very tight shoulders for Overhead Press

[dgg]

Hello,

I have very tight shoulders and cannot get the overhead shoulder press to lock elbows straight above head. When fully extended the bar is slightly forward. Even with no bar, I cannot get my arms straight up beside or behind my ears. yep, tight! I just found the article & clip on shoulder dislocations so I'll add that pre-workout but wondering if anyone has any tips on getting shoulders more flexible so I can perform this exercise properly. I start the 5x5 program this Tuesday.

Thanks, Dave

[dylanamus]

Shoulder dislocations are a good start... I also find that windmills (just swing your arms around in a circle) go a long way for loosening things up, circulating synovial fluid and warming up the rotator cuff. You can add light dumbells to your windmills after a good warmup, to continue working on the joint.

I find that I have a tendency to just randomly start windmilling at any time of the day in any environment (ie work, walking down the street etc), which goes a long way for assisting with mobility and improving joint health. Mind you, I have had a shoulder injury, so I pay particular attention to it.

You should also consider doing some daily static stretches that target your biceps and pectorals, as tightness in these muscles can affect the mobility of the shoulders.