Elbow Touch To Outer Throw

Elbow Touch To Outer Throw Exercise Description

Elbow Touch to Outer Throw is a standing, bodyweight chest movement that takes the shoulders through controlled horizontal adduction and abduction. With elbows raised to shoulder height and bent to 90 degrees, you gently protract the shoulder blades to bring the elbows together (“elbow touch”), then retract the shoulder blades to open the arms wide (“outer throw”). This emphasizes the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid as you bring the elbows together, while reinforcing scapular control as you open. The motion is small-to-moderate and should stay pain‑free, prioritizing neutral spine, quiet ribs, and smooth shoulder mechanics. It’s helpful as a technique drill for pressing and push‑up patterns because it reinforces balanced scapular protraction/retraction and humeral positioning without external load.

Muscle Groups: Chest, Pecs
Target Muscles: Pectoralis Major - Sternal Head
Assisting Muscles: Deltoid - Anterior
Stabilizing Muscles: Deltoid - Lateral, Serratus Anterior, Supraspinatus, Trapezius - Lower Fibers, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
Body Area: Upper Body
Body Parts: Chest
Body Surface: Front
Body Symmetry: Bilateral
Equipment: Bodyweight
Exercise Patterns: Other
Exercise Type: Strength
Functional Grouping: Horizontal Shoulder Adduction
Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
Muscle Location: Mid Chest
Movement Direction: Horizontal
Muscle Position: Anterior
Gender: Female

How To Do The Elbow Touch To Outer Throw Exercise

‘- Stand tall with feet hip– to shoulder‑width apart; ribs stacked over pelvis, chin tucked, spine neutral.
– Raise arms to shoulder height and bend elbows 90°, forearms vertical, palms facing each other (goalpost position).
– Set shoulders: think “long neck,” avoid shrugging; brace lightly so the ribs don’t flare.
– Protract shoulder blades to glide the arms forward and bring elbows to lightly touch at midline; keep wrists and forearms aligned.
– Reverse the motion: retract and slightly depress the shoulder blades to open the arms out to a wide “T/goalpost,” maintaining elbow height at shoulder level.
– Keep the movement slow and controlled; stop before any discomfort or loss of form.
– Common checks: don’t arch the low back, don’t jut the head forward, don’t let elbows drop below shoulder height during the opening phase.

Elbow Touch To Outer Throw Tips

‘- Stand with feet hip– to shoulder‑width apart, ribs stacked over pelvis, chin tucked, and spine neutral.
– Raise arms to shoulder height with elbows bent 90° so forearms are vertical and palms face each other in a goalpost position.
– Keep a “long neck” and avoid shrugging as you set your shoulders.
– Brace lightly through your torso so the ribs don’t flare as you move.
– As you protract, think of the shoulder blades gliding forward to bring the elbows together with a light touch at the midline.
– Keep wrists and forearms aligned and vertical as the elbows move in and out.
– When you open, retract and slightly depress the shoulder blades to move into a wide T/goalpost without letting elbows drop below shoulder height.
– Move slowly and with control, stopping before any discomfort or loss of form.
– Throughout, avoid arching the low back or jutting the head forward.

Elbow Touch To Outer Throw Beginner Introduction

The exercise called Elbow Touch to Outer Throw is a standing, bodyweight move that centers on the chest and the front of the shoulders. The arms stay lifted at about shoulder level with the elbows bent, while the upper body remains steady and relaxed. As the elbows travel toward each other and then separate again, the shoulder blades glide smoothly along the ribcage, giving the chest a gentle squeeze on the way in and a controlled stretch on the way out.

This motion is relatively small and emphasizes calm, steady control rather than big, powerful swings. The back, neck, and ribcage stay organized so the shoulders can move freely without strain. Because the pattern closely resembles the arm path used in many press-style and push-up style movements, it serves as a technique drill for those exercises. It highlights even movement of the shoulder blades forward and backward, along with consistent arm position, all without adding any external weight.