Day 16 - Shoulder Depression

Hi there

My question is about the first of the three movements today.

I am unable to keep my arms straight when depressing my shoulders. Is this standard and will improve over time? 

Thanks!

Hi Robert yes, the bent elbows it is a common normal strategy of the body to find a way out to perform the movement. keep the elbows straight to correctly teach the sensation to your body. you are welcome to reduce the range of depression in order to make it easy and improve it with the time. Can you post a video if possible?

Thanks Alessandro

Here is a video from today

Whilst it probably looks like I am doing a completely different exercise, I am trying to do that first movement

I should add that it takes effort just to be able to sit up somewhat straight. Likewise, to attempt to raise my arms above my body straight - which i also cant do!

All the other movements from previous days felt like I was in the right ball park at least. But this one is not going so well!

Thanks for any further advice.

Hi Robert,

Just like Alex said above, this is a totally normal way for the body to compensate in this movement. You can work on this at the beginning or end of your other Fundamentals lessons but do not be overly concerned with this issue for now. The integrated mobility in the Foundation One course and the Thoracic Bridge stretch series will help you tremendously with this mobility deficit. I highly recommend beginning these after you complete Fundamentals. 

Thank you very much Everett!

Not a problem Robert!

A good solution to move around the problem is trying to do depression with something pulling your arm from the ceiling (like a band going down from the top of the bridge), this facilitation will make the elbow extension pretty natural so that you can focus on depression.

Ah right thanks! I have a long band I could hang over my pull-up bar that sounds like it would work for this.