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Invisible Exercise 3: Scapular Wall Slides

Scapular wall slides

Purpose: Restore shoulder mobility, correct rounded shoulders, prevent impingement

Duration: 8-10 reps (approximately 60 seconds)

The Biomechanics

The scapulae (shoulder blades) should glide smoothly on the ribcage during arm movement. Years of forward work creates:

  • Scapular winging (shoulder blades stick out)
  • Anterior tilting (top of scapula tips forward)
  • Protraction (scapulae slide apart, shoulders round forward)

This dysfunction restricts overhead reach and causes shoulder impingement—the shoulder joint gets pinched during arm elevation.

Wall slides force proper scapular movement in a controlled position where you can feel what correct mechanics should be.

Why This Matters for Contractors

Every overhead task requires full shoulder mobility:

  • Installing ceiling fixtures
  • Overhead drilling
  • Reaching into upper cabinets
  • Carrying materials overhead

Restricted scapular movement means:

  • Shoulder impingement and pain during overhead work
  • Compensating by arching back (lower back strain)
  • Reduced work capacity and increased fatigue

How to Do It

Setup

  1. Stand with back against wall
  2. Feet about 6 inches from wall
  3. Flatten lower back against wall (may need to bend knees slightly)
  4. Head touches wall (chin slightly tucked)
  5. Raise arms into "goalpost" position:
  6. Elbows at shoulder height, bent 90°
  7. Backs of hands, forearms, and elbows contact wall

The Movement

  1. Keeping all contact points on wall (hands, forearms, elbows, back of head, lower back)
  2. Slide arms up toward ceiling
  3. Straighten arms as much as possible while maintaining wall contact
  4. Pause at top for 1 second
  5. Slide arms back down to goalpost position
  6. Repeat 8-10 times

The Critical Constraint

Maintain Wall Contact

The moment any contact point leaves the wall, you've exceeded your current mobility. Only go as high as you can while keeping everything touching.

This constraint ensures proper scapular mechanics instead of compensation.

Form Critical Points

  • Lower back stays flat: Don't arch to reach higher
  • Head stays neutral: Chin tucked, back of head on wall
  • Elbows stay on wall: Most people's elbows lift off—don't let them
  • Slow and controlled: 2-3 seconds up, 2-3 seconds down
  • Feel the squeeze: Shoulder blades should squeeze together as arms go up

What It Should Feel Like

  • Muscles between shoulder blades working (rhomboids, lower traps)
  • Stretch across chest (pecs) as arms go up
  • Possibly limited range initially (normal)
  • Slight burning in upper back muscles

Should NOT feel:

  • Shoulder pinching or impingement
  • Lower back arching
  • Neck strain

Variations

Seated Version

  • Sit in chair, back against high backrest or wall
  • Same arm movements
  • Good for office or truck cab

Floor Version (Supine)

  • Lie on back, knees bent, feet flat
  • Same arm movements against floor
  • Gravity assists the movement
  • Good for learning proper mechanics

No Wall Version (Advanced)

  • Standing freely, perform same motion
  • Requires body awareness of what "correct" feels like
  • Only after mastering wall version

When to Do It

Best times:

  • After extended forward work (measuring, drilling, cutting)
  • Before overhead work (primes shoulders)
  • During breaks (find any wall)
  • After driving (steering wheel rounds shoulders)

Can also be done against truck (side panel works), filing cabinet, or any flat vertical surface.

Troubleshooting

Elbows lift off wall immediately
  • Cause: Very tight pecs and/or weak scapular muscles
  • Reality: This is extremely common
  • Solution: Only go as high as you can with elbows on wall—may be just a few inches
  • Progress: Range increases over 2-4 weeks
Lower back arches to get arms higher
  • Cause: Compensating for limited shoulder mobility
  • Solution: Bend knees more to flatten lower back
  • Reduce: Don't go as high—stay where back can remain flat
  • Priority: Lower back position is more important than arm height
Shoulder pain or impingement during movement
  • Cause: Pre-existing shoulder pathology or too aggressive
  • Solution: Reduce range significantly
  • Alternative: Do floor version (less shoulder load)
  • Warning: If pain persists, see healthcare provider
Can't feel muscles working
  • Solution: Focus on squeezing shoulder blades together at top
  • Cue: "Crack a walnut between your shoulder blades"
  • Check: Are you going slowly enough?

Bram's Experience

Week 1: Could barely slide arms 4 inches up before elbows came off wall. Embarrassing but revealing—his shoulders were locked in forward position from decades of forward work.

Week 4: Could slide arms halfway up while maintaining all contact points. Started doing these religiously before any overhead work. Noticed less shoulder fatigue.

Month 3: Nearly full range with all contact points. The overhead work that used to cause immediate shoulder pain became manageable. Could work overhead for extended periods without discomfort.

Real-World Impact

"Wall slides showed me how broken my shoulders were. I thought I had full range—I didn't. I was arching my back and cheating to reach overhead, which was destroying my lower back.

"Once I developed proper scapular mechanics, overhead work became sustainable again. My shoulders moved correctly instead of jamming together."

The Invisible Factor

At a wall, this looks like:

  • Casual stretching during a break
  • Relieving tension after forward work
  • Normal break-time movement

Takes 60 seconds. Requires only a flat wall surface. Completely normal job site behavior.

Integration

Scapular Wall Slides are the third of the Invisible 8 because:

  • Address the upper body pattern (after core and lower legs)
  • Prepare shoulders for overhead work
  • Counteract the forward work that dominates trade jobs
  • Can be done anywhere there's a wall

Recommendation: Before every overhead work session, and 2-3 additional times throughout the day.

Next: Glute Squeezes →

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