Fix Your Shoulders, Improve Your Technique.

Author's Note 
This article represents my personal understanding and interpretation of traditional karate as taught by Hidetaka Nishiyama Sensei and followed by Avi Rokah Sensei. While I have endeavoured to accurately represent their teachings and methodology, any errors, misinterpretations, or misunderstandings are entirely my own. The insights and principles discussed here reflect my current level of comprehension as a student of this art, not the definitive word of my teachers. 
Andrzej

Fix Your Shoulders, Improve Your Technique

I recently read Sensei Januš’s excellent article on how the centre of gravity, body axis, and aging affect karate technique – I highly recommend reading it (link provided in the references section at the end of the article).
Sensei Januš is one of the top instructors of the Czech Traditional Karate Association and the head of Akademie Karate Brno, where he teaches Shitō-ryū. We train together regularly at traditional karate seminars.
Near the end, he briefly mentions the connection between weak scapular stabilizers and overall body positioning – something that deserves more attention, and that’s what this article explores.

How it starts

In some of my older students, weak scapular stabilizers – particularly the mid-back muscles (lower trapezius) and muscles along the ribs (serratus anterior) – created whole-body postural problems that (having read Radek’s article) I immediately connected to the stance work and centre of gravity topics Sensei Januš discusses.
How? When the scapular stabilizers weaken, the shoulders begin “drifting” forward. This is a compensation mechanism the body adopts because those stabilizing muscles can no longer hold the shoulder blades in their proper position against the rib cage. Once the shoulders move forward, the rotator cuff muscles get forced into a mechanical disadvantage. They’re now working as postural stabilizers rather than movement controllers, which in effect overloads them and creates chronic tension (and in the longer term, causes pain). The cascade doesn’t stop there. If your shoulders move forward, your head must follow to keep your eyes level and your balance centred. This forward head position creates the problem Sensei Januš describes with the centre of gravity: the weight of the head is no longer supported by the skeletal stack of the spine but held up by muscular effort in the neck and upper back. And then comes the final compensation: the pelvis. To balance that additional weight from the rounded shoulders and forward head, the pelvis tilts backward. The lower back either flattens or the person develops a slight forward lean in their stance. Either way, the vertical axis – the straight line from head through spine to pelvis that allows efficient weight distribution and power transfer – is broken and with it, the possibility of efficient technique.

The evidence

Studies on scapular dysfunction confirm this postural chain [1,2]. What is especially relevant for older karatekas is that the mid-back muscles (lower trapezius) – one of the key stabilizers – show the most significant age-related atrophy (gradual decline of muscle size) of all the scapular muscles [3]. Studies comparing young adults, middle-aged, and elderly subjects found that this muscle’s thickness decreases significantly with aging, while other scapular muscles remain relatively stable [4]. The bodies of older karatekas have lost muscle tissue in the area most needed to maintain proper shoulder position.

In addition to this specific muscle loss, some older adults also develop sarcopenia (age-related loss of muscle mass and strength) which connects directly to shoulder function. Sarcopenia affects approximately 10-27% of people over 60 [5], and it links directly with rotator cuff problems and shoulder dysfunction [6]. The feedback loop it creates is difficult to break: muscle weakness leads to pain, pain leads to reduced activity, reduced activity accelerates muscle loss. Research has documented this as a “sarcopenia-pain-inactivity-sarcopenia” cycle [7].

The impact on your technique

Sensei Januš’s article focuses primarily on stance work, centre of gravity, and the cone of efficiency [11] – how to maintain quality technique by adapting stance depth to what your body can sustain. This is great advice. But the scapular stability issue affects more than just stance – it affects upper body technique, power transfer, and overall postural stability.

To transfer force efficiently from the floor to the target in any karate technique, the body requires a stable platform to work from. The shoulder girdle provides part of that platform. When the shoulders drift forward, and these muscles weaken, the entire kinetic chain breaks down – power generation, coordination, and movement efficiency are all disturbed.

The traditional teaching always emphasized “shoulders back and down.” Nishiyama Sensei corrected this constantly, knowing how it affects whole-body posture and technique. The modern world constantly pulls our shoulders forward: computer work, driving, carrying bags, and phones. Karate training, done properly, should counteract these forces. But if we don’t clearly address scapular stability, especially in older practitioners, the forward pull wins.

The fix

First, check if it applies to you. Do your shoulders round forward when you’re tired? Does your back tend to slouch during the second or third kata in a row? Do you notice your head jutting forward after a few techniques? These are signs that scapular stabilizers may be fatiguing or weak.

The solution isn’t to add a separate “shoulder workout”; instead, combine targeted exercises with your regular karate training. The evidence supports this approach – specific scapular work does improve shoulder blade positioning and muscle activation [8,9].

