“Pack Yo Scaps!”
We know the back is important.
Lats are super important.
But what about the upper back?
That area over/ around and in between the scapula?
“If You Want Healthy Shoulders You Need a Strong Upper Back” – Matt Wenning
What’s my most prescribed exercise?
An upper back exercise.
Literally EVERY client I train is performing some form of the band pull-apart in every workout.
Why?
Well, we ALL need more upper back.
Desk Jockey Syndrome
Living in a hunched over/ flexed forward anterior based world has left us, as a population, devoid of rear delts, mid traps, rhomboids and scapula control.
Why’s The Upper Back Important?
Because it pulls the humerus back in the joint and keeps it from scraping against the other structures.
I’m no genius, but I’m going to throw out there that “scraping” and joint shouldn’t go together in the same sentence when we’re talking about a healthy shoulder.
TRX High Row
Checklist:
- Tight “Plank” Line through the torso
- Pivot on the ankles the WHOLE time <—–Keep the toes off the floor.
- Shoulders DOWN (there should be some armpit/ lat tightness)
- Focus on pulling through the scaps/ mid back
- Never unload shoulder/ upperback tension at the start/ bottom position.
Bro Tips:
- To Keep the wrists aligned with the elbow in the TRX High Row think about the hands pulling apart like the ocean water “breaking” across a rock.
- Body follows the head. Don’t drop or raise the head. Keep it in neutral.
- Grip with your pinkies. Little finger goes dormant/ passive and your wrist will bend.
- Slow down on the eccentric to control the “shoulder bounce”/ sling shot off the bottom. We don’t want that, so slow down the eccentric and eliminate it.
- Once you have full scapula retraction, you’re good. No need to try and pull the handles back more.
I realize I forgot to have a TRX High Row Start picture.
Its cool, you read my ramblings on the reg and realize….
IT’S A ROW AND ALL ROWS BASICALLY START FROM THE SAME PLACE…
Shoulders in the joint, pre-tensed in the armpits and back.
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