<span style="font-weight: 400;">Remember Laura Hewitt, Elite Olympic Lifter, the case study from last week?</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">In that blog, I explained how we had used an anti spasm on her pec minor, to improve her front squat and clean receive position.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">What I wanted to do in this blog, is begin to explain why that happened.</span>
<h3>Pectoralis Minor Anatomy</h3>
<b>Muscle Attachments:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> As you can see from the diagram below, the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">pectoralis minor</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> attaches to the coracoid process on the front of the scapula and travels diagonally downward and medial to </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">attach</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to the 3rd, 4th, and 5th ribs.</span>

<b>Function:</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> The </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">pectoralis minor</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> has two main functions. On one hand, it pulls the scapula anteriorly and therefore creates scapular protraction. As a secondary function, it also has some influence on scapular depression.</span>
<h3><img class="size-medium wp-image-2549 aligncenter" src="https://www.www.biomechanicseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-13-at-13.32.48-211x300.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-04-13-at-13-32-48" width="211" height="300" /></h3>
<h3>The Problem</h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">As you can imagine, this is one of those muscles that adapts to common daily ‘activities’ like desk work, texting or driving; thus creating a round shouldered appearance or poor looking posture.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">So while this small muscle doesn’t even attach to the humerus, you can see why it can massively impact upon your client’s ability to move their arms or even squat. Let me explain further;</span>
<h3><img class="size-medium wp-image-2552 aligncenter" src="https://www.www.biomechanicseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-13-at-11.24.47-290x300.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-04-13-at-11-24-47" width="290" height="300" /></h3>
<h3>Try this exaggerated practical example yourself:</h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">1) Stand up and protract your scapular forwards into the rounded position as if you have ‘overactive’ pec minors</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">2) While maintaining this round shouldered position try to raise your arms or extend your thoracic spine.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">3) Now try to squat, maintaining an upright posture….</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">…. </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Difficult</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> right?</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Now you have that practical example for a clearer understanding, just imagine what that ‘tension’ on the </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">pectoralis minor </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">can effect with regards to general function and movement. If your scapular are ‘locked’ around your rib cage, they can ‘fix’ your thoracic spine into flexion, which will of course, impact upon your client’s ability to move in your training session.</span>
<h3>The Integrated System</h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">When we refer to the integrated system, we mean all of the subsystems within the body that affect movement of the neuro-musculoskeletal system, which is basically the nerves, muscles and bones.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">As personal trainers, we MUST consider the body as an </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">integrated system</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and so prescribe exercises with this in mind, taking into account every area of the body.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">A common mistake among PT’s, can be to assume poor squat technique (for example) is simply because of poor pelvic or ankle mobility, however what we can see from example above and from Laura’s case study last week, this just simply isn’t the case and there may be far more to the complexity of the movement that first meets the eye.</span>
<h3>The Solution</h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">So I have a short video clip for you to watch and learn how to anti spasm your client’s pec minor if you feel they may benefit.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Complement this with some antagonist strength work, like *‘pure’ </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">retraction</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> (retraction being the opposite movement to the pec minors protraction) band or cable training, and see if this goes towards improving their movement. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">*When I say ‘pure’ what I mean by this is do not bend the elbows, as in a row, but keep the arms long and simply retract against the resistance. This can be more effective at regaining strength ratios around the shoulder.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2550 aligncenter" src="https://www.www.biomechanicseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-13-at-11.30.58-300x123.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-04-13-at-11-30-58" width="300" height="123" /></span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">Another great complement to these 2 exercises is one of my favourites. Very simply lie </span><i><span style="font-weight: 400;">long ways</span></i><span style="font-weight: 400;"> on a long foam roller for a 2 minutes each day. Ie Sit the bum on one end and rest the back of the head on the other. Then simply relax over it.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;"><img class="size-medium wp-image-2551 aligncenter" src="https://www.www.biomechanicseducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Screen-Shot-2017-04-13-at-11.25.50-300x148.png" alt="screen-shot-2017-04-13-at-11-25-50" width="300" height="148" /></span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">A dysfunctional Pec Minor and shoulder function is one consideration BUT remember it is just one example of an adaption to our lifestyles. There are many things that can contribute so please keep an open mind. </span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">You never know what could change by simply giving your clients Pec Minor and Thoracic Spine their capacity back….!!</span>
<h3>Shoulder Biomechanics</h3>
<span style="font-weight: 400;">If this blog has left you eager to find out more, we have a Shoulder Biomechanics module as part of the Shoulder, Knee &amp; Foot Biomechanics Workshop during which we teach you how to </span><b>assess and improve</b><span style="font-weight: 400;"> the function of Pec Minor along with the Median Nerve, Radial Nerve, Ulna Nerve, Subscapularis, Infraspinatus and the Upper traps.</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">We’ve only discussed 1 muscle in basic terms in this blog today, imagine the mind-blowing learning development you could gain by doing your FULL shoulder biomechanics module!</span>

<span style="font-weight: 400;">You should note that this is a very practical and evidence based workshop. So you will be practicing these screens and exercises on your peers and WON’T be brain dead from a lack of stimulation! This is complimented with all of the relevant strength training principles and there are no exams.</span>
<h3>Click below to find out where you can enrol for the Shoulder, Knee &amp; Foot Biomechanics Workshop...</h3>
<h1><a href="https://www.biomechanicseducation.com/product/shoulder-knee-foot-biomechanics-workshop-entry-level-3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b>CLICK HERE </b></a></h1>