Scapula Questions

1. Is the scapula protracted in hollows and retracted in arches?

2. Is the scapula always retracted when it's behind the back? (eg. shoulder hyperextensions, tables, manna, etc.)

1,  I would say both elevated scapula. Hollow with slight protraction and slight retraction for arches. Hollow the shoulders should feel like you are doing a handstand. With arches you should feel a little like you are trying to extend the arms behind the head (Note: don't stick the neck down to get arms passed head).  Don't over think it.

2, Basically most time ( i cant think of a time it isn't) the scapular will be retracted time the arms are behind the body.

Hope that helps, and I am happy for anyone to correct me If I am mistaken or missed something.

Back levers are performed with roughly neutral shoulders, which is a result of active protraction

Jon Douglas said:

Back levers are performed with roughly neutral shoulders, which is a result of active protraction

Hmms... so then what about Arches and Tables?  I assume scapula retracted in arches, and a table/reverse plank is done with an arch (so basically scapula retracted for both exercise?)

Table is retracted/depressed, arch is elevated. I guess you could retract too, but tbh I've never really noticed, just reach forward and flex up. I don't retract it hard

Jon Douglas said:

Table is retracted/depressed, arch is elevated. I guess you could retract too, but tbh I've never really noticed, just reach forward and flex up. I don't retract it hard

I mean you can sort of make a "generalization," I think?  A hollow is protraction + PPT and an arch is retraction + APT, then if the arms overhead (like in the case of the Arch Body Hold/Rocks - an exercise with an arch, or in the case of Handstands - an exercise with a hollow) it's elevated, if the arm is lower down (like tables - an arch or planche - a hollow), then it's depressed?

Like, a straddle hollow body hold (FL/PE4) scapula is depressed since it's lowered, but Hollow Body Hold (FL/PE6), scapula would be elevated right?  In the case of the arch, it's elevated because the arms are overhead in SL/PE1 + SL/PE2?

Who cares about scap position in hollow and arch? They're isolated like that so that you DON'T have to worry about anything other than the body shape. It's not a bad thing to train it, but this is detail when by dint of not having passed it yet there are bigger issues to address first.

Once you add upper body to the equation, you generally push your scaps against gravity-- handstand, back lever, manna and planche obey this rule, as does pulls from a dead hang position and hspu from the very bottom. No doubt there's something that flies in the face of this though

Having the arms overhead (like handstands, Arch body hold/rocks, Hollow Hold) should automatically cause the scapulae to upwardly rotate, which is neither protraction nor retraction but a separate scapular movement.

Hollow does generally involve protraction and depression, not elevation, though (unless arms are overhead).

If think that generally really studying the videos, then filming yourself trying to replicate them, and finally continually adjusting your body until you look exactly like the demo video is the simplest way to figure out where things need to go/what muscles need to turn on or off. But certainly asking questions on the forum can speed up the learning process by allowing you to take advantage of the time spent in trial and error/experience of others.

Just try not to get so focused on minutia that it interferes with your progress or that you get a case of "paralysis by analysis."

"If a centipede tries to focus on moving all of it's legs, then they stumble and trip over one another." -Chinese proverb