Prone Band Pull Pain

Though I’ve been off and on with these and other series, the scaleability of literally every other exercise in any of the stretch series is not a problem. But for these I feel that I either don’t get any stretch at all (bands are too light) or my chest/shoulder joint goes into impingement (band too heavy). I feel as though I should almost just skip these and do chest/lat stretches in lieu of this because the desired effect has never occurred when doing this in the entireity of my using the series since I bought it. Otherwise, though...no complaints, lol. 

Any help/insights on where to focus stretches so I can comfortably position my arm in the overhead position (with the additional pressure felt from the band being present, too, of course). Thanks.

Hi Daniel , my personal suggestion it is trying to open up your chest so that the major focus it is on the spine bending. so depress your shoulders and retract while the arms are under the shoulder height then slowly move them into an overhead position.

You could also take the "too light band" and just move away from the anchor a little more. Enough that you would feel more stretch but not too much pain. (In addition to Alessandro's advice)

2 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

Hi Daniel , my personal suggestion it is trying to open up your chest so that the major focus it is on the spine bending. so depress your shoulders and retract while the arms are under the shoulder height then slowly move them into an overhead position.

So with arms out to the side and then work them to overhead? (So, in a T, then to a Y, then overhead)?

12 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

Hi Daniel , my personal suggestion it is trying to open up your chest so that the major focus it is on the spine bending. so depress your shoulders and retract while the arms are under the shoulder height then slowly move them into an overhead position.

Sorry to take this thread, but you're saying that it's better to retract and depress the shoulders than to elevate them?  Because I do the latter.

3 minutes ago, Étienne Lajeunesse said:

Because I do the latter.

me too

12 hours ago, Étienne Lajeunesse said:

Sorry to take this thread, but you're saying that it's better to retract and depress the shoulders than to elevate them?  Because I do the latter.

Be careful on understanding my words.

The thoracic extension it is much easier to be reached with arms under the shoulder position rather than arms overhead (not a case there are many benchpressers with awesome spine extension and super poor bridge).

when you are in the phase of developing the spine extension with arms overhead it is hard to promote the spine extension because limitations on latissumus dorsi and cuff play a big role ; generally, you tend to compensate on shoulders if you are tight here.

my suggestion it is achieving your maximum spine extension in a situation where you have less restriction to the range of movement (due, for example. to lats) ....then move the arms overhead reaching full flexion as in the bridge.

3 minutes ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

my suggestion it is achieving your maximum spine extension in a situation where you have less restriction to the range of movement (due, for example. to lats) ....then move the arms overhead reaching full flexion as in the bridge.

Thanks for this Alessandro!

So, as I understand, you're suggesting to start the extension by depressing the shoulders to reach the maximum spine extension, then, afterward, elevate them to make a full bridge form.  Do I understand right?

Yes! try it and let me know how it goes.

1 hour ago, Étienne Lajeunesse said:

Thanks for this Alessandro!

So, as I understand, you're suggesting to start the extension by depressing the shoulders to reach the maximum spine extension, then, afterward, elevate them to make a full bridge form.  Do I understand right?

Hi guys.

”afterward, elevate them” 

Afterward- as in the top position of the repetition or after months of doing the prone band pulls with depressed shoulders every rep?

sorry about the comfusion.

1 minute ago, Jonas Berglund said:

Hi guys.

”afterward, elevate them” 

Afterward- as in the top position of the repetition or after months of doing the prone band pulls with depressed shoulders every rep?

sorry about the comfusion.

Afterward as in the top position of a rep. 

3 hours ago, Alessandro Mainente said:

The thoracic extension it is much easier to be reached with arms under the shoulder position rather than arms overhead (not a case there are many benchpressers with awesome spine extension and super poor bridge).

when you are in the phase of developing the spine extension with arms overhead it is hard to promote the spine extension because limitations on latissumus dorsi and cuff play a big role ; generally, you tend to compensate on shoulders if you are tight here.

my suggestion it is achieving your maximum spine extension in a situation where you have less restriction to the range of movement (due, for example. to lats) ....then move the arms overhead reaching full flexion as in the bridge

And this is what I needed. So start the prone pulls with arms at a T and as my ROM/flexibility improves work the arms overhead. Great! Thanks!

On 17/12/2017 at 10:13 AM, Alessandro Mainente said:

Yes! try it and let me know how it goes.

Hey Alessandro,

I tried the inverted cat and the band pull with the technique you told us about (extend then elevate the shoulders) and it feels pretty good afterall. For the elevated cat it's easier to completely extend the spine and to feel the upper body (mostly lats and upper chest) while elevating the shoulders.  Is this what we want?

In the band pull, I can feel more the traps and mid back work.  Again, is this the goal we thrive for?

Thanks!