DO NOT pull the scapula back and down! 

Never had trouble with my shoulders until I started following "back & down" advice from RU-vid experts.

I watched 5 videos and you have gone 5/5 with accurately describing and fixing my problems. I think you were sent from god.

Just stumbled across your website and I haven't seen anything this comprehensive about neck anatomy, physiology etc. Hidden gem thank you!

I was messing up my body so badly until now... You saved me!

Your videos have helped me on the glute medius. Piriformis. Psoas. And now this. It seems you're the only one on RU-vid with the right idea about what muscles do! Spent months doing the back and down and just made my neck pain worse. Seems I have a downward rotated shoulder and this was just feeding it. Keep it up!

You should do a bench press demonstration video man. I think it would help a lot of people who need help with the scapular positioning element of the lift.

You are a GENIUS. Thank you for sharing all this awesome info and explaining it!

I actually applauded when I got to the end of this video. Great message!

Thank you for doing the research and putting your insights online here for free. You’re helping so many scapulas out there, mine included. I’m a dancer and the “advice” we get sometimes about posture is pure bs

I’m recovering from whiplash injury and overlapping SLAP tears and multiple RTC tears that later resulted in thoracic outlet syndrome. After 3 awful and expensive experiences with therapists with poor understanding I only started getting better when I started rehabbing on my own. Thanks for the great videos.

Makes so much sense. I hurt my shoulder now listening to wrong people keeps making it worse!

10000% great advice. I've been improperly repositioning my scapula back and down after PT advice and experience brachial plexus compression tingling numbness because of it.

This makes complete sense. But please can u throw some light on the rounded shoulder syndrome and thoracic kyphosis and the alternatives to addressing those without scapula adjustment? thanks

This deserves more views. It's confusing why a lot of people on this platform create videos that tell us to retract and depress the scapula. I had a lot of shoulder pain from doing that till now

Wow this is too relevant. I have rheumatoid arthritis and I have body pain generally. I have been working on my posture (up and back) and I have temendous nerve pain primary behind my left shoulder blade and "snapping scapula'". What exercises would you suggest for this? I've been an avid weight lifter for a decade and this pain is really slowing me down. Nothing seems to fix it. I also watched your psoas series and it was remarkably relevant to me, my hip flexors and psoas are extremely tight and I have wondered if it's a muscular imbalance. I would love any tips you can give me. There is sharp pain behind one or both of my scapulas. I had been working on diaphragmatic breathing to the point I almost.donit exclusively and I never had this pain when I was you get and breathed into my thorax.

Oh wow, this explains so much and why the exercises my physiotherapists gave me made me worse! Thanks a lot for the video!

He is 100 percent right.I tried this movement and it never worked on made my fingertips get cold easy and numb.

Thank you for your videos. You explain everything very well which is very helpful when doing exercises. 👍

I am not an expert but this video makes sense. I always had doubts on putting the shoulder blades together and down. I think the natural way is simply the row exercise movement.

so what should we do instead? should we just pull back , without going down? or should we do shoulder shrugs?

thankyou brother. i learned the hard way from shoulders back and down.......tightness.... small fall.... snapped collar bone........... all bad

Great video, thank you so much

How will i drag things behind me? Like a sled, wagon, or a branch for firewood, or some carcass I may have found or hunted ? I could drag it it walking backwards but then I cant see where Im going...

Thank you. My shoulder feels much more natural when I treat it like a ball joint rotating around in conjunction with the scapula instead of on an "L" shaped track.

Just wondering... what if you are doing yoga or dance or ballet or any high mobility performance. If the muscles are strong enough - in this case the scalenes and traps, the extra streches cand be done without compression? Thnx!

Fantastic explanation and advice. Thank you!

I dont understand.. how do I do if Im doing a ring row on my gymnastic rings? Also I have Ankylotis Spondylatis or atleast some symptoms. My spine is sticking out alot when im bending forward , it also shows alot on my upper back and neck. These vertebrae or What they are called.

Wow that opened my eyes! My Physio and a Cantienica therapist always force me to do the back and down movement. I do it habitually now and I recently developed tos on the left side and the mild tos I had for years on the right side (just learned it’s tos) is so much worse! Don’t wanna go for surgery

The last 15 seconds of this video are the best 🤣💀💀

Great video. Try to demonstrate how involvement of acromion is related to the process, and in this relation how collarbone pushes etc. I will love to see such video and bet other would too, even if they do not know it. It may be complicated to explain, but it should be possible to make interested people dig this, as it is highly relevant.

