I’ve been coaching my 72-year-old dad like he’s 30: here’s the one exercise that moves the needle most for upper-body strength and mobility
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I’ve been training my dad since 2020, and alongside two mobility sessions a week, he lifts weights once a week and keeps a very active lifestyle. We switch up his routines every few months and progressively overload his exercises as he gets stronger; one move that has stayed within his upper-body routine is called the martini glass.
You will need either a pole, light barbell, or broomstick for this exercise. If those don’t work, you can use a resistance band. As you get better, consider adding a heavier barbell, weighted plates, or a thicker band. You can also adapt your tempo, reps and sets to suit your needs.
If you’re ready to get started, check out the exercise and its benefits below.
How to do the ‘martini glass’ mobility exercise
Before we get into how to do the martini glass exercise, I want you to think about the shape of a martini glass; this is what you will replicate with your arms in a Y-shape and your torso long and tall.
From here, it looks similar to a lat pull-down, but the bar or band will travel behind you as you draw your elbows down, then press upward again. It’s a test of upper-body mobility and, if you choose to load the exercise, strength.
Your ability to flex and extend your elbows while traveling behind your body will be limited to how much range of motion you have available, so try to pull your shoulders together, back and down away from your ears before you initiate any movement.
- Stand tall with your core engaged, shoulders drawn down and ribcage and pelvis tucked so that you don’t arch your back
- Hold a bar overhead using an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart or wider if you have very tight shoulders
- Focus on knitting your shoulder blades together so that the bar aligns just behind your head
- Bend both elbows and draw your them down toward your hips as you lower the bar down your back
- Pause at the bottom, then press upward to the starting position
- Complete 6-8 controlled reps and 2-3 sets.
Tips for proper form
The most common error I see during the martini glass drill is thrusting the hips forward and flaring the ribs, which arches your lower back. Try to keep everything tucked in and initiate the movement with your shoulders, arms and upper back and chest.
Keep your feet hip-width apart and hands just wider than shoulder-width. My dad started even wider at first, then adjusted his grip as he found more room in his shoulders.
If you choose to use a band instead, focus on pulling it apart like you’re trying to snap it. The benefit of the band is a lot of tension as you lower, but little tension as you lift, whereas the bar stays the same throughout. A great progression to try is to balance the bar in your palms without gripping it.
This mobility drill stands alone, but I’ve also found it useful as a dynamic warm-up exercise to prepare your joints and muscles for lifts like the overhead squat, overhead press and snatch.
Over time, you should be able to lower the bar further down or adjust your load, reps, or sets. You should also notice better range of motion, looser shoulders and more stability and control in those overhead positions.
Give it a try, and let us know how you get on in the comments.
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