Beyond scapular stability, we need to address sarcopenia (if you are affected). Current advice on prevention is clear: combine resistance training with adequate protein intake [10]. For older adults, this means training 2-3 times per week at moderate intensity, targeting major muscle groups. Good quality karate training provides all that’s required – when done with proper intensity and attention to body dynamics. Because muscles become less responsive to growth signals with age (“anabolic resistance”), older adults also require more protein – typically 1.0-1.2 g/kg/day [10]. The key is consistency: regular training combined with proper nutrition, not occasional intense workouts. Here is how to incorporate this into our practice:

During kihon: Before practicing gyaku-zuki (reverse punch), perform 2-3 wall push-ups with scapular focus. Stand facing a wall, hands at shoulder height, and push away while spreading your shoulder blades apart, then squeeze them together as you return. Feel this engagement, then maintain that stable, engaged feeling in your upper back as you execute the punch, preventing the shoulders from rounding forward.

During kata: Choose a familiar kata, like Heian Shodan. In yōi (ready stance), gently draw your shoulder blades down and back. Execute the first move, gedan-barai (downward block), while keeping that engaged scapular position, especially on the blocking side. The goal is stability, not rigidity.

During kumite or training with a partner: Use your breath as a trigger. As you exhale sharply with a technique, direct the breath to lower your diaphragm and feel your shoulder blades anchor downwards, creating a solid platform for the arm movement.

In all the exercises above, focus on control and stability, not maximum contraction. Target the mid-back (lower trapezius) and muscles along your ribs (serratus anterior) while avoiding tension in the upper shoulders (upper trapezius). If you find yourself shrugging or tensing your neck, relax and reset.

The stance modifications Sensei Januš recommends make even more sense when you understand the scapular connection. If a student has weak stabilizers and a forward-tilted posture, forcing them into deep “textbook” stances often amplifies the problem. Better to raise the stance, restore the vertical axis including proper shoulder position, and build strength from that foundation. As stability improves, stance depth can increase again if appropriate. This aligns with the cone of efficiency concept in Sensei Januš’s article. Professor Dubousset’s principle [11] – that the body has a certain range in which it can stand upright and stable with minimum effort – applies to the shoulder girdle as much as stance depth. When the stabilizers are weak, forcing shoulders back requires excessive effort. But as you gradually strengthen them, the cone expands, and what once required strain becomes natural and sustainable.

Conclusion

Sensei Januš’s article addressed how aging affects the lower body – reduced lumbar lordosis, pelvic changes, and knee compensation. This article added the upper body component: loss of scapular muscle mass creates postural changes that ripple through the spine, pelvis, and stance. For lifelong karate practice, adapting technique to serve long-term health rather than short-term performance is essential. Start with awareness – check your shoulder position at the beginning and end of each training session. The rest will follow.

References

Primary Source
Januš, R. (2024). “Jak těžiště, osa těla a věk ovlivňují techniku karate” [How centre of gravity, body axis, and age affect karate technique]. Akademie Karate Brno. Available at: https://www.akademiekaratebrno.cz/jak-teziste-osa-tela-a-vek-ovlivnuji-techniku-karate-a-co-s-tim-delat-i-ve-starsim-veku/

Key Research Studies
Scapular Dysfunction and Postural Chain
1. Thigpen, C.A., et al. (2010). “Head and shoulder posture affect scapular mechanics and muscle activity in overhead tasks.” Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 20(4), 701-709.
2. Ludewig, P.M., & Reynolds, J.F. (2009). “The association of scapular kinematics and glenohumeral joint pathologies.” Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 39(2), 90-104.

Age-Related Scapular Muscle Atrophy
3.  Iida, N., et al. (2012). “Age-related changes in the thickness of the rotator cuff muscles and subacromial bursa.” Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 21(10), 1358-1365.
4.  Matsuki, K., et al. (2012). “In vivo 3-dimensional analysis of scapular kinematics: Comparison of dominant and nondominant shoulders.” Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 20(4), 659-665.

Sarcopenia and Shoulder Function
5.  Baumgartner, R.N., et al. (1998). “Epidemiology of sarcopenia among the elderly in New Mexico.” American Journal of Epidemiology, 147(8), 755-763.
6.  Cruz-Jentoft, A.J., et al. (2019). “Sarcopenia: Revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis.” Age and Ageing, 48(1), 16-31.
7.  Denteneer, L., et al. (2017). “Reliability of physical functioning tests in patients with shoulder pain: A systematic review.” Disability and Rehabilitation, 39(12), 1151-1162.

Scapular Stabilization Exercise Effectiveness
8.  Hwang, U.J., et al. (2013). “Effect of scapular stabilization exercise on scapular alignment and muscle activity in subjects with winged scapula.” Journal of Physical Therapy Science, 25(11), 1367-1370.
9.  Cools, A.M., et al. (2007). “Scapular muscle recruitment patterns: Trapezius muscle latency with and without impingement symptoms.” The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 31(4), 542-549.

General Background
10.  Morley, J.E. (2008). “Sarcopenia: Diagnosis and treatment.” The Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, 12(7), 452-456.
11.  Dubousset, J. (1994). “Three-dimensional analysis of the scoliotic deformity.” In The Pediatric Spine: Principles and Practice (pp. 479-496). New York: Raven Press. Cone of efficiency concept.