Do a video on the bench please. Actually when you train the chest. Most people including me don’t understand the terms being used

I have not been able to bench press for about a year because of left shoulder pain. for the past year i've been doing everything I've read to be able to live without this shoulder popping and fix my shoulder discomfort and flat benching pain. Quick backstory: I am left handed, and have had shit posture since early high school, I am 25 now, after high school and until now I have worked in a blue collar industry, carrying heavy objects with my left hand, slowly I developed constant impingement, and popping even without exercising. for the last year, with the advice of physical therapists and coaches on the internet I have improved my thoracic spine mobility, chest flexibility, lat flebibility, I can almost reach my arms perfectly overhead. I have been frustrated thinking I am doing everything I should, and while I enjoy being able to live generally pain free in my left shoulder, and overhead press with much better form and mobility, it frustrates me every week that I am not able to flat bench press or do any types of weighted pushups. last night I was thinking of an Aaron Horshig instagram post in bed, I start messing around imitating a bench press as always. I am constantly paying attention to my dirrect shoulder region but I pay attention to how my right scapula moves organically while my left one just feels off and unnatural, and just from imitating my right scapula after many, many tries in bed I was able to extend my shoulder 90 degrees without my shoulder internally rotating at the top of the bench press movement and making a mean pop noise. I've been completely excited since last night, it's like I have this final piece of the puzzle after realizing how messed up my scapulohumeral rythm. You are the first educator I have seen that talked about this issue with the bench press in all these frustrating weeks. I am exited to get my shoulders to their greatest potential, thank you.

great explanation with the models, thank you

Hi, And what if we only retract back our shoulder ("squeezing together" the scapulas in other words), without the "down" motion, could it help to cure Thoracic outlet syndrome, in addition with strenghtening the upper traps ? Cordially

This content is so good, I’ve been a victim of oversimplified scapula cues for years!

This Q alone caused me months after months of shoulder pain, doing physical therapy was just making things worse. Stopping this Q fixed main issues with my shoulder within 2 weeks. Massive thank you.

Bench press, rows, shoulder exercises...........how should we do them.

I have cervical stenosis, that down and back shit kills my neck. I've been pulling from neutral a lot less aggravating to my stenosis. Any advice with working out with cervical stenosis?

this would very much explain the odd pain I had in my general upper chest area when performing machine shrugs, the handles were out to the side a bit more than usual and whenever i lowered my shoulders and stuck my chest out the pain would be there, especially with the weight in my hands. I understand that loading the arms while they're behind you could cause impingement and can crush the nerves, but would completing a Lat Pulldown with the chest out forward and elbows far back and down (full scapular retraction) cause the same nerve crushing? after all you are puling the weight from the opposite direction

So should i pull the scapula during pull-ups?

Does this apply to pull ups ?

So how would you bench press ?

How should we bench than ? Great info btw.

Listen to this man, suffered from scapular dyskinesis for years. MRI's done on my shoulder(all clear), years of physiotherapy ("Oh you just have tight upper traps") and countless specialists (orthopedic surgeons, sports doctors etc) referrals only to be told that my shoulder joint is healthy and professionals doubting the pain I suffered. Reference, I am a mid 20 male, athletic and in "perfect health" according to health professionals. Two months ago I discovered his techniques regarding scapular function. Pain gone, stiffness gone, clunky shoulder, gone. Can finally preform push-ups / bench presses without my scapular muscles aching the next day, shoulder press without that catching feeling near my armpit. Best part of all, my shoulder socket has never felt more stable in my life. All these years and all someone had to tell me was that my Scapula was anteriorly rotated and depressed. Posterior tilt is your friend. Learn this mans cues for anyone who is a non-professional weightlifter, they will save you years of muscle strain and doctors visits. Wish I was supporting your clinic instead of all those $000s spent on local physiotherapists.

OK so this is going to sound like weirdness but it's a serious question: how then to wipe the backside after going to the bathroom? I would always reach around the back to wipe because it's safer for women in keeping germs away from our front parts. But lately I have a neck and shoulder situation of pulling pain and nerve pain (which I am working on correcting with a proper pillow etc. I probably need to see a therapist but I'm scared to) and it feels awful to wipe that way now. I'm just going from the front, leaning forward and being careful. Should I continue to avoid reaching around the back altogether in the future? Because I noticed you mentioned that type of movement and said, how often do we do that? I thought oh no, I was doing that every day in the bathroom for years.

