What Your Shoulder Wants You To Know About Overhead Presses

Did you know that when you lift your arm overhead you’re moving a lot more than just your arm? For every 2 degrees your upper arm bone moves (humerus) your shoulder blade moves 1 degree. Full movement with an overhead press is 180 degrees total, so that’s a full third of the movement just from your shoulder blade! Without your shoulder blade moving, you’d never be able to get your body under the bar to hold the weight overhead!

Feeling limited in your overhead movements? Let’s look at the muscles that help your shoulder blade rotate…and the ones that keep it from rotating if they’re tight. Your muscles that help upwardly rotate your shoulder blade are your serratus anterior (boxer’s muscle), and your upper traps. Muscles that limit upward rotation are the pec minor and levator scapula. 

Interested in strategies to help out these muscles? Try out these strengthening & mobility exercises.

NOTE: This content is solely for informational purposes and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.