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Posture - Part 2  : Your Shoulders

(First featured DNA December 2009)

 Extract about my method for improving posture - as easy as One, Two, Three, Four

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Posture - Shoulders

“2”

Nothing speaks louder in portraying confidence than great shoulder position. Whether in a t-shirt, singlet or suit, well-set shoulders are seen as both powerful and sexy. Yet with modern office work, slouching, and a tendency to work the “front” muscles, pecs and biceps, our shoulders are often rounded forward. Apart from looking hunched, a forward-pulled shoulder is more often prone to injuries and niggling tendon pain.

Introducing your scapula

The scapulae (shoulder blades) join up with both your collarbone and humerus (upper arm bone) to form the amazingly versatile shoulder complex. The scapula is however a highly mobile thing, held in place by the tension of muscles around it. Tight chest muscles and weak upper back muscles pull it forward, while emotional stress and hunching can pull it upwards.

It is here that I focus the second part of improving day-to-day posture.

Activating

If you’ve never really practiced isolating just the scapula in movements, time to do the first exercise (what I call “zombies”):

  1. Hold your arms parallel to the ground.
  2. Keeping your elbows locked, push your hands as far forward as you can (first picture).
  3. Reverse the action squeezing your shoulder blades back together to pull your hands back as far as possible (second picture). Practice repeating - you should be able to move your hands at least a good few centimetres.
  4. Your arms should remain parallel to the ground, without shrugging your shoulders.

Feel the muscles in between your shoulder blades. “Two” involves using these exact muscles to keep your shoulders in place until it becomes their normal position. It is not hauling them all the way back and stalking around with your chest pouted out – more like holding them about 40% of the way back (last picture). Nor should you feel at all restricted with any arm movement.

Get in the habit of being aware of your shoulder position at all times. If your shoulders are rounded forward or you get frequent shoulder pain, you will need to be even more vigilant.

Strengthening and stretching

To match the pull of tight chest muscles you need strength in the opposing muscles – the rhomboids and mid-lower trapezius. The best exercises for these are any kind of row: cable, seated, barbell, dumbbell or even cardio rowing.

Always start these movements by drawing back and fixing your scapula in place before bending at the elbows. Practice the “zombie” on a seated row to really target these muscles. Once strengthened, they look great from behind too, giving your back real definition and size. Not to mention helping lift more, safely, in all back exercises!

If you slouch or do lots of pec and bicep work you will need to be sure to stretch these routinely to protect your newfound powerful shoulders.

Pairing one and two together allows you to feel like you are lifting yourself taller, opening up your chest and lengthening your spine. We’ll cover off the last of the 4 elements in the coming fitness article. In the meantime, remember “1 and 2” as often as possible, finding some way to keep reminding yourself. Remember to reinforce with positive thoughts like “Great! I remembered!” rather than “Crap, I forgot again”. Remaining upbeat will more likely make the habit stick.