Scapular depression strength in planche

[Edgaron]

I seem to have either very weak scap depressors (wouldn't be a surprise, I can't hold an L-sit with flat palms for even a second, while I can easily do it on fingertips) or just some other muscle seriously overpowering them.

 

My upper traps also get exhausted very fast in planche work, shoulders dislocations, and it takes literally seconds to feel them get fatigued when I lose my balance during a handstand and lower down in SA press style. I'm not even sure if they are supposed to be engaged in those exercises.

 

I didn't notice them stick out in anyone's planche video. Maybe it's not traps that are sticking out, but it looks like it:

 

http://youtu.be/r36FY3laPxc

 

 

To illustrate the problem, when I do a planche, my shoulders want to elevate and elbows rotate out. Maybe a video will be easier to understand:

 

http://youtu.be/8xjXNYtSvfU

 

This is a planche lean. I first try to show the supposedly correct position (elbows in and shoulders depressed) and then change to elbows out and shoulders elevated (position my body wants to be in).

 

Am I lacking strength or what? I got my tuck planche in the end of summer of the last year in a matter of days, but even thought I've been consistently training, that's all I have achieved. I definitely have a weak point

 

I don't usually do pl leans on fingers but I wanted to try them since I don't even hope to ever have the wrist flexibility to even do an adv. tuck planche and I will need the finger strength to do it on fingertips.

 

 

 

[Joshua Naterman]

Agreed. There's no reason for your wrist extension to be that restricted... it just means that you have a good bit of stretching to do. Don't go crazy, just give it time and stretch those wrists to the point of very mild discomfort (NOT mild pain) on a daily or near-daily basis, using the stretches in H1.

 

Your video shows that you are definitely not strong enough to do proper planche leans, so I don't recommend that you perform these yet. Spend time with sPL PE1.

[Edgaron]

I can lean further than that, but for 15 sec only since the fingers give out really quickly. The protraction doesn't suffer (like there's any, lol)

 

What's the point in getting more wrist extension? I probably have enough to be able to do SA presses when I get the flexibility elsewhere, this was with elbows in, but quite painful, though. Max ext at 36s

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwybYJw4PLs

 

 

I tried the PLPE1 exercise/scap shrugs, but it felt the same as the leans - as if something was blocking the movement on the top (if done with elbows in and scap depressed). I can get into the proper position while standing with wrists backwards, but I just don't get how to do it with them sideways or forward.

 

So what about the position of the elbows? Should I really force them in during whatever PL training I do?

 

Also, none of the performers in F1 seem to have very depressed scaps, either :? Shoulders look elevated.

[Parth Rajguru]

The dumbbell trap-3 raise is great for building some strength and activation in the scapular depressors. Eventually you should move towards closed kinetic chain scapular depression movements. But if you don't have any good activation or strength, the closed kinetic chain movements will not be done with high quality and will not give much benefit.

 

Also, your issue with the Lsit may not be entirely due to scapular depression, but may also be caused by insufficient active pike flexibility.

[Mats Trane]

You want to "hug" the floor with your shoulders and at the same time lean forward. This will be hard to do on your fingertips. Stretch your wrists as Josh says. Meanwhile you can try planchleans on pushup bars or paralettes.

[Brian Li]

The elbow crooks should be pointing forward instead of toward each other for planches. You might not be able to point completely forward if your fingers are pointing forward, but you are supposed to point the elbow crook as forward as possible. Your elbow positioning looks correct in the video.

 

To be honest, your scaps aren't that elevated. I don't think it's much of an issue as long as it is not riding up close to the ears. Of course I still think you should depress your scaps as much as possible, but I think a little bit of elevation wouldn't hurt (I can be wrong). I don't think it takes a lot of scapular depression strength for a planche, but it's probably true that you have weak lower traps or depressors if you find it hard to keep depressed in a planche or floor L-sit.

[Edgaron]

Thanks for the tips. That will probably be enough for me right now

 

About the L-sit problem. My legs are completely straight, I can get them higher than parallel in a fingertip l-sit position, so I don't think it's active pike flexibility that's lacking (although it is).

 

I'm probably trying to depress too hard. I can't get a more rounded back position even while standing if I depress hard. Pain hits the front delts at some point.

 

I'd love to do a 45-deg straddle planche on my wrists, even if they are sideways. But the side of the thumbs get pressed down really hard into the ground and it hurts. Not sure if that's a mobility issue (or how to fix it) or normal

 

Doing it on fingertips limits the overall strength of everything since my fingers are weak, but that's just a strength issue.