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THREAD: In the past, I have used Scap Retraction Throws to help athletes clean up their arm action. One example of this, is helping them better understand the role of shoulder horizontal abduction (scap retraction) in the throw and how to create more of it, if appropriate.
This is largely still the case depending, of course, on how the athlete moves, ROM and what mechanical changes I am looking to influence. We know that some studies have linked shoulder horizontal abduction at foot contact to velocity. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3445126/
That being said, I think we tend to overlook the timing with which peak horizontal abduction is reached in the throw and we focus too much on simply just attempting to drive more of it.
Peaking horizontal abduction at or around foot plant helps load the shoulder, allows the arm to deploy efficiently, gives more space for the arm to accelerate, etc.
Peaking horizontal abduction passively near foot strike could also allow the torso to drive more as it rotates/accelerates in some throwers.
Important to remember that it is not always about maximizing specific kinematic positions. Especially considering that there are many different ways in which athletes create velocity.
Scap Retraction Throws are still a valuable drill. The intent, as is the case with all drills, can be manipulated. The focus can be shifted towards the timing of torso rotation and peak horizontal abduction in relation to FP vs. simply increasing scap retraction.
