Upper Body Mobility

The upper body is where desk work, driving, and overhead tasks do the most damage. Rounded shoulders, stiff thoracic spines, and tight wrists are nearly universal. These exercises restore range of motion from the shoulder girdle down through the forearms.

Fitness Considerations

The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body — and the most vulnerable. It relies on muscular stability rather than bony architecture. Mobilize it in multiple planes (flexion, abduction, internal/external rotation) and always pair mobility work with shoulder strengthening.

Limited thoracic extension and rotation forces the shoulders and lumbar spine to compensate. If your overhead reach or rotation is restricted, the t-spine is almost always involved. Start with thoracic extension on a roller and open-book stretches before isolating the shoulder.

Wrists take constant load — in push-ups, front rack positions, typing, and tool use — but rarely get dedicated mobility work. If you press, grip, or type regularly, add wrist circles and flexion/extension work to your daily routine.

Exercises

#	Exercise	Focus
11.01	Shoulder CARs	Shoulder controlled articular rotations (CARs) for joint health and range of motion
11.02	Wall Slides	Wall slides for scapular control and overhead shoulder mobility
11.03	Sleeper Stretch	Sleeper stretch for shoulder internal rotation and rotator cuff flexibility
11.04	Thoracic Extension on Roller	Thoracic extension on a foam roller for upper back mobility and posture correction
11.05	Open Book Stretch	Open book stretch for thoracic rotation and ribcage mobility
11.06	Wrist Circles	Wrist circles for joint mobility warmup and carpal tunnel prevention
11.07	Forearm Pronation & Supination	Forearm pronation and supination drills for elbow and wrist health
11.08	Wrist Flexion/Extension	Active wrist flexion and extension drill for forearm mobility and desk-worker relief
11.09	Wrist CARs	Wrist controlled articular rotations for joint health and full range-of-motion maintenance
11.10	Shoulder Capsule Mobilization	Banded and loaded shoulder capsule mobilization for overhead, press, hang, and front rack positions
11.11	Shoulder Dislocates	Shoulder dislocates with a band or stick for full-arc shoulder mobility and front rack prep
11.12	Banded Elbow Extension	Banded elbow extension mobilization for overhead and front rack position improvement
11.13	Bully Extension Bias	Banded bully stretch with extension bias for shoulder hang and press position improvement
11.14	Banded Lateral Opener	Banded lateral opener for shoulder external rotation and front rack and press mobility
11.15	Banded Wrist Distraction	Banded wrist distraction for wrist and forearm mobility in front rack and pressing positions
11.16	Reverse Sleeper Stretch	Reverse sleeper stretch for shoulder external rotation and overhead and front rack mobility
11.17	Classic Triceps & Lat Stretch	Wall-assisted triceps and lat stretch for overhead and front rack position improvement
11.18	Sink Mobilization	Squat rack or countertop-assisted shoulder mobilization for hang and press positions
11.19	Banded Elbow Distraction	Banded elbow joint distraction for press and front rack position improvement
11.20	Super Front Rack	Banded super front rack mobilization for overhead and front rack shoulder positions
11.21	Overhead Distraction with External Rotation Bias	Banded overhead distraction with external rotation for overhead and front rack position mobility
11.22	Elbow Flexion and Extension Fault Prescriptions	Lacrosse ball and band techniques to resolve elbow flexion and extension restrictions for front rack positions