Zipper test (shoulder flexibility)

212019156
212019156 Posts: 341 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
This is the test where you try to clasp your hand together (one going behind neck and the other coming from down below). The closer your fingers are the more flexible you are.

My question, has anyone of you started off poorly with this test and then dramatically improved your flexibility?

Replies

  • W31RD0
    W31RD0 Posts: 173 Member
    This is the test where you try to clasp your hand together (one going behind neck and the other coming from down below). The closer your fingers are the more flexible you are.

    My question, has anyone of you started off poorly with this test and then dramatically improved your flexibility?

    I've been stretching my triceps fairly consistently, I can touch fingers with my left hand above, but not with my right hand above. Is there another muscle I should be stretching?
  • darlilama
    darlilama Posts: 794 Member
    Actually, the opposite. I used to be able to completely clasp my hands. Now I can just get my fingers to touch. But, I'm older and have tight shoulder/neck muscles - I clench my teeth at night. :ohwell:
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    I can easily clasp my hands together doing this. I don't consider myself to be particularly flexible though, I think it's just because i have long arms.
  • Squidgeypaws007
    Squidgeypaws007 Posts: 1,012 Member
    Actually, the opposite. I used to be able to completely clasp my hands. Now I can just get my fingers to touch. But, I'm older and have tight shoulder/neck muscles - I clench my teeth at night. :ohwell:

    Ha, me too - I stopped doing yoga for a while and lost the flexibility in my shoulders.

    This is just a test of how flexible your shoulders and arms are - my hips for example retained most of their flexibility even with the break in training.

    I'm working on my shoulder flexibility now, but finding it is much slower than any other part of my body!
  • bugaboo_sue
    bugaboo_sue Posts: 552 Member
    Actually, the opposite. I used to be able to completely clasp my hands. Now I can just get my fingers to touch. But, I'm older and have tight shoulder/neck muscles - I clench my teeth at night. :ohwell:

    Same here. I injured both my shoulders (I did something VERY wrong pole dancing) and since then they've been really tight. I am going to work on my flexibility though and hopefully I'll be able to clasp again.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    This is something I've always been able to so. However, I shattered my left wrist and fractured my right elbow last year and when I'd healed I found I couldn't get anywhere close. With a little work, I was able to do it again.

    The PT trick was to us a towel -- hold it in both hands and pull up and down to stretch the shoulders. Get closer and closer until yout hands touch.
  • sofaking6
    sofaking6 Posts: 4,589 Member
    I dislocated my shoulder a bunch of times and now I have no problem with it.
  • rogerOb1
    rogerOb1 Posts: 318 Member
    I did something VERY wrong pole dancing

    Feel free to elaborate on this at any time :bigsmile:
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    @ rml_16: in regards to your PT trick, so basically you are saying stretch in the same position as the test? Did you pause for long in each direction (static stretch) or did you treat is as more of a dynamic stretch?

    This is something I've always been able to so. However, I shattered my left wrist and fractured my right elbow last year and when I'd healed I found I couldn't get anywhere close. With a little work, I was able to do it again.

    The PT trick was to us a towel -- hold it in both hands and pull up and down to stretch the shoulders. Get closer and closer until yout hands touch.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    @ rml_16: in regards to your PT trick, so basically you are saying stretch in the same position as the test? Did you pause for long in each direction (static stretch) or did you treat is as more of a dynamic stretch?

    This is something I've always been able to so. However, I shattered my left wrist and fractured my right elbow last year and when I'd healed I found I couldn't get anywhere close. With a little work, I was able to do it again.

    The PT trick was to us a towel -- hold it in both hands and pull up and down to stretch the shoulders. Get closer and closer until yout hands touch.
    I did more of a dynamic stretch, but I would think either or both would work fine, based on experience with ballet and yoga.

    I'm pretty naturally flexible, so I don't know if you would be able to reach my level (I can clasp my fingers), but it's worth a try.

    And, yes, in that position with the towel pulling both sides.
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    Thanks rml_16. Your feedback is helpful. I'm not a very flexible person naturally but I will have to try the more dynamic approach since I have not tried that yet.
    Jeff
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    Thanks rml_16. Your feedback is helpful. I'm not a very flexible person naturally but I will have to try the more dynamic approach since I have not tried that yet.
    Jeff
    Just work at it. If I don't stretch often enough. I lose it a bit. But once I go back to it regularly, it comes back. Good luck!
  • bltrexler
    bltrexler Posts: 180 Member

    The PT trick was to us a towel -- hold it in both hands and pull up and down to stretch the shoulders. Get closer and closer until yout hands touch.

