Scapular Wall Slide

The Scapular Wall Slide is a bodyweight mobility drill that teaches your shoulder blades to glide smoothly along your rib cage while you raise your arms overhead. It mainly trains the lower trapezius and serratus anterior, with help from the rotator cuff and upper-back muscles. Over time, it builds the overhead position for handstands and other reaching movements.

Stand with your back, hips, and head against a wall. Walk your feet out about a foot so you can keep your lower back flat. Tuck your ribs down and press the backs of your hands, forearms, and elbows lightly into the wall. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees.

Slowly slide your arms straight up the wall, keeping your forearms and hands in contact the whole time. Let your shoulder blades rotate upward and outward as your arms rise. Keep ribs down and your back flat to the wall. Stop before your lower back arches or your shoulders shrug. Pause briefly at the top, then slide back down under control.

Breathe in through your nose to prepare, then breathe out as you slide up while keeping your ribs pulled down and your belly gently tight. If full overhead is hard, slide only as high as you can without shrugging or arching. To make it harder, stand closer to the wall or hold the top position for a few seconds.

Fault: Your lower back arches off the wall as your arms go up. Fix: Stop the slide at the height where you can keep ribs down and your back flat to the wall; lower the range until that position feels easy, then build up.

Fault: Your shoulders shrug toward your ears at the top. Fix: Slide up without shrugging or arching; reduce the range and think about reaching the ceiling with straight elbows instead of lifting with the traps.

Fault: Your forearms or hands peel away from the wall. Fix: Keep the backs of your hands, forearms, and elbows lightly against the wall throughout; if they drift, reset and take a smaller range.