Fixed shoulder during rows?

robocode

I messed up my shoulders before (tendonitis) by benching with poor form, i.e. shoulders didn't stay locked back on the bench. Now I'm training again I'm doing more rowing to overcome existing imbalances. Primarily I do one arm kettlebell rows and was wondering should my shoulder stay pulled back throughout the movement? I assumed it should be like the press and stay back but was watching some Eric Cressey videos and this one of a dumbbell row shows the shoulder moving more than mine does.
Also, in this push-up one he seems to encourage more motion than I employ.

Hanley

Without watching the vid, I'm guessing row w/ scap retraction and push up plus.

If so, both are good. In the former, your rhomboids and lower traps are working hard, in the latter your serratus anterior comes into play. All are crucial in stabilizing your shoulder blades and giving a solid platform to push from

robocode

Thanks Hanley, could you clarify a little for me though please? Are you saying my scapula should be moving during rows? I'll start doing the push up plus as opposed to standard ones now so, having just read more about them they sound good for safeguarding my otherwise dodgy shoulders. This 'plus' part of the movement is a big no-no during benching though yeah?

cmyk

robocode wrote: »

Are you saying my scapula should be moving during rows?

Yes, if you're doing them with protraction. It might help to think about your shoulder blades 'sliding' around your rib cage. Try to pinch them together as you bring the db/bar backwards (retraction), and apart as you let your shoulders out (protraction). You still have to maintain good posture and thoracic mobility and posture will play it's part in that too, so it's impossible for any of us to tell how 'well' your shoulders are moving.

robocode wrote: »

I'll start doing the push up plus as opposed to standard ones now so, having just read more about them they sound good for safeguarding my otherwise dodgy shoulders.

Will do no harm, I get a lot of my clients to perform pushups like that as the norm now.

robocode wrote: »

This 'plus' part of the movement is a big no-no during benching though yeah?

Yes for heavy benching it's a no-no. Have you spoken to your physio?

robocode

Thanks cmyk. I moved so haven't spoken to my physio for a few months. At that time his advice was that I really needed to focus on improving my thoracic mobility and that after a few weeks I could start light pressing.
When I trained years ago, I was not only guilty of bad form but also of much more pressing than pulling movements. To try and balance things out I'm focusing on more pulling movements now and the only pressing is push-ups until I feel comfortable enough with my shoulders to start some overhead pressing. I'll probably also focus on weighted/banded push-ups before returning (eventually) to the bench.

Hanley

robocode wrote: »

Thanks Hanley, could you clarify a little for me though please? Are you saying my scapula should be moving during rows? I'll start doing the push up plus as opposed to standard ones now so, having just read more about them they sound good for safeguarding my otherwise dodgy shoulders. This 'plus' part of the movement is a big no-no during benching though yeah?

What Colin said...

Sangre

Hmm, interesting. For last few months I have been trying to retract scaps through out rowing movement as I had read that was better for shoulder health. Must rethink this now.