shoulder focus
Wall Slides
Improves overhead mobility and scapular control.
Key cue: Keep your forearms and low back close to the wall as you slide up.
Area
shoulder
Level
beginner
Volume
3 × 10
Goal
mobility
How to do it
- 1Stand with your back, head and buttocks against a wall and your feet a small step away. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, with your upper arms out to the sides at about shoulder height and your forearms and the backs of your hands against the wall.
- 2Draw your lower ribs down so your lower back stays close to the wall.
- 3Slide your arms up the wall as far as is comfortable while your forearms stay in contact, without shrugging.
- 4Slide them back down slowly. Repeat 10 times.
Easier and harder versions
- Easier
- Slide up only about half as far, staying pain-free, even if that is just a few centimetres.
- Harder
- Take 5 seconds to slide up, hold at the top for 2 seconds, then take 5 seconds to come down.
Helps with
Commonly used for:
Overhead mobilityRounded-shoulder postureEarly shoulder rehab
Part of these condition plans
Where it fits in the step-by-step plans on our condition pages.
Benefits
- Restores overhead range
- Trains shoulder-blade control
- Reduces impingement risk
Muscles worked
Mobility. Gently moves your lower trapezius, serratus anterior and rotator cuff.
Lower trapeziusSerratus anteriorRotator cuff
Form tips
- Keep your lower ribs down and your lower back near the wall: don't arch to get your arms higher.
- Stop where your forearms or wrists start to come away from the wall.
Common mistakes
- Shrugging your shoulders towards your ears as your arms rise.
- Arching your lower back.
When to avoid or modify
- Pinching or sharp pain at the top of the shoulder as you lift: stop just before that point
- A recent shoulder surgery or dislocation, unless your surgeon or physiotherapist has cleared it
- Pins and needles or numbness in your hands that gets worse: stop and speak to your GP or physiotherapist
If in doubt, check with a qualified physiotherapist before continuing.
Where to go from here
The ladder