Shoulder positions in gymnastics.

[AlexX]

I come from a weightlifting back ground so my original instinct was to pull the shoulder back and down on all the exercises. After shrugging my shoulders up in the handstand position and seeing a huge improvement, I wanted to rethink it for other exercises as well. So my question is what is the optimal shoulder position for 4 main types of exercises horizontal pressing, horizontal pulling, and vertical pressing& pulling?

This is what I do now but not sure if it is optimal? Front Lever, back lever I shrug my shoulders and scapula back, planche same thing (If i let my shoulders shrug towards the ground when practicing planche moves sharp shooting pain develops). Handstand type exercises I shrug them up now great improvement. And vertical pulling I also try to keep my shoulder shrugged down.

[Razz]

For planche you need to push them out aswell so you dont let your shoulder blades depress. Think hollow back

[Gregor]

In all supports push your shoulders and not just drop in it.

For FL and BL don't bother about shoulders, just press your palms down and with the same time try to put legs up and squeeze your butt and abdominal muscles.

[Neal Winkler]

Where did you learn to have your shoulders down (depressed) and back (retracted) during all weightlifting exercises?

[Joshua Naterman]

That's classic powerlifting style. You keep the shoulderblades retracted because it shortens the length the bar has to travel in the bench press. For the other lifts, that's not necessarily true, but I am guessing that he is referring to bench mainly.

[Neal Winkler]

I was assuming that he was talking about overhead presses because he was referring to handstands.

[Joshua Naterman]

No idea

You need to let your shoulders move naturally. When you push forward your scapula will flare out, when you push up your scapula will move up, when you push down your scapula will move down, and so on. In the planche, your shoulders will probably be like they are at the top of a pushup. You don't want to intentionally over-do it, just let the shoulder move towards the ground the way it tries to do on its own. And most importantly, do what doesn't cause pain

[AlexX]

Thanks a lot for the replies, I will keep that in mind, always looking for the best way to take the pressure off of the rotater cuff. It doesnt hurt with lots of prehab but I have to be very conscious of my shoulder positions or the aching comes back, like the planche for example.

Actually when I said weightlifting I literally meant weightlifting meaning olympic, I benched twice in my life. I was taught to before even grabing the bar pull shoulder back and down tighten the erectors and the lats then begin getting into position.

[Joshua Naterman]

Gotcha. I really don't know much about the olympic lifts other than basic form. I don't know the details like that, so I can't tell you if that's right or not. Ido would know.

[Neal Winkler]

So, you pulled the shoulders back and down even when the bar is overhead after the jerk?

[AlexX]

As easy as the jerk looks that was the one I had the most problem with, to answer the question though yes they were still pulled back back and the weight pretty much takes care of your shoulders being pulled down.