Scapula exercises

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tomatoey
tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Does anyone have tips on activating & engaging the scapula and NOT the shoulders or trapezius?

I need to do this. I feel like I'm using all the wrong muscles.

scapular-retraction.jpg

Replies

  • sistrsprkl
    sistrsprkl Posts: 1,013 Member
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    I'm confused. That's a bone.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
    edited September 2015
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    You're supposed to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Sounds simple, right? It's not. I can get them closer together but I really don't think I'm using the right muscles. I'm usually pushing them in using my shoulders, like rolling my shoulders out and back and then pushing them in, but I don't feel the shoulder blades doing anything, and I think I'm supposed to.
  • madeawesome
    madeawesome Posts: 3 Member
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    Try doing 100 reps of band pull-aparts every day with a focus on scapula retraction. Roll / stretch out your pectoral muscles and front deltoids. Most people train with an imbalance between push and pull exercises, which can cause shoulder pain and postural issues. I'm not saying this is your problem, but try the exercise and see if it makes a difference, it definitely can't hurt!
  • boomshakalaka911
    boomshakalaka911 Posts: 655 Member
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    You activate your traps to adduct your scapula
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,526 Member
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    Put your arms at your sides. Now try to bring your elbows together behind your back (can't really do it unless you're really flexible) without raising your shoulders up. You should feel them come together.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
    edited September 2015
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    ninerbuff wrote: »
    Put your arms at your sides. Now try to bring your elbows together behind your back (can't really do it unless you're really flexible) without raising your shoulders up. You should feel them come together.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

    I think this is helping!!! Thank you :D:D <-- should have just been big smiles, I don't know what that's about. :):) is what I wanted there :)
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
    edited September 2015
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    madeawesome wrote: »
    Try doing 100 reps of band pull-aparts every day with a focus on scapula retraction. Roll / stretch out your pectoral muscles and front deltoids. Most people train with an imbalance between push and pull exercises, which can cause shoulder pain and postural issues. I'm not saying this is your problem, but try the exercise and see if it makes a difference, it definitely can't hurt!

    That sounds like a good exercise :) Unfortunately, I also have tennis elbow and carpal tunnel problems, which means anything that involves holding or pulling a band is out :/ (Sorry, should have said :/)
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
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    boomshakalaka911 wrote: »
    You activate your traps to adduct your scapula

    Ah ok, all I know is way too much stuff was happening at the top there. Thanks though.
  • Krisfit40
    Krisfit40 Posts: 106 Member
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    I would focus on activating the rear delts without pulling back far enough to use the traps.. a rear delt fly modified.. try bending over into a rear delt fly position and instead of bringing the weight straight out to the sides you will pull the weight backwards as if you are trying to hand the weights to someone standing behind you.. the hands should remain in a hammer position to avoid engaging the medial delts.. squeeze at the top of the motion to engage the muscles until you find exactly the angle you are looking for.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
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    Krisfit40 wrote: »
    I would focus on activating the rear delts without pulling back far enough to use the traps.. a rear delt fly modified.. try bending over into a rear delt fly position and instead of bringing the weight straight out to the sides you will pull the weight backwards as if you are trying to hand the weights to someone standing behind you.. the hands should remain in a hammer position to avoid engaging the medial delts.. squeeze at the top of the motion to engage the muscles until you find exactly the angle you are looking for.

    That is another great way to think about it - thank you!
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
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    There's a PT exercise called "Angel Wings" that targets the rhomboids. It's similar to what's been described above :) The rhomboids are the muscles you're looking for.
  • tomatoey
    tomatoey Posts: 5,459 Member
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    cafeaulait7 wrote: »
    There's a PT exercise called "Angel Wings" that targets the rhomboids. It's similar to what's been described above :) The rhomboids are the muscles you're looking for.

    Thank you :)

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