Scapular Liberation: It’s time to ditch “Shoulders down & back”
If there’s one thing I’ve learned over 11 years of working with circus artists, it’s that many generic cues borrowed from ballet or fitness culture actually do a LOT more harm than good. Take the wildly popular “shoulders down and back” mantra as an example. Do I understand where it’s coming from? Of course. The goal is to “engage” the shoulder muscles in a way that sounds protective and beneficial, right? We all want to avoid injuries, so we think, “engage the shoulders to keep them SAFE!”
But here’s the problem. Circus, performing arts, and even gym-based calisthenics or weight lifting demand that shoulders that be versatile - they must be strong, but also mobile. To accomplish this, your scapula (shoulder blade) MUST be allowed to move freely as your arm transitions from one position to another. Locking your shoulder blades “down and back” DRAMATICALLY limits strength, flexibility, and performance. Worst of all, it can increase your risk of injury.
I get it. “Down and back” feels safe. It promises an easy solution to the complex mechanics of the shoulder. Sometimes, it IS the correct biomechanical position…but NOT ALWAYS, and it’s definitely NOT the default. To keep your shoulders healthy and resilient, you MUST understand where your scapula should be for each shoulder position. But here’s the thing...that position changes depending on what you’re doing.
Why does scapular position matter?
To address why “shoulders down and back” isn’t always ideal, we must first discuss an essential biomechanical concept that governs shoulder motion, called scapulohumeral rhythm. Why does it matter? Because this concept explains how your shoulder complex works to achieve safe, functional movement.
Defining important terms: what is the difference between the “shoulder” or the “shoulder joint” and the “Shoulder Complex” ??
This might seem nit-picky, but I promise it’s important that we understand the differences between these terms. Typically, when we talk about The Shoulder in dance, circus, or fitness, we are actually referencing the Shoulder Complex, which isn’t just one joint. Instead, it’s a broader region made up of multiple joints that all work together each time you move your arm. These joints include:
Glenohumeral joint/shoulder joint: the ball and socket joint of the shoulder - if someone refers to the shoulder joint, they’re usually talking about the glenohumeral joint
Scapulothoracic joint: the joint formed from your shoulder blade moving over your ribcage
Acromioclavicular joint: where the clavicle meets the shoulder blade
Sternoclavicular joint: where the clavicle meets the sternum
The joints of the shoulder complex
For this blog, we’re going to focus on just two key players in shoulder complex movement:
The glenohumeral joint, and
The scapulothoracic joint
Every time you lift your arm, whether for a handstand or a trapeze move, the TOTAL range of motion you attain is actually the sum of movements from these joints working together. None of them acts in isolation. This brings us to scapulohumeral rhythm.
Scapulohumeral Rhythm 101
Scapulohumeral rhythm refers to the coordinated movement between the scapulothoracic joint and the glenohumeral joint. It tells us how these two joints move in relation to each other, and helps us understand what this ratio of movement should be in a healthy shoulder. Scapulohumeral rhythm - the combination of scapular movement and glenohumeral movement - allows your arm to achieve its full range of motion while minimizing strain on the shoulder joint.
Scapulohumeral Rhythm When Arms are Overhead (full shoulder flexion/ elevation)
Research shows that, during shoulder elevation, this rhythm follows a 2:1 ratio. For every two degrees of movement at the glenohumeral joint, the scapula upwardly rotates one degree. So, when your arms are overhead at an 180 degree angle, like in a handstand or when hanging on a trapeze, that means:
120 degrees comes from the glenohumeral joint
60 degrees is from upward scapular rotation
Why Does This Matter?
Ok - so if your TOTAL overhead reach comes from two joints, not just one, forcing your shoulder blades “down and back” PREVENTS the scapula from providing its contribution (those 60 degrees). This means the glenohumeral joint must compensate and somehow provide those extra 60 degrees. While some people can make this work, it’s often at the cost of shoulder health, strength, and flexibility. Not only is this biomechanically non-advantageous, forcing your ‘blades down and back when your arms are overhead has even more negative impact on strength and performance. This leads to:
Decreased force production. The rotator cuff (a group of muscles that stabilizes the shoulder to keep the “ball” in the “socket”) must work MUCH HARDER when the scapula isn’t allowed to upwardly rotate. This means it fatigues quicker, which can lead to uncomfortable & painful pinching sensations in the front or top of your shoulder. Over time, this added strain can increase your risk of injuries.
