Unlocking the Secrets of Shoulder Archetypes in the CrossFit Athlete

Welcome to part one of a four part series on shoulder archetypes in the CrossFit athlete. I am a Doctor of Physical Therapy that has been working in and part of the CrossFit community for the last five years. If you are a CrossFit athlete in the Wilmington, NC area, follow along to learn more about shoulder mobility requirements and drills to help stabilize your shoulders! 

What is a shoulder archetype? An archetype put simply is the shape of your shoulder at the end position of a movement. The four shoulder archetypes are overhead, front rack, hang and press. In this post, we will cover the overhead archetype.

Overhead mobility requirements include full range shoulder flexion and external rotation. Think shoulders in line with your ears and armpits pointed forward. This is THE most stable position for your shoulder. 

The overhead shape is crucial for CrossFit athletes as it is a fundamental movement pattern in many of the sport's key exercises, such as the snatch, overhead squat, shoulder press and handstand walking. Proper execution of these movements relies heavily on adequate shoulder mobility and stability, which are directly linked to the overhead shoulder archetype. Athletes with poor overhead shoulder mobility may struggle with these exercises, leading to poor performance, increased risk of injury, and limited progress. 

Developing the overhead shoulder archetype can also help prevent injury in CrossFit athletes. Overhead exercises place significant stress on the shoulders, and without proper mobility and stability, this stress can lead to injury. Strengthening the muscles and improving the range of motion in the shoulder girdle and upper back can help distribute the load more evenly. Identifying and addressing any limitations in the overhead shoulder archetype can help athletes decrease imbalances and movement compensations that may contribute to injury risk in other areas of the body.

Here are my top 3 mobility drills to improve your overhead archetype:

1.  Thoracic spine extension
2.   Subscapularis release
3.  Banded lat stretch  

Once you’ve opened up your shoulder and improved your overhead archetype, give these challenging stability drills a shot!

1.  Serratus wall slides 
2.  Half kneeling bottoms up press
3.  Turkish get up (bonus points for bottoms up KB!)

Thanks for reading, stay tuned for next month as we dive into the front rack archetype!

In good health,

Dr. Eliza Cohen

Dr. Eliza Cohen, PT, DPT, CPT, NTP 

Conquer Movement - Wilmington, NC