German Hang scapula position

Hi everyone, 

 

Just a quick question with regards to German hangs and scapula position. At present i have my arms fully supinated and then just lower down into extension, but I've been keeping my scapula protracted because someone ages ago (can't remember who - but definitely not an expert) told me that was how they were to be done. 

I get way more a pec stretch if I pull my scapulae back into retraction. Is this something I should/should not be doing. There is no pain, and I feel stable, just checking on correct technique. 

 

Thanks in advance.

Retracted.

 

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

“Retracted” makes sense to defy gravity and balance the anterior push.

 

Tuckett said "arms fully supinated." I presume palms forward or backward can be at the discretion of the athlete, but what’s the GB way? In the past, I’ve learned shoulder IR’ion on the descent, ER’ion on the ascent and somewhat neutral in the GH. 

- No, palms position is not at the discretion of the athlete.

All back lever work should be performed with a supinated grip in order to strengthen the biceps and brachialis for more advanced ring work in the future.

To perform back lever work with a pronated grip is quite simply a waste of time.

Yours in Fitness,

Coach Sommer

Good to know about Back Lever. Noted.

 

My apologies for not phrasing my question clearly. I was referring to a German Hang, or how you get in and out of a Skin The Cat on the Rings. Considering that the forearms can pronate or supinate independently from the humerus rotation, I should've asked more specifically about the correct technique/joint action that should be happening at the humerus (internal or external rotation) at each stage:

1. going into shoulder extension (protraction or retraction, internal or external rotation?)

2. while in the dead hang (retraction + external rotation?)

3. and coming back up, while going into shoulder flexion (retraction + external rotation)

 

I’m asking is because I want to practice the HS iM with that in mind. My shoulders can pretty much go all over the place, so it’s important for me to know which positions and paths I have to groove and strengthen. 

From an inverted hang the scapulae will be in neutral but depressed, once you begin to move into the german hang the shoulders should naturally open into external rotation. As the body moves toward the floor the scapulae will naturally retract and elevate whilst the arms extend at the GH joint.

Pulling out is a simple reversal of the above. Best to think about the overall movement and smoothness into and out of the bottom position, it should happen quite naturally if you allow it.