Reduced range of motion. By yanking your shoulder blades “down and back,” you’re limiting your (safe) overhead flexibility. This is a huge issue for aerialists and acrobats who rely on “open”/ flexible shoulders for bridges, hollow-back handstands, or overhead hanging positions.
Bottom line? Forcing a static “down and back” scapular position when arms are overhead is MEGA counterproductive!
So…what is the Optimal Scapular Position when our arms are overhead?
So, if not “down and back” when your arms are overhead, where SHOULD the scapula be? Check out this video (curtesy of Muscle & Motion’s anatomy app) for a great visual of the ideal scapular position throughout this overhead range of motion. Pay attention to HOW MUCH that scap MOVES! This is what we want.
Isn’t that amazing?? The body is SO cool, am I right?? Ok, to recap: when the arm is FULLY overhead, the scapula should be in:
60 degrees of upward rotation
Mid-to end-range elevation (a “shrug”)
Posterior tilt (the upper edge of your scapula tips backward, away from your ribcage)
Slight external rotation
Slight protraction (imagine the scapula wrapping around your ribcage)
These scapular adjustments keep the “ball” of the glenohumeral joint properly centered in its “socket,” and thus optimizes force production of the rotator cuff as well as safe range of motion.
So…how in the world do we cue that scapular position?
Instead of cueing “down and back,” try “shrug and wrap” to achieve ideal scapular alignment. (Millennials, this should be said at the same cadence of Elle Woods (from Legally Blonde) famous line: “bend…and snap”) This “shrugged and wrapped” position helps balance elevation and upward rotation without forcing the scapula into a rigid position.
How to Practice “Shrug and Wrap”
So…how do we LEARN it? While there are many ways to approach coaching this cue, here’s where I usually start, along with this video demonstrating the movement:
Face a mirror and bring your arms overhead
Shrug your shoulders all the way up to your ears, then all the way down - this establishes your full range of elevation and depression.
Now, return to the halfway point between the two - this is the amount of elevation I typically have aerialists start with. For hand balancers or ground acrobats, I have them start in FULL elevation - shoulders all the way up to ears.
Then, stay there (at either midrange or full elevation), and use any of the following verbal cues to encourage scapular upward rotation and glenohumeral external rotation:
“Think about wrapping your shoulder blades around the side of your ribcage”
Face sideways to the mirror, and then try to “hide your armpits” from the side view by rotating the points of your elbows forward
Pretend you’re on a trapeze or pull up bar with your palms facing forward. Try to “break/ bend the bar” by rotating your palms to face each other (left arm rotates clockwise, right arm rotates counter-clockwise)
Once you understand the movement goal of the above cues, go back to the movement and imagine that it’s being driven by your shoulder & shoulder blades, not your hands/wrists.
The final piece of this is to put the two cues together, as most folks will subconsciously move their shoulders out of their elevated (“shrugged”) position while finding the “wrap.”
To put these two movements back together, face the mirror and go back to your “shrug.” Then, without letting your shoulders drop, find the “wrap” and stay there.
And below is another visual comparing the correct vs incorrect scapular position, as applied to a common shoulder stretch. The image on the left shows the incorrect position, and the one of the right is the correct position. Note the location of the point of the elbow, as well as the position of the armpit, and remember those cues: “hide the armpit,” “rotate the point of the elbow forward instead of facing out,” etc.
Want to see that adjustment in motion? So glad you asked - here’s a video of what it looks like to move between those positions:
Wrap-ing It Up (see what I did there?)
When it comes to shoulder strength and flexibility, dynamic scapular adjustments ALWAYS win out over rigid cues like “down and back.” When we let our shoulder blade MOVE, instead of “setting and forgetting” it, we are able to fully unlock the maximum potential of our shoulder complex, from both a strength AND flexibility perspective. While retraining your brain and body to adopt these new movement cues and positions takes time, it is SO worth it for unlocking new skills, and improving our strength and flexibility.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of this series, where we’ll explore:
An exercise for strengthening/ feeling your “shrug and wrap” muscles.
How orientation to gravity affects muscle engagement differences between straight-arm hanging and handstands.
…and more!
Craving more nerdy scapular details? Check out my on-demand virtual workshop, “Mind the SCAP.” This three part workshop dives deep into scapular positioning for a multitude of aerial and acrobatic shoulder positions, and is packed with actionable tips to refine technique and build healthier shoulders.
More of a visual learner? Check out these instagram posts that discuss this same concept: This post on Scapulohumeral Rhythm, and this post on The Impact of Lat Tension on Scapulohumeral Rhythm.
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