Upper-Body Mobility & Control Flow

Mobility
45 min

Objective (single focus)

Improve shoulder girdle mobility and scapular control for beginners (deltoids, traps, pecs, lats, rhomboids, arms) with low fatigue and high-quality positions.

Class Setup (equipment sharing)

  • Work in pairs, share 1 pull-up bar station + 1 light band + 1 mat.
  • If bands are limited: one band per pair; partner alternates.

Warm-up (10 minutes)

2 rounds (easy pace):

  • 45 sec Assault Bike or Rower (nasal breathing, easy)
  • 8 Scapular push-ups (slow)
  • 8 Cat-cow
  • 6/side Thread-the-needle (pause 2 sec)
  • 10 PVC/broomstick pass-throughs (or band pass-throughs)

Main Block (35 minutes) — “Classic” mobility class format

A) Tissue prep + positional breathing (8 minutes)

2 sets:

  • 60 sec Child’s pose lat stretch (hands on box or floor)
  • 60 sec Doorway/pec stretch (use pull-up rig upright)
  • 5 breaths 90/90 supine breathing (ribs down, long exhale)

B) Scapular control & shoulder mechanics circuit (15 minutes)

3 rounds, controlled tempo, rest as needed (quality > speed):

  1. 10 Banded face pulls (2 sec squeeze)
  2. 8 Banded external rotations/side (elbow pinned to ribs)
  3. 8 Scapular pull-ups (from hang; small range)
    • Option: feet-assisted on box
  4. 10 Prone Y-T-W (on mat, 3+3+4 reps)

C) Loaded mobility (strength-through-range) (12 minutes)

Every 2:00 x 6 sets (12 min), alternate with partner (IGYG):

  • Set 1/3/5: Half-kneeling single-arm DB/KB press x 6/side @ light load (RPE 5/10)
    • 3 sec lower, pause 1 sec overhead
  • Set 2/4/6: DB/KB bent-over row x 8/side @ light-moderate (RPE 6/10)
    • 2 sec squeeze at top, neutral spine

Intensity Guidance

  • Beginner mobility day: RPE 4–6/10 throughout.
  • You should finish feeling better than you started: no grinding reps, no breathless conditioning.

Cool-down (included in main time, last 2–3 minutes as needed)

  • 60 sec Sleeper stretch/side (gentle)
  • 60 sec Forearm flexor/extensor stretch (hands on floor or rig)
  • Scapular control (scap push-ups, scap pull-ups): lower trapezius, serratus anterior, rhomboids; supports shoulder health.
  • Horizontal pull (band face pulls, rows): rhomboids, middle trapezius, rear deltoid, biceps, forearms.
  • External rotation (band ER): infraspinatus, teres minor (rotator cuff), rear deltoid (secondary).
  • Overhead press (half-kneeling): anterior/medial deltoid, triceps; core and lower traps stabilize.
  • Mobility positions (lat/pec stretches): lats/teres major and pectoralis major/minor lengthening to improve overhead mechanics.

WOD Evaluation

30
Strength
20
Endurance
45
Volume

Muscle Groups Worked

Deltoid (Posterior)
Trapezius (Middle)
Rhomboid Major
Latissimus Dorsi
Deltoid (Anterior)

Exercises in this wod

Assault BikeConcept2 RowerScapular Push-upCat-CowThread-the-NeedleBand Pass-ThroughChild’s Pose Lat StretchPec Stretch90/90 Supine BreathingBanded Face PullBanded External RotationScapular Pull-upProne Y-T-WHalf-Kneeling Single-Arm Dumbbell/Kettlebell PressSingle-Arm Dumbbell/Kettlebell RowSleeper StretchForearm Stretch

Material

Resistance bandsPull-up barsMatsDumbbellsKettlebellsPlyometric boxesAssault BikeConcept2 Rower

Technical Explanation

Global safety & quality rules

  • This is a mobility/control session: no rushing, no max loads, no pain (especially sharp front-shoulder pain or numbness/tingling).
  • Keep ribs stacked over pelvis; avoid excessive low-back arching during overhead work.

Scapular push-up

  • Arms straight; move only shoulder blades.
  • Protract fully at top, retract without collapsing through shoulders.

Banded face pull

  • Anchor band at face height.
  • Pull toward nose/forehead, elbows high, finish with shoulder blades squeezed down/back.

Banded external rotation

  • Elbow pinned to ribs (use towel if needed).
  • Rotate forearm outward without flaring ribs or twisting torso.

Scapular pull-up

  • Start in a controlled hang (or feet on box).
  • Without bending elbows, pull shoulder blades down/back, then return slowly.

Half-kneeling single-arm press

  • Down knee under hip; front foot flat.
  • Squeeze glute on down-knee side; press slightly back overhead with biceps near ear.
  • Control the descent (3 seconds).

1-arm row

  • Hinge with neutral spine; brace core.
  • Pull elbow toward hip, pause/squeeze, lower under control; avoid shrugging.

Adaptations

Beginner (target)

  • Use very light DB/KB (focus on smooth reps and positions).
  • Scapular pull-ups: feet-assisted on box or band-assisted; reduce to 5–6 reps if grip fatigues.
  • External rotations: lighter band, smaller range.

Intermediate

  • Add 1 extra round to Block B (4 rounds total) OR add 2 reps per set on press/row while keeping tempo.
  • Slightly heavier load but keep RPE ≤ 7/10.

Advanced

  • Maintain same structure; increase time-under-tension (4 sec eccentric on press/row) or add 1 additional E2:00 set (total 14 min) if class logistics allow.
  • Still avoid metabolic fatigue; quality remains the priority.