Scapula push ups are an effective and simple exercise that can help you to strengthen your shoulders, chest, core and arms. By performing this exercise correctly, it helps to improve your upper body strength, posture and stability. This exercise also increases the range of motion in your shoulders and helps to reduce tension in the neck and back muscles. With just a few simple steps, you can start doing scapula push ups today.
What are Scapula Push-ups?
Scapula push ups are a type of bodyweight exercise that target the chest, shoulders, and arms. This exercise involves using your own body weight to perform a push up while focusing on engaging the shoulder blades throughout the movement. During this exercise, you should keep your arms straight and bring your shoulder blades together in order to make sure you’re targeting the correct muscles.
Benefits of Scapula Push-ups
Scapula push ups are an effective and versatile exercise that offer several benefits to those who practice them. Regularly performing scapula push ups can help strengthen your upper body, improve your posture and stability, and increase the range of motion in your shoulders. This exercise is also effective in helping to reduce tension in the neck and back muscles.
Proper Form and Technique
Starting Position
The starting position for scapula push ups is to get into a traditional push up position with your arms straight and your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Your body should form a straight line from the top of your head to your feet. Position your toes on the ground and keep your core engaged throughout the exercise. Make sure to engage the muscles in your neck, shoulders and upper back throughout the entire movement.
Movement
Once you are in the starting position, slowly lower your body down towards the ground while focusing on engaging and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Make sure to keep your arms straight throughout the entire movement. As you lower yourself down, keep your core engaged and make sure your chest is almost touching the ground. Once you reach the bottom of the movement, press yourself back up to the starting position and repeat.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
When performing scapula push ups it is important to practice proper form and technique in order to maximize the benefits of this exercise and avoid injury. One common mistake that many people make when doing scapula push ups is arching their back or allowing their hips to sag down towards the ground. This can put unnecessary stress on your lower back and neck, so it is important to keep your body in a straight line throughout the entire exercise. Additionally, make sure to focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together throughout the movement and avoid locking your elbows when you reach the top of the press up.
Variations of Scapula Push-ups
Wall Scapula Push-ups
Wall scapula push ups are an effective and simple variation of the traditional scapula push up. This version of the exercise is performed by placing your hands on a wall instead of on the floor. To begin, stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart and place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the wall at about chest height. Then, keeping your body in a straight line, press your chest away from the wall and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you lower yourself down. Push yourself back up to the starting position and repeat.
Bench Scapula Push-ups
Bench scapula push ups are a variation of the traditional scapula push up that adds an extra level of difficulty. This exercise is performed by placing your hands on a bench instead of the floor. To begin, stand facing a bench with your feet hip-width apart and place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the bench at about chest height. Then, keeping your body in a straight line, press your chest away from the bench and squeeze your shoulder blades together as you lower yourself down. Push yourself back up to the starting position and repeat.
Floor Scapula Push-ups
Floor Scapula Push-ups are the traditional version of this exercise and offer several benefits. To begin, get into a traditional push up position with your arms straight and your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Your body should form a straight line from the top of your head to your feet. Position your toes on the ground and keep your core engaged throughout the entire exercise.
Muscles Worked During Scapula Push-ups
Upper Back Muscles
Scapula push ups are an effective exercise for strengthening the upper back muscles. These muscles include the rhomboids, trapezius, and levator scapulae which all help to pull the shoulder blades together. As you lower yourself down during a scapula push up and squeeze your shoulder blades together, these muscles are working to stabilize your shoulder girdle and help to keep your body in a straight line.
Shoulder Muscles
Scapula push ups are also an effective exercise for strengthening the shoulder muscles. These muscles include the deltoids, rotator cuff muscles and pectoralis major which all help to move and stabilize the shoulder joint during movement. As you press back up during a scapula push up, these muscles are working together to lift your body back to the starting position.
Chest Muscles
Scapula push ups are also an effective exercise for strengthening the chest muscles. These muscles include the pectoralis major and minor which help to move the shoulder joint forward, backward and inward. As you press your chest away from the wall or bench during a scapula push up, these muscles are working together to lift and stabilize your body in a straight line.
How to Incorporate Scapula Push-ups into Your Workout
Warm-up Exercises
Before performing scapula push ups, it is important to warm up your body with dynamic stretching exercises. Dynamic stretching helps to increase blood flow and prepare your muscles for the upcoming workout. Examples of dynamic stretches that can be used before scapula push ups include arm circles, shoulder rolls, and arm swings.
Incorporating Scapula Push-ups into Your Strength Training
Scapula push ups are an effective exercise for strengthening the upper back, shoulder and chest muscles. To incorporate this exercise into your strength training routine, begin by performing 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions. As you become more comfortable with the movement, increase the number of sets and repetitions to challenge your muscles.
Cool-down Exercises
After performing scapula push ups, it is important to cool down your body with static stretching exercises. Static stretching helps to reduce muscle tension and improve flexibility. Examples of static stretches that can be used after scapula push ups include chest stretch, cobra stretch and door frame stretch.
Conclusion
Scapula push-ups are an important exercise for building upper body strength and stability. These exercises strengthen the muscles of the upper back, shoulders, and chest, which are all essential for a strong and stable upper body. The strengthening of these muscles helps to improve posture and overall mobility. This exercise also helps to activate the stabilizing muscles of the shoulder girdle, which helps to protect the shoulder joint from injury. Incorporating scapula push-ups into your strength training program is a great way to build upper body strength, improve posture and prevent injuries.
