Most people “wear their shoulders too low,” according to Dr. Shirley Sahrmann, author of Diagnosis and Treatment of Movement Impairment Syndromes.

At an Ontario Kinesiology Society seminar in 2004, Sahrmann pointed out that shoulder depression causes more problems than elevation—one of the most common being neck pain. Simply raising the shoulder girdle can improve cervical rotation and provide pain relief for many individuals.

Why Shoulder Depression Can Be a Problem

The body adapts to the posture it trains in. If you incorrectly execute exercises, you can accelerate joint degeneration.

Many people are taught to depress and retract their scapulae during lifts, believing it stabilizes the shoulders. However, this can:

• Disrupt normal scapulo-humeral rhythm
• Increase the risk of impingement syndromes

Instead of locking the shoulders down, consider a better way to train overhead movements.

Enter the Sahrmann Press

Sahrmann isn’t a fan of traditional isolation exercises for the shoulders. Contrary to popular belief, she argues that the overhead press is not inherently dangerous—when done correctly.

The key is to press in the sagittal plane, not the frontal plane.

• Keep the elbows forward, not flared to the sides
• Use a neutral grip with the palms facing each other
• Keep the forearms perpendicular to the ground

I call this variation the Sahrmann Press. It maximizes rotator cuff activation while allowing the deltoid heads to work efficiently without excessive strain.

Common Mistakes and Fixes

If your elbows flare outward near the top of the movement, try the following:

• Incorporate dynamic AIS and PNF stretching, as featured in my Warm-Up to Strength Training DVD
• Get soft-tissue work on internal rotators like the lats, subscapularis, and teres major
• Consider Active Release Technique (ART) for mobility

Try It in Your Next Workout

The Sahrmann Press is a challenging variation, so start light, go slow, and focus on perfect form. Your shoulders will thank you.

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