08/10/2026
Balancing out pressing and pulling is important. Balancing those out with reaching is another important key that many miss. With reaching, we maintain scapular protraction control while also improving our ability to drive both thoracic and pelvic rotation via the serratus anterior’s connection with our obliques and, when we factor in breathing and rib influences, the diaphragm. Here is one of our favorites to hone in on that thoracic/rib rotation part of it: We call these Free Fall Apical Band Reaching.
Not only are we balancing out the scapular protraction component and influencing the thoracic rotation component, we are also training the reaching side Hemi-diaphragm to push air to the opposite chest wall via its leverage from the same side serratus and obliques, adding to that side to side influence with rotation. These are all things that carry over to better shoulder, back and hip function along with better movement abilities for locomotive movement like walking, skating and running. When you lose the ability to effectively control these connections, compensation and movement faults occur; and it’s also easier to get locked in the sagittal plane of forward and backward movement, making it harder to recover and move effectively when you leave the gym. Train and own your breathing and its influence on rotational/side to side movement and all else will improve. Here’s chas_ferm demoing one of our faves.