    This is what the PT had me doing and holding for 30 sec, using the hand going over the shoulder to pull causing the stretch in the shoulder in the bottom shoulder then switch. I can touch my fingers both ways which is a huge improvement since I could not.
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    I was doing this last night and noticed that I'm not that inflexible with the upper arm. Its the lower arm. So I guess that must be joint capsule flexibility and maybe pec flexibility I need to work on.
  • 212019156
    212019156 Posts: 341 Member
    Out of curiosity how far apart were your two hands before you started on the stretching protocol and how long did it take you to get to the point where you could touch your hands together. Right now my hands are about 8 inches apart (horrible).


    This is what the PT had me doing and holding for 30 sec, using the hand going over the shoulder to pull causing the stretch in the shoulder in the bottom shoulder then switch. I can touch my fingers both ways which is a huge improvement since I could not.
  • GiddyupTim
    GiddyupTim Posts: 2,819 Member
    I must third -- or fourth -- the towel stretch. I play tennis and my right shoulder was much tighter than my left. So, I started doing it. My right has improved significantly.
  • StrawberryJam40
    StrawberryJam40 Posts: 274 Member
    I love Google.

    http://physicaltherapy.about.com/od/flexibilityexercises/a/Towel-Shoulder-Stretch.htm

    I needed a visual.
  • bltrexler
    bltrexler Posts: 180 Member
    Out of curiosity how far apart were your two hands before you started on the stretching protocol and how long did it take you to get to the point where you could touch your hands together. Right now my hands are about 8 inches apart (horrible).


    This is what the PT had me doing and holding for 30 sec, using the hand going over the shoulder to pull causing the stretch in the shoulder in the bottom shoulder then switch. I can touch my fingers both ways which is a huge improvement since I could not.

    Well with my right arm on bottom my fingers can grab each other and its been 2 years since shoulder surgery and that should was in terrible condition and had lost most flexibility, with about 2 inch gap. So I guess I don't really know how long it took with that arm. But with the left arm on bottom I am 12 weeks post op and I can have my fingers touch to the middle joint. I could do a full finger grasp before. I could practically touch the base of neck reaching from the bottom. That's not to say I don't still feel a pulling through the rotor cuff and bicep. The therapist said this stretch was one of the most difficult for people to master.
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
    This is the test where you try to clasp your hand together (one going behind neck and the other coming from down below). The closer your fingers are the more flexible you are.

    My question, has anyone of you started off poorly with this test and then dramatically improved your flexibility?

    Can be your elbows, triceps and lats for general shoulder mobility.

    check out http://www.mobilityWOD.com and search for shoulder mobility or front rack position. That will give you a ton of stuff that will help loosen your shoulders. Keep in mind that increasing mobility in this way is a long, slow process for most of us.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    I have been told that you will be more flexible with your non-dominant arm because the dominant arm has more (and larger) muscle.

    And with me anyway, this seems to be true. I can touch my fingers with my left arm above but not the right.
  • PinkyPan1
    PinkyPan1 Posts: 3,018 Member
    I can now grasp my fingers doing this test. 5 months ago I could not even come close. I had zero flexibility. I have titanium rods fused to my lower spine and it was damn near impossible for me to even twist without throwing out my back. I stretch and do a morning yoga dvd everyday. I also power walk and use my arms and shoulders for speed. I just now tried this switching sides and I can not come close. Hmmmm... I got some work to do. I love this post.
  • dogpaws4ever
    dogpaws4ever Posts: 29 Member
    What a great post!!
    I have never been flexible, even as a teen, and now that I am in my fifties it's even worse.
    The fact that I can now start using a towel to teach my shoulder muscles to let go a little sounds doable.
    Thanks for the tips.
  • 60sPanda
    60sPanda Posts: 303 Member
    This post got me trying this. I am rubbish at it. If my left arm is at the bottom I can get my fingers close (but nost touching) but when I switch to my right I have no flexibility. Really interested to read about the towel and I will get using that.
  • melduf
    melduf Posts: 468 Member
    I used to be very good at it, not matter how fit I was. Then I had a tendinitis in my left shoulder in 2004 and was never able to reach completely on that side no matter what I do.
  • mtnstar
    mtnstar Posts: 125 Member

    The PT trick was to us a towel -- hold it in both hands and pull up and down to stretch the shoulders. Get closer and closer until yout hands touch.

    What a great tip! I can clasp on one side but can't even come close on the other. I just tried the towel trick, and it was a great stretch. Going to practice this every day now. Thank you!
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member

    The PT trick was to us a towel -- hold it in both hands and pull up and down to stretch the shoulders. Get closer and closer until yout hands touch.

    What a great tip! I can clasp on one side but can't even come close on the other. I just tried the towel trick, and it was a great stretch. Going to practice this every day now. Thank you!

    The positive side to breaking both my arms at the same time! lol

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