Fast Fitness - Easy Start to Mobilize Shoulder and Scapula

Here is Friday Fast Fitness - an easy way to learn and feel how to use the often forgotten serratus anterior muscles, for better shoulder mobilization, first introduced in December:

1. On any surface you are comfortable, go to hands and knees. Keep your arms straight at the elbow. Let your upper body sink under your weight so that your shoulder blades roll back and come towards each other. Your shoulder blades may stick out like wings, photo 1 below.
   
   
2. Correct that problem by pulling your upper back to a straighter position, photo 2 below.
   
   
3. Alternately sink and pull upward to correct the winging. Improve by increasing the number and speed you can correct. Use the hands-and-knees position to get the idea. As soon as you have the concept of how to move, use the full pushup position, called plank, to get off your knees and get real exercise.
   

The standing version of this drill is in my book Fix Your Own Pain Without Drugs or Surgery. Thank you to Dr. Johannes Ernst, who wrote in about using hands and knees to get started:

"I should mention I'm actually doing a variation of the scapular mobilization exercise which I have found to be more effective for me: basically like a push-up, but propped up on knees and elbows. That way I can extend the amplitude of the back and forth movement further than if standing up. That additional stretch does seem to make a difference, and it seems to work some muscles as I can do only about 30 or so before I run out of steam."

Related Fun Fitness Fixer:

• In December, reader Yash demonstrated this fun mobilization/stabilization retraining drill using the plank - Fast Fitness - Mobilize and Strengthen With Serratus PushUps.

• Dr. Ernst tells about fixing Headache From Head Position

Random Fun Fitness Fixer:

• Rocky Movie Computer Fight Simulation

Labels: arm, chest, fast fitness, posture, scapula, serratus anterior, shoulder

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Fast Fitness - Mobilize and Strengthen With Serratus PushUps

Here is Friday Fast Fitness - Strengthen and learn to use the often forgotten serratus anterior muscles and learn a good mobilization for your shoulders so that you don't get stiff, and become stuck round-shouldered when driving or typing.

"Serratus" muscles wrap your chest below your armpits. Their sections fan out like your fingers, looking serrated, giving the name. They wrap around your sides to the front, so are further described with the word "anterior." Muscle names are often descriptive, and can be easy and fun to understand. They are important for keeping your shoulder blades in place - but only when you use them to.

My student Yash demonstrates:

1. Hold a push up position with straight not locked arms. This is often called a plank position. Keeping your arms straight at the elbow, let your upper body sink under your weight so that your shoulder blades roll back and squeeze together - photo 1.

2. Correct that problem by pulling your upper back to a straighter position - photo 2

3. Do as many repetitions of sinking and pulling upward to correct the winging that you can at once. Improve by increasing the number and speed you can correct.

Coming posts will describe the serratus more and what it does, more on winging scapula, more fixes for it, and more on understanding muscle names and uses. Understanding, rather than memorizing, will help you know if claims for exercise fads and machines will help or not, and to not feel like an outsider about your anatomy and health. No medical degrees needed to understand your own body.

Related Fun Fitness Fixer:

• The Stretch You Need The Least
• Pectoral (Chest) Stretch - The Most Common Mistake in the Best Shoulder Stretch
• Flasher Exercises Not Best for Shoulder Pain
• Overhead Lifting, Reaching, and Throwing - More Part I
• David from Belgium made us a movie of fixing your pushup to neutral spine - Fast Fitness - Strengthen by Changing Your Plank
  

Random Fun Fitness Fixer:

• Collapsing Astronaut Gives Healthy Reminder

Labels: arm, chest, fast fitness, posture, pushup, scapula, serratus anterior, shoulder, strength

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