Hi ! Thanks for the info. Could you do a video that explains how then, if you have rounded shoulders and lifter scapula at rest, you roll them back to neutral position and you train your body to keep it that way

this probably applies to the push up too, but does it apply to the deadlift/pull up/chin up/etc?

So, high row or lower trap pulldown are dangerous exercises on the long haul ? Besides these, what do you think of "basic" rowing exercises (with arms close to body) ? Are they bad for shoulder's health ? Thank you for your thoughts

am sure this is the cue for dips and pullups. If not to be done, how to do these two exercises?

So, if I got it right, the general idea in locking scapulas in a certain position is that it should be locked ONLY in one plane, and be able to move in a perpendicular plane? E.g., if you depress your scapulas, the forward/backward movement must be allowed; if you retract your scapulas, the up/down movement should be allowed. But never lock in both of the planes, right?

Really interesting and helpful.... Thank you..... Can u pls suggest any cues which will help maintain proper scapular position while retraction exercises or abduction exercises...

Your point, that the physiotherapists are simplifiyng scapular movements is very interesting. However I have a Problem when doing push ups, which is my left shoulder blade collapsing when pushing up from the ground. I was told to depress and retract my scapula with a raised arm to train the shoulder blade attachment. Whats would be your solution to this. The right scapula instead is doing great job. And what about doing rowing exercises? Should I only depress or retract scapula, but not doing both?

Thank you so much sir. I was initially diagnosed with trapezitis.. prescribed exercises. Then I realised I am having neural symptoms. Then I was told there is some cervical radiculopathy along with trapezitis. However I had symptoms along medial 2 fingers and sometimes all over. The cervical nerve root values did not correspond to mri which showed bulge at c5 c6. Brachial plexus compression explains everything! I am a doctor myself. So I wasn't convinced with several other diagnoses which I was offered Thank you so much for your videos. May a times exercises are advised without much consideration to the anatomy..

You're making a lot of sense you disagree with most bench pressers but I think you're right thanks for the info Common Sense tells you your scapula and stuff should follow what your arm does

Thank you for posting this eye-opening lecture. I have a question. Did you also post a lecture on what we are to do with our scapula when we are exercising? You touch upon this topic toward the end. But I am clearer on the what not to do versus the what to do. You are an excellent teacher and I am hoping you did.

I have bad posture and when I fix my posture with a wall my scapula moves in the way you are showing. How can I have good posture without moving my scapula like that? I think I have a little of hyperkyphosis 🤔

How do you pull up then?

Thanks for this video

Massage Therapist here, currently learning traditional weight lifting. The back and down cue for bench press often felt very unintuitive to me, and I'm wondering if you can explain WHY that cue is often given for bench press, and if not that cue, should we just have neutral/unaltered scapular position during bench press?

So if I have forward head and rounded shoulders, should I just stretch and it gets better on its own?

I wanted to cry after watching this! I’ve been suffering from severe shoulder and neck dysfunction and pain for about 8 years, and going on the advice from therapist at the time of my injury, I’ve been pulling shoulders back and down the whole time thinking that is what’s needed 😢

when i squat near the end of my set i'll start feeling my hand/pinky start tingling. is this a symptom of everything being crushed together like he said?

Thank you! Right on. :)

Hi, do yo think this coincides with the issues you spoke about in your supraspinatus video?

If im on a diet of pullups, dips and push ups should i follow ur technique or i can back and down my scapula on push pull movement without getting and injury ?

Interesting-I think I may have injured my rotator by doing too much “down and back” which often felt like I was jamming my humerus back into the shoulder socket, especially if I did any benching wider than shoulder grip. It is also hard to fully contract your pecs if you can’t move your shoulder forward during the movement. Perhaps a more natural, intuitive approach would be better? Thx.

But if you don't pack your shoulders how do we do bench presses or other exercises without injuring our shoulders?

That how we we're taught all these years, back and down. I swear I don't know anymore and just gonna do my own :(

What is the proper cue boss?

I am more confused than ever....

