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Movement
Intermediate
8 min read
Kinetic atlas

Vertical push

The vertical push takes the hand above the head. This page describes its phases, the coordination between the shoulder and the shoulder blade, the prime movers and stabilisers, and the most widespread confusions about overhead movements.
Interactive body map
Bracing
Current phase

Bracing

before the start
The load rests at shoulder height, the trunk muscles contract together and the glutes hold the pelvis so that the spine does not continue the movement.
Put it into practice in Shapier
Find in Shapier the shoulder press, the reference vertical push exercise, to place it within a session.
See the shoulder press exercise
Muscle roles in the vertical push
Prime movers
Anterior and middle deltoid, triceps brachii · Raise the arm and extend the elbow up to the top position.
Synergists
Serratus anterior, upper and lower trapezius, supraspinatus · Rotate the shoulder blade upwards and take part in the start of the elevation.
Stabilisers
Rotator cuff, abdominal wall, glutes · Centre the humeral head and stop the trunk compensating through lumbar extension.

What the vertical push is for

The vertical push takes the hand above the head: putting an object away on a high shelf, lifting a child at arm's length, pushing open a hatch in the ceiling. The arm rises in front of or to the side of the body while the elbow extends.
It is the movement that demands the most coordination from the shoulder girdle, because it uses the entire range available at the shoulder. The arm cannot reach vertical through the shoulder joint alone: the shoulder blade, the clavicle and the thoracic spine all have to contribute (neumann2016).
Upward rotation of the shoulder blade
Rotation of the shoulder blade on the ribcage that turns the glenoid cavity upwards. It necessarily accompanies elevation of the arm and allows the humeral head to stay facing its articular surface.
scapular upward rotation · lateral rotation of the scapula

The phases of the movement

The vertical push, phase by phase

  • 1
    Bracing
    before the start
    The load rests at shoulder height, the trunk muscles contract together and the glutes hold the pelvis so that the spine does not continue the movement.
  • 2
    Initial concentric phase
    start
    The elbow begins to extend and the arm rises. The rotator cuff centres the humeral head while the deltoid produces the elevation.
  • 3
    Past the head
    mid-range
    The shoulder blade clearly enters upward rotation. The path of the arm clears and the contribution of the shoulder blade to the movement increases.
  • 4
    End of the push
    arm above the head
    The elbow completes its extension, the shoulder blade finishes its rotation and the thoracic spine extends slightly to let the arm reach vertical.
  • 5
    Eccentric phase
    return
    The path is retraced in reverse and under control: the shoulder blade returns to downward rotation while the shoulder muscles slow the descent.

Joints and planes of movement

  • Glenohumeral: it produces flexion and abduction of the arm. Its socket is shallow, which
allows a large range of motion but leaves the centring of the humeral head to the muscles (standring2020).
  • Scapulothoracic: the shoulder blade rotates upwards, tilts backwards and slides on the
ribcage.
  • Sternoclavicular and acromioclavicular: they allow the elevation and rotation of the
clavicle, without which the shoulder blade could not rotate.
  • Elbow: extension, driven by the triceps brachii.
  • Thoracic and lumbar spine: the first extends slightly, the second is held so that lumbar
extension does not substitute for range missing at the shoulder (mcgill2010).
The movement most often takes place in the plane of the shoulder blade, midway between the frontal and sagittal planes, which corresponds to the natural orientation of the glenoid cavity (neumann2016).

Who does the work

Muscle roles in the vertical push

Role
Main structures
What they do
Prime movers
Anterior and middle deltoid, triceps brachii
Raise the arm and extend the elbow up to the top position.
Synergists
Serratus anterior, upper and lower trapezius, supraspinatus
Rotate the shoulder blade upwards and take part in the start of the elevation.
Stabilisers
Rotator cuff, abdominal wall, glutes
Centre the humeral head and stop the trunk compensating through lumbar extension.
Upward rotation of the shoulder blade is produced by no single muscle: it results from the combined action of the serratus anterior and the upper and lower fibres of the trapezius, which pull the shoulder blade in different directions whose resultant is a rotation (neumann2016).
Certainty level · Established
The deltoid cannot raise the arm on its own: its line of pull drives the humeral head upwards, and that component has to be offset by the rotator cuff.
The cuff muscles — supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and subscapularis — exert a force directed downwards and towards the centre of the glenoid cavity. The combination of the two actions forms a force couple that rotates the humerus while keeping it centred. This model is established anatomically and mechanically; the exact share of each muscle during the movement remains hard to measure, because surface electromyography does not clearly distinguish deep and neighbouring muscles.
Neumann DA (2016) · Standring S (2020)

