Prepare for this drill by sitting or leaning back against a wall (sitting makes it easier for some to perform this drill correctly).
Press your spine and back of your head into the wall. You may have trouble getting the back of your head to touch (note: if you have to tip your head back to reach it to the wall, fold a small towel and place it behind your head instead, and lean back on that). You may also have trouble getting your spine to touch the wall. Do your best to connect to the wall, and note that valuable piece of data if you cannot touch, as something worth exploring further.
Place your arms on the wall at shoulder height, with the elbows bent and hands pointing up to the sky.
Press your wrists into the wall (or note that piece of data if you cannot).
Slide your arms up the wall as far as you can keeping everything attached to the wall, then pull your arms down the wall to below shoulder height.
You’re not just sliding your arms around. You’re bracing to keep connected to the wall on the way up, and you’re squeezing your elbows down towards your sides as you come back down. (A cue that might help for the pull down – imagine someone’s hands are under your elbows trying to prevent you from driving your elbows down, fight there resistance by giving some of your own to push their hands out of your way.)
You can perform one set of this once per day as part of a daily routine, or use it as a multiple set drill during your workout. One set can start at 5 reps and build to 10.
