Scapular Mobility: How to Perform a Shoulder Camshaft

Let's get your shoulder blades some love and attention!

When we teach this exercise, it is one of the most difficult for people to hit with great accuracy. The scapula does not get a lot of independent attention in traditional training settings and many people lack education on how to move their scapula. 

This exercise is an excellent drill for learning how to move your scapula without compensating with movement in the neck, elbow, wrist and shoulder. 

We like to teach movement independently before integrating complex movement patterns. See if you can move your shoulder blade like a cam shaft!

Let's get started: 

Scapular Cam Shaft

Here's how you perform the drill:

• Begin in neutral stance with tall spine
• Raise one arm at a 45 degree angle away from your midline
• Create a circular motion of the scapula gliding along the rib cage
• Start by targeting 4 points: up, back, down, forward
• After you learn the 4 points, start to create a circle through those four points
• Maintain the 45 degree angle of your arm, keep your hand/wrist in the same place. The hand should not be moving in a circle.

Common mistakes:

• Moving the head and neck rather than the scapula
• Bending the elbow, especially through the back position of the circle
• Letting the hand/wrist move in space rather than locking it and focusing on drawing circles only from the scapula
• Inability to draw a smooth circle (start with dots first if this is the case)
• Losing the tall spine position
• Building up too much tension all over
• Breath holding

Let's get your scapula moving freely! Let us know how it goes!

(Education Credit: this drill is part of a series of mobility drills taught by Z-Health Performance Solutions - a leading educational company in neuro-centric training for pain and performance) 

About the Author: 

Taylor Kruse, recently featured in Men's Health, is dedicated to empowering you with the truth and tools for improved health and performance.

His inspiration stems from more than 15 years of education and coaching through systems like Zhealth Performance, The Burdenko Method, and various movement practices.

In 2013, he co-founded KRUSE ELITE with girlfriend, Alisha Hale. Both are dedicated to inspiring people, coaches, and trainers into their best health and performance.