opposite trap muscle and repeat.

Massage Ball Trap Scrub Dumbbell Hold

Lay on the floor facing upwards with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Place a small/medium sized massage ball (or lacrosse ball) about 2-3 inches below the base of your neck and just to the right of your spine (this is where the meaty part of your traps muscles are, which is a large flat diamond-shaped muscle, and is a postural and active movement muscle, used to tilt and turn the head and neck, shrug, steady the shoulders, and twist the arms). 

Lay back flat on the ball and with your left arm, keeping the elbow bent at 90 degrees, hold on to a dumbbell (placed inline with your head on the floor next to you)


Keeping your feet planted into the floor close to your hips, push your shoulders into the floor and raise your hips of the floor to increase the pressure over the massage ball. 

Hold this position for 15-20 seconds and take deep breathes in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. Then repeat on the other side.

Massage Ball Trap Scrub Anchored Arm

Loop a resistance band around a sturdy bar (a chin up bar is ideal) & pull one end through the other to ensure a secure hold. 

Place your right hand through the open end, and supinate the hand (rotate your hand clockwise) & grip the sides of the band firmly. 

1. With the left leg bent in front if you, place your right knee on the floor behind you (shoulders & hips stacked over your back knee). With your right arm up extended upwards, use your left hand to hold on to the end of the back (elbow tucked in to your side), shift your hips over to the right & you should feel a great stretch down your right side & through the hips. Hold this position for 10-15 seconds as you take several breaths in through your nose & exhale through you mouth. 

2. Keeping your right hand holding the band, drop your left hand to the inside of your left foot & extend your hips forwards (straightening out your back leg). This will increase the stretch felt in your hips. 

Repeat on other side.

Knee Down Lunge High Band Lat Stretch

Lay face down on a mat with a medium/large sized massage ball under your left pec (just where it meets the shoulder). Keeping your right arm bent and in front of your head to be used as support, manipulate your bodyweight over the ball by changing the position of your arm: 

#1 Flat alongside your body. 
#2 In a push-up position, but still with the chest on the floor. 
#3 Fist pushing into the floor next to your waist as you turn your head and look towards your right elbow. 

You can also lay more on your side so that your left arm is stretched out upwards on the floor with your head resting on the upper arm, and the massage ball in the same place on the chest. 

This position will allow you to rock back and forth over the ball in a see-saw type motion. Find a trigger spot and hold this position for 15-20 seconds as you take several breaths in through your nose and exhale through you mouth. 

Slowly remove the ball and repeat with it under the right upper section of the chest.

Loop a resistance band around a sturdy bar (a chin up bar is ideal) and pull one end through the other to ensure a secure hold. 

Place both hands inside the free end and grip the band. Standing under the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width stance, sit into a deep squat, allowing you arms to be stretched directly above you. 

Maintain a neutral spinal and neck position by looking slightly down in front of you. You should feel a great stretch all down your back, shoulders, and arms. 

Hold this position for 15-20 seconds and take deep breathes in through your nose and exhale through you mouth.

High Band Sumo squat Lat Stretch

Loop a resistance band around a sturdy bar (a chin up bar is ideal) & pull one end through the other to ensure a secure hold. Place your right hand through the open end, & supinate the hand (rotate your hand clockwise) & grip the sides of the band firmly. 

Grasp you left hand around your right wrist & extend your right leg all the way back behind you, keeping your left knee bent directly under your chest. (Imagine a straight line going from your back heel up through the leg, back, arm, and resistance band). 

Keep you head in a neutral position between your arms. You should feel a great stretch across your back & right shoulder and arm. Hold the stretch for 15-20 seconds & take deep breaths in through your nose & exhale through you mouth. 

You can further increase the stretch by stepping further away from the resistance band & matching the same angle of the band (its line to the floor), with your arms, back and leg. 

Slowly return to the starting position and repeat on other side.

High Band Lat Lunge Stretch

Stretch & Mobility - Ep 3.1: Shoulders, Pecs, & Back

Mason

Oh I ache after a few new wrestling exercises. This really helped. Stretch onwards and upwards!

Toby WAWA

It was challenging at first but I feel I’m getting used to it and I’m ready to move forward slowly.

Stretch & Mobility - Ep 3.1: Shoulders, Pecs, & Back

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