Hello, new to this site! what a wonderful website. I have been doing yoga for about 3 years now and just started pilates about 1 year now. I am 47 years old and have a job where I am sitting and bending all day long. What I cannot do and would like to know why is that I can't lift my hands directly over my head. when laying on the ground I can't get my hands all the way to the ground over my head. I'm a few inches shy. when on the wall, I have to stick out my ribcage to do it. any exercises, suggestions? thank you

Hello Ming-
You might try this:
1. Lying on the floor, raise straight arms to the ceiling above you.

2. Flex the feet and sense the tailbone gently reaching toward your toes.

3. Rotate your palms so they are facing the wall behind your head (this will facilitate keeping the scups and traps from riding up towards your ears).

4. Slowly move the arms towards the wall behind you, keeping the heels/tailbone gently reaching and the palms facing back.

Also try this one arm at a time to see if one shoulder is tighter than the other.

And remember that not everyone is built the same, that shoulders are one of the most complicated joints in the body, and that our shoulders have probably devolved over centuries as overhead reaching has become less necessary to our existence. While it may feel like a goal worth pursuing, I would to try to keep the goal and the purpose closely aligned.

Without seeing you - it is difficult to completely discern what may be restricting you.

First of all, please remember that the humeral head (upper arm bone) joins directly with the glenoid fossa (on the scapula/shoulder blade). The anatomical positioning of that fossa (joint) is anterior-superior; meaning - forward and up.
To force the arms into perfect vertical or hyper flexed alignment isn't the best idea unless you are extremely flexible and mobile in that joint.
Additionally, you may wish to take a look at your thoracic spinal alignment which can contribute to a tight lattisimus dorsi. That will definitely impact your ability to do what you are attempting.
What does this all mean?
Check to see how much extension is in your thoracic spine. Stretch your lats by putting the arms in flexion, abduction, external rotation ("cancelling" the lats).
Rotate your arms externally so that the palms face one another vs. facing anteriorly (forward).

(Con't)
This is the reason that I teach the Pilates Roll Up by NOT forcing the arms to the floor, but position them alongside the facial cheek bones for the average person.
Good Luck! Cathleen
Good Luck!

Ming, I would highly reccomend Rebekah Rotstein's classes on here. If you dont have a roller, purchase one.They are well worth the dollars you spend.. which isnt much. She teaches great classes with proper stretching techniques for tight shoulders, hips, etc.. and explains everything in great detail thats easy to understand! Not knowing the detail of why you are unable to reach hands completely over the head it could be tight pecs or adhesions limiting your range of motion. She goes over this in detail on her video. Good luck.. Check out the Roller class she does! ( Its the one that works with issues concering tight spots in our bodies)) also her workshop is available online here as well. Good luck
Jamie

Tight pecs compounded with tight hip flexors can allude to significant end range shoulder restriction. I second Cathleen Murakami's comments regarding neutral forearm position when performing the "roll-up" mat exercise.
Perhaps consult a pilates trained PT coupled with appropriate modalities to achieve optimal functional shoulder range of motion at it's painfree maximum availability.
Simply just a thought! Best of luck as we learn together on this pilates journey :)

Deanna, DPT
dpilates physical therapy
Plano, Texas

I like what Jamie says, and I was thinking the same thing, Rebekah Rotstein's foam roller class was so excellent for releasing restrictions in all the areas of the major muscle groups. She targeted the teres minor at one point and put the foam roller under the arm pit in a sidelying position...anyways its a very effective way to self massage and iron out tight muscle areas, increasing range of motion in the joints. Here's a link to that class //www.pilatesanytime.com/class-view /543/video/Kane-School-Pilates-Clas s-by-Rebekah-Rotstein

Thank you for all your help. What a great website. I have been trying to stretch out my lats, pecs, hamstrings, teres minor and thoracic extensions! Looks like I'm just one tight mess! I have also been doing rebekahs class and it's great. Didn't realize how tight my muscles were. Thanks for your suggestions. Hopefully mm by mm I can increase my range of motion and increase my knowledge on this amazing form of exercise. Thank you.