Overhead Squat flexibility / General flexibility

[BeauJangles]

I've been working on my poor flexibility off and on for the past few months. I know I should be more dedicated to it because flexibility is so critically important to preventing injuries and performing optimally.

Here's where I stand right now. I lack flexibility in my shoulders, meaning I have trouble bringing a bar straight over my skeletal structure during overhead presses. This has gotten better as I press more, but it's still not great. That lack of flexibility gives me problems when I try handstands, snatches, push presses, jerks, etc. Obviously the degree of inhibition depends on the lift. I can't touch my toes. Those two things right there should be enough of an indicator of how poor my flexibility really is.

I've been doing shoulder dislocates regularly and using Indian Clubs to augment that. Honestly though, I don't really feel that much more flexible. I try to bring my hands in during the dislocates, but I don't really feel like I can without bending my arms. This has all come to a head as I've been trying to master the snatch. I'm just not flexible enough to catch the weight in an overhead squat. I can, on a good day, get into a deep partial overhead squat, but any lower and my arms fly forward. I cannot even begin to describe how disheartening and frustrating that is.

What I've been doing now is staying pretty light and muscle snatching the bar up, then descending into an OHS to the point where I feel I'm going to lose it. I try to hang out there for a second and come back up. There have to be other exercises I can do to improve my flexibility, right?

I've read Relax into Stretch, visited a few flexibility sites, but I always come away confused. There are so many stretches out there and so many different ways to stretch. Some people recommend sets, some people recommend multiple sessions per day and I have no idea who to believe or where to turn. I also don't know how to pick stretches that are going to be effective. I need help!

I'm very willing to put lots of time into stretching, I think I'd benefit from a little guidance.

Thanks a lot guys!

 

[SociallyChallenged]

Multiple sets during a day will result in the quickest flexibility change, in my experience. Doing shoulder dislocates should REALLY help you. If they're not, do 2 sets of 10 4-5 times a day and I guarantee you, you'll get some more flexibility. Also, keep in mind that the overhead squat is not just a flexibility issue in the shoulders. Changing the center of gravity (above your head instead of on your shoulders) really changes tightness levels in the hips and butt for me. You gotta do some overall leg stretches and see if maybe that's the problem as well.

 

[brikis98]

Doing plenty of shoulder dislocates will help. I also recommend wall extensions and if you have tight pecs (from lots of bench press, for example), stretch your chest out as well. If you have any flexibility issues with the (back) squat, address those first: for example, many people struggle with tight hamstrings and calves. If you can't touch your toes, that's a sign your hamstrings and lower back need some work. Also, it's worth noting that the overhead squat itself is actually a good stretch. Just standing vertical with some weight locked above your head in a snatch grip is a decent stretch. Practice the actual OH squat frequently, trying to go a little deeper each time, and your flexibility should improve quickly.

Finally, I'd mention that it's also possible that your OH squat is suffering not (just) from poor flexibility, but due to lack of stability or just bad form. That is, the OH squat requires a great deal of muscular control to keep everything in balance: you need to lock out your shoulders and elbows, bring your shoulders blades tight together, keep your core extremely tight (the Valsalva manuever is a must), stay on your heels and you need to be able to do this all the way through the motion. It's possible you're losing the weight not because your shoulders can't move back far enough, but because any one of these components is breaking down. Bending at the elbow or not actively locking your shoulders are the two most common issues I've seen. Again, lots of practice with the OH squat and watching/reading tutorials is the way to go.

 

[BeauJangles]

Thanks for the quick replies guys!

I have weird flexibility. For instance, I can't touch my toes, but I can low-bar back squat with perfect form. I hit below parallel with ease and come right back up. It doesn't even feel like that much of a strain. Now, I have trouble with a high-bar back squat because my torso is leaned too far over, which is a problem with the front squat, overhead squat, and, obviously the snatch.

I think I actually do a good job of staying tight during the OHS. At least I do as best I can with my limitations. I've received some good coaching on the OHS and I've watched plenty of videos. So, Brikis, you might be right that I'm not as locked out as I should be, but I'm 98.54% sure that the primary source of my trouble is flexibility.

What tightness contributes to being unable to keep your torso erect as you descend into any sort of squat? I'll stick with the dislocates, I'll work on the wall extensions... are there any other stretches you guys (or anyone else) would recommend? I'm interested in being able to snatch properly, but I'd also love to increase my overall flexibility. That's why I read Relax into Stretch. While a lot of his advice was great, there was no structured routine to follow and, generally, I get most committed when I have a routine to follow.

Again, thanks a lot for the advice.

 

[EvilYoda]

Pass-throughs/dislocates should help, I know they helped me even though I started with good flexibility. I also like to kneel in front of a box or a bench and put one hand on it (thumb pointing at the ceiling), and then apply pressure with my body to stretch the shoulder back. Hard to describe, easy to do, sorry.

Lastly, for OH squats in particular, have you tried snatch balances? I'm almost 5 months into crossfitting and I'm still pretty damn weak when going overhead. a snatch balance helps with the timing and sitting at the bottom, without worrying about the snatch technique itself. For now, I break the two up - hang power snatches and then some snatch balances. We just started an oly-lifting class last week and I'm really trying to not suck.

 

[brikis98]

Originally posted by: BeauJangles
What tightness contributes to being unable to keep your torso erect as you descend into any sort of squat?

Some forward lean is expected in squatting. During the squat, and most barbell exercises, the bar should stay over the middle of the foot. The only way this can happen during a back squat is if you lean forward. The amount of lean varies with the type of squat. See this diagram: front squats are almost totally vertical, high bar back squats have a small amount of lean and low bar back squats have even more.

Do you have a reason to feel you are leaning forward too much? Or is the issue that your lower back is rounding, leading to the appearance of lots of lean? If it's the latter, it could very well be caused by tight hamstrings. As you descend into a squat, your knee moves forward and the hips move backwards, causing your hamstrings to stretch. If they are too tight, they will pull hard on your pelvis, and if this overcomes your ability to keep your back in extension, your pelvis will roll under causing your back to round.

Originally posted by: BeauJangles
While a lot of his advice was great, there was no structured routine to follow and, generally, I get most committed when I have a routine to follow.

You can make great gains by just stretching for 10 minutes per day after a workout or proper warm-up - never stretch cold. The exact routine isn't too important: just stretch all the major muscle groups for 30 seconds each, and give your problem areas (ie, shoulders) extra attention. The more you vary the exact stretches you do and the order you do them in, the better.