Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Improve your overhead reach by understanding the anatomy!
🙋In order to reach overhead, we need our shoulder blade to upwardly rotate. This upward rotation doesn’t happen by chance, it occurs with the assistance of a complex lever and pulley system made up of our upper trapezius muscle, lower trapezius muscle, and serratus anterior. On top of the shoulder blade upward rotation, we need our humerus to play a role as well. This intricate dance is called ‘scapulohumeral rhythm’, with an approximate ratio of 2:1 (humerus moves 2 degrees for every 1 degree of shoulder blade movement).
👉If you’re feeling limited with your overhead mobility, it could be a result of poor scapular upward rotation. Try these 3 exercises to get each muscle firing as it should!
Improve your overhead reach by understanding the anatomy!
🙋In order to reach overhead, we need our shoulder blade to upwardly rotate. This upward rotation doesn’t happen by chance, it occurs with the assistance of a complex lever and pulley system made up of our upper trapezius muscle, lower trapezius muscle, and serratus anterior. On top of the shoulder blade upward rotation, we need our humerus to play a role as well. This intricate dance is called ‘scapulohumeral rhythm’, with an approximate ratio of 2:1 (humerus moves 2 degrees for every 1 degree of shoulder blade movement).
👉If you’re feeling limited with your overhead mobility, it could be a result of poor scapular upward rotation. Try these 3 exercises to get each muscle firing as it should!
