Shoulder flexion in Primal Rotational Patterns is performed using two exercises. If the shoulder flexion is simple, the exercise performed is Front Raise. If the shoulder flexion is complex, the exercise is Military Press.
Front Raise Performance
Front Raises may be performed at a variety of ways. We perform Front Raises in seated and incline.
In seated, begin the exercise on a flat bench. In incline, sit down and lay back on the bench. Hold DB’s arms down at your sides with the wrists neutral in both versions.
At the onset of the exercise, swing the dumbbells forward and upward by moving through the shoulders.
The elbows should remain fixed at about 3˚ of flexion during the movement so that the lever arm – the length from implement to joint – remains constant throughout the movement.
Control the descent mindful of the fact that the middle range is the most difficult because the moment arm – the perpendicular distance from the implement to the joint – is longest in the middle of the range.
Military Press Performance
Military Pressing in Primal Rotational Patterns requires learning how to Snatch a barbell. The Snatch is an Olympic lifting movement used in competition, sports training, and is an entire article unto itself. Suffice it to say that we teach a progression of the Snatch to begin each Military Press, and trainees learn two exercises simultaneously.
With the barbell Snatched overhead, begin to lower it toward the line of the clavicle. Keep the forearms as close to perpendicular in all planes as possible. Descending in the Military Press requires that you steer the bar around the body.
Lack of proper shoulder mechanics often results in doing so without keeping the elbows directly under the wrists. This phenomenon has the effect of turning the press into a shoulder external rotation, which is wrong.
Other common errors include arching the back or thrusting the pelvis forward. These things happen when the trainee lacks the flexibility to position the bar correctly, resulting in their moving their body around the bar, rather than the other way ‘round.