DL question

[GripAU]

Shoulders shrugged back, similar to bench, at the top is proper form. However I'm just wondering whether or not I need to maintain this throughout the lift? I re read SS and found this part a bit ambiguous. Thank you.

[Jason B]

Shoulders shrugged back, similar to bench, at the top is proper form.

Says who? You just have to stand erect and your shoulders can't be rounded, they certainly don't need to be shrugged back like in the bench. And no, you don't have to maintain that throughout the lift, your shoulders can be rounded provided your lower back stays flat or extended.

[misspelledgeoff]

...



Says who? You just have to stand erect and your shoulders can't be rounded, they certainly don't need to be shrugged back like in the bench. And no, you don't have to maintain that throughout the lift, your shoulders can be rounded provided your lower back stays flat or extended.

[PVC]

Shoulders shrugged back, similar to bench, at the top is proper form. However I'm just wondering whether or not I need to maintain this throughout the lift? I re read SS and found this part a bit ambiguous. Thank you.

Actually, SS specifically says NOT to shrug your shoulders back. Maybe re-read it again?

[nisora33]

However I'm just wondering whether or not I need to maintain this throughout the lift?

Depends on who you talk to. Some coaches recommend retracting the shoulder blades strongly from the start and keeping them tightly pinched together throughout. Rip himself has stated that he has changed his opinion regarding this point since the 2nd edition of Starting Strength and will be recommending shoulders blades pinched together in the next edition.

Personally, I've always just kept my shoulder blades neutral; having said that, this is no longer a concern now that I'm switching to round back DLs.

Experiment with both (shoulders squeezed together hard/shoulders engaged at neutral) and come back and tell us what you learn.

-S.

[nisora33]

Actually, SS specifically says NOT to shrug your shoulders back. Maybe re-read it again?

I'm wondering whether he actually means "shrug" or "retract."

[PVC]

I'm wondering whether he actually means "shrug" or "retract."

Isn't there a significant difference between the two?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't "retraction" be accomplished by raising the chest, while "shrugging" would be accomplished by actively pulling the shoulder blades back?

[nisora33]

Isn't there a significant difference between the two?
Yes.



Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't "retraction" be accomplished by raising the chest, while "shrugging" would be accomplished by actively pulling the shoulder blades back?

Retraction involves bringing the shoulder blades toward midline/the spine. Rhomboids do this, in large part, with some help from the trapezius muscle. Shrugging the shoulders involves scapular elevation--i.e. bringing the shoulder blades toward the ceiling (if you're standing up); the trapezius and levator scapula muscles do this. Different muscle actions, different scapular movements, so yes there is a difference.

-S.

[nisora33]

Okay, partly what might confuse someone here is that the term "shrug" is not a technical term, while the terms retraction and elevation are. I suppose if you were bent over as when doing a row and retracting your shoulder blades, this would look like a shrug. But the muscle actions are different, nevertheless.

-S.

[PVC]

Okay, partly what might confuse someone here is that the term "shrug" is not a technical term, while the terms retraction and elevation are. I suppose if you were bent over as when doing a row and retracting your shoulder blades, this would look like a shrug. But the muscle actions are different, nevertheless.

-S.

I think this is what got me stuck. Thank you for clearing this up.

[GripAU]

I mean shoulder blades back, like in the bench. Or maybe similar to a tight back in the squat and whether or not this is only at the top or troughout the whole movement. SS 2nd edition clearly says retract them back at the top, but the ambiguity was during the lift. Thanks nisora