I'm having a bit of problem of understanding how the scapula should naturally move. In particular with bodyweight excercises. I'm cracking this and trying to understand it for 1 weak but I guess I need a bit of help.

Dude! I've been following advice for scapula squeezes to get rid of a tingle in my back. After a year of following it, im still in pain. I can't play video games without my arm hurting or play guitar to the same effect. Do you have any corrective exercises, or should I just let it be?

Think I hurt my nerves, doctor can u please help? Basically I was doing bench press and it was hurting my back in eccentric, after the set it pained in my neck and I couldn't look to left side, fast forward to 5 days neck became fine and now I feel something is wrong in my right upper back whenever I inhale or perform upper body excercise (not pain exactly) also there are popping sounds from my right shoulder too, I was just in my first month of gym and I didn't go heavy so I don't think I have damaged a lot of have I?

This was helpful

i find that i deadlift much more weight with much less pain when I lock my scapula down to my backpocket. When your scapula is closer to your hip it is a much safer lift with much more leverage. I also much more power benching when i bring my shoulders down and back. Correct benching involves the bar being nipple height when bar hits chest. How do you expect to be at nipple height when you have scapula slightly elevated?

thank you very much, very well explained. This "qew" never made sense to me

do we feel it hen it crushes the nerves when our scapulas are retracted ? I do it a lot for pull ups

I have torn labrums in both of my shoulders as well as two disc herniations in my lower back from sports related injuries. My trainer used the back and down cue with me and every ounce of pain has been relieved from my injuries and I am able to wrestle and part-take in body building with no problems. Not to mention my posture is now textbook. If you learn how to use scapular retraction the right way by initiating movement with your trapeziums, rhomboids, and lattisimus Dorsi muscles, you are going to be safe using the back and down method. All it takes is a little muscle awareness. It is the proper joint placement that our body was made for. This cue also minimizes your chances of having back and shoulder injuries as well as giving you CRAZY progress in the gym when used correctly. I have been using this technique for three years and have never experienced any kind of “muscle weakness” or “nerve damage”. My trainer is a professional body builder and he has lived by this cue for 10+ years. You obviously lack the experience. This is by far the LEAST bullshit cue out there. Get your facts straight and stop throwing this kind of garbage on the internet.

Ok i understand that the shoulder blades should move according to the movement- but what about "neutral position"- sitting, standing etc- isnt it helpfull to learn depressing the shoulder for most people, because most are bent forward in their day to day acitivity?

His bench press video is out: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-VCbD67b-Mo8.html

Good morning Sir🙂 Absolutely makes sense. Following this "back & down", I have been hurting myself for years!!! So, what's the RIGHT way to develop the rotor cuff and back muscles? Thank you so much

Is it normal to feel your shoulders are forward in this posture even though they are not with a mirror check.

Could this potentially mean that foam rolling the upper back would also compress the nerves in this way?

What should i do then

Wow, I'd never heard this concept before. Every PT says down and back but my issues persist. Going to try this. Thanks for the vid.

Soo how do I prevent myself from impenging my shoulders benching without retracting?? I already did it to my left I don't want my right to follow.

I hope you do a bench press video because there is a lot of people claim that scapular retraction is the secret weapon of having a nicely safe bench press, & I don't know how to bench press until this moment! :(

You say stop it, but what cue would you give to replace this?

When I do handstands and push-ups, I get terrible pain in trapezius muscles and the sub occipital muscles...why is that? I want to keep doing my work outs.

I would appreciate if you could film a bench-press-setup-video for us, cheers.

What about doing bench press exercises? Cable cross press? I'm so confused😭🙏🏼 , I'm trying to fix my impingement and get back to pressing exercises again in a safer way.

But then how do I lock my lats, yes this cue has hurt me too but I can't find out y Will appreciate your help

when i do rows should i retract and elevate the scapula a bit at the end of the movement

I’m amazed how many physios have given me no only no effective treatment but actual advice that is detrimental to my recovery.. where can I find a guy like this in the uk

You are totally correct this caused me pinched nerve in neck

Soooo what do I do?

Shouldn’t the scapula be back and down for abduction of arms and overhead movements?

Can you give a bit more info on better cues? This was informative but I am now feeling a bit lost on what to do properly. Thanks!

Thanks for the sharing and a video on demonstrating how to proper bench press would help a lot of people

I get pain in my brachial plexus region when I bench press. Is this why?