Your Position

Standing; lying in ball, or seated on floor, bench or ball with legs hip width apart, knees slightly bent, feet flat on the floor and straight ahead. Arms are held at the shoulder height with the elbows pointing straight ahead or backward, shoulder blades depressed and retracted.  Trunk is upright with low back relatively arched (to bias) and head and neck neutral.

Target Muscles

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. With the abdominals engaged, initiate the ‘press’ with the chest and shoulders without sacrificing the trunk position over the hips forward or backward or the shoulders rounding as you visualize pushing forward or overhead.

Common Errors and Their Correction

Low back extends or chest rises into the press pattern resulting in low back tightness/pain or shoulder pain.  Maintain the focus on abdominal engagement and shoulder blade position throughout the movement pattern to minimize the extension of the low back or chest.

Shoulders round into the press pattern resulting in loss of trunk stability.  Maintain the focus on the shoulder blades depressed and retracted throughout the movement pattern.