Bodyweight Flexibility < Mobility < Stability

[Marc]

Hello everybody,

I am relatively content with my flexibility and mobility and therefore would like to focus more on stability (especially the shoulder area but really the whole body) without sacrificing flexibility or mobility. I am looking for something to do 2-3x/week on off days that does not interfere with my main programme but preferably even enhances recovery.
Priorities are flexibility < mobility < stability.

Any recommendations are highly appreciated!

 

[pet']

Hello,

@Marc
Scott Sonnon's flows may be an option. Otherwise, there are some good contents - IMO - on the "Functional patterns" youtube channel (from Naudi Aguilar).

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[Ryan T]

Perhaps drill into OS leopard or Spiderman crawling? When I watch Tim Andersen's stuff it always seems like solid gold. Since it's no too neurologically fatiguing it should not interrupt you other training efforts.
JMO.

 

[WhatWouldHulkDo]

Arm bars are great for shoulder stability.

 

[Harald Motz]

like to focus more on stability (especially the shoulder area but really the whole body) without sacrificing flexibility or mobility.

- (relatively) heavy 1arm snatches.
1-5 reps for a few sets, ample of rest in between. They teach the ability to arrive into a strong lockout in the blink of an eye, they demand and promote t-spine extension.


- heavy get ups: mobility, stability, strength, coordination...

- heavy bent press: t-spine rotation, shoulder stabilization via strong lat connection. 1-3 reps. Multiple reps create some serious tension.

snatch and bent press is a great combo.

 

[IonRod]

What is shoulder stability? More specifically, how does one measure it to conclude that it improved? The way I understand stability, it is the ability to keep the joint in an unmoving position. This is obviously rellative - I can easily hold my hand overhead, but I will be able to hold a 24kg bell for much less time than that. Put a 40 kg bell there and I will struggle to say the least. Then we can also get into the discussion of angles - at what angle do you want to be more stable? So stability is relative to the weight and leverage you use. To me that sounds exactly like strength - strength is relative to the weight you need to move in a certain range of motion. You are as stable as you are strong - the more you can press, the more you can hold in "stability" overhead.

You could even say that in order to have better stability you need to be Strong First

 

[offwidth]

it is the ability to keep the joint in an unmoving position.

My perspective is that it goes beyond that. That stability also implies the ability to move the joint under a given load through a given range of motion in a smooth and controlled fashion.

Things in motion can still be stable

And yes... that requires being StrongFirst...

 

[guardian7]

Hello everybody,

I am relatively content with my flexibility and mobility and therefore would like to focus more on stability (especially the shoulder area but really the whole body) without sacrificing flexibility or mobility. I am looking for something to do 2-3x/week on off days that does not interfere with my main programme but preferably even enhances recovery.
Priorities are flexibility < mobility < stability.

Any recommendations are highly appreciated!

Face pulls
Band pull aparts
Crucifix stretch with light dumbells and hold isometric
Plank pushup
Birddogs
Bottom's up press racked and waiter holds
Cook drill
Leopard crawl (not bear)
Hand from a bar with packed shoulders
Convict conditioning 2 torso rotation

These are my go to moves.

Related to some comments here, I prefer the terms strength and motor control. The terms mobility and flexibility are not very clear.

 

[Marc]

Thank you very much, everybody. Very useful insights indeed!

 

[Marc]

@Harald Motz Snatch and Bent Press is what I also thought about first. How could these be integrated into an off day session?

 

[Harald Motz]

How could these be integrated into an off day session?

to make it not to strenous the volume has to be kept in check.

snatches 20-50 total reps
bent press 10-24 total reps
15min - 35min total time
waving volume

start with power, then strength. Start on both exercises with a conservatively heavy weight focus with the snatch to get into a smooth and strong lockout. Stay for a good second there with strong posture. That is your base or set up for a strong negative.

With the bent press find your groove and foot position that you feel mobile, stable and comfortable.

Keep it as perfect practice work. Keep it easy strength. When you feel good and strong after some sessions you may want to increase weight.

See how it is compatible with your main work, make adjustments accordingly.

I think when you "just" keep practicing this for a longer period of time you may impress yourself.

Would be great if @Pavel Macek could give some input.

 

[IonRod]

My perspective is that it goes beyond that. That stability also implies the ability to move the joint under a given load through a given range of motion in a smooth and controlled fashion.

To me that sounds like simply being strong. What is smooth and controlled? If you can press X weight with shaky hands, then you can press 1/2 X as smooth as you like. Expression of stability is relative to your strength.

 

[Pavel Macek]

Short answer, simplest solution: Your Multipurpose Strength Tool (aka the Get-up) | StrongFirst

Second short answer, complex solution: StrongFirst RESILIENT (and of course, presses in various stages of the get-up are also a part of the program)

 

[Marc]

Thank you everybody!

 

[dc]

Have you tried club swinging?
I swing regularly & my shoulders feel more stable than ever before.

 

[Shahaf Levin]

Have you tried club swinging?
I swing regularly & my shoulders feel more stable than ever before.

+1

I do club and Gada swings and it solved stability and integration problems I didn't even know I had

 

[pet']

Hello,

+1 for all gadas/clubs/maces.

Otherwise, I would tend to go for complexes moves, with light weights (no more than 16/20): Get up, Bent Press, Hackenschmidt squat, Front squat, and then Halo, Jefferson curl

Kind regards,

Pet'

 

[North Coast Miller]

Isometrics.

 

[Ryan T]

@Marc I think you've got a serious overload of great options. I'd say pick as strategy and roll with it for a while. If it disrupts your training then switch it up.

Isometrics.

What would be some example moves for this; what are you up to?

 

[North Coast Miller]

What would be some example moves for this; what are you up to?

This is what I'm currently cycling in, but I wouldn't recommend it as a small add-on as it is intended to fill role of a normal strength day session.


Doing a month of them has been very informative.

For stability I believe you have to ID what aspect or movement plane etc you're looking to improve. @ IonRod, the word "stability" can mean a number of things. I'm taking it to mean core stability or ability to transmit a lot of force statically - the very definition of isometric.

Off the cuff ideas would be take a broomhandle held like spear/bayonet and press the end of it into one upper corner of a doorjam at an angle, brace it without resting it on your hips, hands floating, and try to spear it through the jam for 20 seconds w/ everything you've got - switch hands and repeat. Put the tip of it under a heavy table and try to flip the table over, rest the tip on the top of the table and try to press down as hard as possible. The longer the handle the better.

Staggered feet, hold arm outstretched to the side, slight bend at elbow and press against doorjam with all you've got for 20 seconds. You can do this with the back of the hand as well, and these can also be done with the broomhandle.

Just some ideas - stability is going to have a good bit of specificity to it just like anything else.

Martin