pushup question

In the pushup, should scapulae stay protracted always or should they go toward retraction at the bottom?

It should go into retraction, I tried to go into protraction st the bottom, it just isn't natural. And since you're at protractionat the top and retraction at the bottom, you will be working the Serratus Anterior in a full ROM, which is always a good thing.

Dylan Robertson said:

It should go into retraction, I tried to go into protraction st the bottom, it just isn't natural. And since you're at protractionat the top and retraction at the bottom, you will be working the Serratus Anterior in a full ROM, which is always a good thing.

I don't know if it's correct, I know people who says that you should try to protract the scapula all the way down and up

Don't worry about the bottom, let them move how they want (provided you have no pain or injury ). Just ensure that you protract strongly at the top of the movement. It's sort of like extra-locking-out the press.

Jon Douglas said:

Don't worry about the bottom, let them move how they want (provided you have no pain or injury ). Just ensure that you protract strongly at the top of the movement. It's sort of like extra-locking-out the press.

This is quite some relief, actually, as I was doing them trying to protract throughout the entire motion but really struggled to do so (which, of course, in my current just-having-started-GST-situation doesn't have to mean anything...). Plus it just felt kind of wrong.

Do I - in the long run - aim for protraction through the entire (or at least greatest possible part of the) ROM though?

It should be depressed and protracted at the top and depressed and neutral at the bottom of pushup.

The main things you want to avoid at the bottom are the deltoids shrugging up towards the ears and winging of the scapula.

Cole Dano said:

The main things you want to avoid at the bottom are the deltoids shrugging up towards the ears and winging of the scapula.

Winging of scapalae happens when one is not depressing hard enough right?

Cole, what does that mean? 

Google Winged Scapula, it's pretty obvious if it's happening.

Winged scapula in push ups are when the medial edge of the scapula sticks up, it's very obvious when it happens.

 

It's caused by a weak serratus anterior muscle which is mostly a protractor, but it also serves to keep the scaps 'glued' to the torso.