[Traps]

musclesntx....... Because of your emphatic claims that doing barbell shrugs causes RC and shoulder issues, I'd like your input(and anyone else for that matter) on the following thread posted at t-nation. (which I might add is extensive)

Testosterone Nation - Push-Ups, Face Pulls, and Shrugs

Push-Ups, Face Pulls, and Shrugs
...for Strong and Healthy Shoulders!

Screw the Rotator Cuff!

That's right, screw it. Seriously, it's about as over-hyped as Kevin Federline's big "debut." We think the rotator cuff gets way too much attention. Whenever shoulder pain creeps up, what's the first thing that everyone brings up? The rotator cuff, of course. (Or for those of you from Indiana, that would be your "rotary cup").

"My shoulder hurts when I bench press."

"Well, you need to strengthen your rotator cuff."

"It hurts when I reach overhead or do barbell presses."

"You're probably impinging your rotator cuff."

"I hurt my shoulder pitching and now I can't collect my million dollar performance bonus."

"Sounds like you tore your rotator cuff."

We've had it up to our shoulders with the rotator cuff! While the rotator gets all the chicks, all the glamour, and all the attention, the real star of the show is forced to the background. In fact, it never even gets any mirror time at the gym, unless you're picking at your backne. (We've seen you do it).

Allow us to introduce the real star of the show: the scapula!

The Only Shrugs You Haven't Done Before!

One of the common findings in a downwardly rotated scapula is a lengthened upper trapezius. In this situation, the excessive length makes the upper trap weak and a less than effective upward rotator of the scapula. Ineffective upward rotation of the scapula, especially with overhead movements, is a recipe for rotator cuff injury.

The obvious fix would be to address the weakness with some form of shrugging movement to strengthen the upper trapezius and improve the upward rotation function. There's just one catch: the typical barbell or dumbbell shrug may make the situation worse.

A shrug with the arms at the sides will certainly activate the upper trapezius, however it also strongly recruits the levator scapulae and the rhomboids, the downward scapular rotators. This feeds the imbalance causing the downward scapular rotation dominance.

The answer is to perform a shrugging movement with the scapulae in an upwardly rotated position with the overhead shrug.