THUR: The Landmine Rib Cage Position

We’ve all seen it bad overhead movement, and every functional fitness coach has been guilty of allowing it at times, myself included. You know the sight. The athlete jerking the weight overhead, elbows flaring outward, just an absolute horror film of movement pattern.

The reason that this occurs is because both athlete and coach are allowing an overhead movement to try and take place on a thoracic spine that has absolutely no interest or ability in accommodating it. If the thoracic spine cannot properly extend, then a series of chain reactions in the body will take place.

  1. The low back is the great compensator. If the upper back cannot get into proper position, the low back will hyperextend to allow the path of the barbell to continue moving upward.
  2. When this occurs, the rib cage will then have an upward flare to it. When the ribs flare up, the abs cease to be involved in the movement. 
  3. A flaring rib cage then creates a fault line for the scapulae.
  4. The fault line in the scapulae then creates poor position for the humerus (upper arm bone).
  5. Alas, there is great stress on the ball and socket joint of the shoulder, and we develop repetitive movement pattern that sets yourself up to one day reveal an injury that’s probably two years in the making.

This is how injuries happen.

It’s not just a children’s song. The arm bone is truly connected to the neck bone. If your lower back is routinely sore from overhead pressing, it means that the first check point on this is taking place, as well as everything on the list that follows.

Overhead pressing has no business creating lumbar soreness, and landmines are a wonderful tool for avoiding all of this entirely.

Because the landmine is angled and not completely overhead, the position will help your scapulae and humerus to dance the sweet, smooth tango like Arnold and Jamie Lee in True Lies, not like a hammered Alpha Phi after one slushy too many at Shore Club. It allows the low back to stay in position, which lets the rib cage behave in its normal position, which lets our abs be an active player in the movement and healthy, stable shoulders to persist.

-Dave

Thursday, 3.15.18

First For Structure
8 Sandbag Squats
80m Farmer’s Carry
Complete 1 set every 4′ for 20′
—
Then, For Conditioning
3/s 1-Arm LM Thrusters
6 Low Plank Hip Drops
6 Burpee Lateral Plate Hops
1 Ladder Drill
150m Run
(x11′)