FINISH
START
Muscles worked: This exercise involves your
lower trapezius muscles, and latissimus dorsi
muscles. Both act as stabilizers and movers of
your shoulder blades. This motion of scapula
depression is very important in posture as well
as when using the arms to raise from a chair. It
is also involved in overhead pulling exercises.
Bench Position: Flat Bench
Accessory Used: Hand Grips
Starting position:
• Lie on your back with your head toward the
Power Rods, knees bent, legs spread around
the leg extension and feet flat on the floor.
• Grasp the hand grips and straighten your
arms down along side your trunk.
• Tighten your trunk muscles to stabilize your
spine while maintaining a very slight arch in
the lower back.
Motion:
• Keeping the chest up and arms straight, slide
your shoulder blades toward your hips
(hands sliding along outer thighs).
• When shoulder blades are fully depressed,
slowly return to the starting position.
Key points:
• Do not lose spinal alignment, keep your
chest lifted.
SCAPULAR DEPRESSION
Shoulder Exercises
Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the
serratus anterior muscles, the muscles that can
be seen on the side of the upper rib cage, and
are involved in pushing and overhead move-
ments.
Bench Position: 45 degree incline
Accessory Used: Hand Grips
Starting position:
• Sit on the bench and reach straight behind
your body to grasp the hand grips with an
overhand grip. Bend your elbows until your
hands are near your chest. Rotate your upper
arms away from your torso so that your
elbows are pointing outward to each side
and your palms are facing forward.
• Keeping knees bent and feet flat on the floor,
lay your head back against the bench and
straighten your arms to the front.
• Be sure that your arms are directly
“
in line
”
with the cables, palms facing down and
wrists straight.
• Raise your chest and "pinch" your shoulder
blades together. Maintain a very slight, com-
fortable arch in your lower back.
Motion:
• Keeping your arms straight and pointing the
same direction of the cables, slowly move
your shoulder blades forward off of the
bench, as if shoving your arms straight
ahead.
• Slowly return to the starting position with-
out bending your arms.
Key points:
• Maintain a 90 degree angle between upper
arms and your torso throughout the exercise.
• Keep your elbows straight.
• Do not slouch forward in the upper spine to
further the motion. Maintain a very slight
arch in your lower back at all times.
SCAPULAR PROTRACTION (elbow stabilized)
FINISH
START
20
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