Morphological and technical variations

The range of elevation available is not the same for everyone. It depends on the orientation of the glenoid cavity, the shape of the acromion, the mobility of the thoracic spine and the extensibility of the periarticular tissues (standring2020). Work carried out in recreational weight training participants did in fact describe, in that population, differences in mobility and strength between internal and external rotators of the shoulder (kolber2010): this cross-sectional finding says nothing about causes, but it is a reminder that observed ranges vary from one person to another.
Technical variations shift the demand without changing the logic. Standing, the trunk and lower limbs provide the base, which increases the share of stabilising work; seated with a backrest, that share decreases. Starting in front of the body recruits the anterior fibres of the deltoid more, while starting in the plane of the shoulder blade spreads the effort between the anterior and middle fibres.

Common misunderstandings

Caution
Three misconceptions about overhead movements
“The traps must not rise.” Upward rotation of the shoulder blade, in which the upper trapezius takes part, is a necessary component of arm elevation. Preventing it amounts to removing part of the available range.
“The vertical push is a shoulder exercise.” The triceps brachii, the serratus anterior, the trapezius and the trunk muscles all take part in the same action. The deltoid is its most visible prime mover, not its only contributor.
“Not being able to straighten the arms overhead reflects a lack of strength.” The range of elevation also depends on the mobility of the shoulder and of the thoracic spine. Telling apart what is a matter of strength and what is a matter of range requires an examination, which this page does not replace.
A fourth confusion concerns behind-the-neck variations. They do not differ through any inherent danger but through the ranges they demand: greater external rotation and horizontal abduction at the shoulder. The relevant question is that of the available range, which varies between people, not that of a universal rule (neumann2016).

Interactive body map

The map makes it possible to locate the deltoid, the trapezius, the serratus anterior and the rotator cuff, then to follow the movement of the shoulder blade during elevation of the arm. The text stays complete without the scene, which illustrates a general organisation and not an individual morphology.
Current step
Anterior view
The front of the body. Pectoralis major covers the upper chest, the deltoid caps the shoulder, the biceps fills the front of the arm, the abdominal wall links the ribs to the pelvis, and the quadriceps fills the front of the thigh. Further out on the limbs, the forearm muscles drive the wrist and hand, and tibialis anterior lifts the foot.
Scene description
A three-dimensional diagram of a standing human body, arms by the sides, built from simplified paper-coloured volumes. Twelve priority muscle groups are laid over this outline in terracotta: at the front, pectoralis major, the deltoid, biceps brachii, the abdominal wall and the quadriceps; at the back, the trapezius, latissimus dorsi, the erector spinae, triceps brachii, the glutes, the hamstrings and the calves. A simplified skeleton — skull, spine, ribcage, pelvis, humerus, femur and tibia — can be shown beneath the outline to reveal the bony levers these muscles pull on. Each group is selectable and opens its own reference page. This is a teaching diagram with stylised volumes, not an exact anatomical reconstruction.
Visible structures
  • Pectoralis major
    A thick sheet running from the clavicle, the sternum and the upper costal cartilages to the lateral lip of the bicipital groove of the humerus. It draws the arm towards the midline and forwards, and drives horizontal pushing.
  • Deltoids
    Three heads — anterior, lateral and posterior — running from the clavicle, the acromion and the spine of the scapula to the deltoid tuberosity of the humerus. Together they raise the arm; separately they carry it forwards, out to the side or backwards.
  • Biceps brachii
    Two heads arising from the scapula — the supraglenoid tubercle and the coracoid process — joining on the radial tuberosity. It flexes the elbow and supinates the forearm, and contributes to every pulling movement.
  • Abdominal wall
    Rectus abdominis, the external and internal obliques and transversus, running from the ribs and sternum to the pubis and iliac crest. They flex and rotate the trunk and, above all, stabilise the spine by regulating intra-abdominal pressure.
  • Quadriceps
    Four heads — rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis and vastus intermedius — joining through the quadriceps tendon onto the patella and then the tibial tuberosity. They extend the knee, and rectus femoris also flexes the hip.
  • Trapezius
    A diamond-shaped muscle spanning from the occiput and the cervical and thoracic spinous processes to the clavicle, the acromion and the spine of the scapula. Its upper, middle and lower portions elevate, retract and depress the scapula.
  • Latissimus dorsi
    A broad fan arising from the lower thoracic vertebrae, the thoracolumbar fascia, the iliac crest and the lowest ribs, converging on the bicipital groove of the humerus. It pulls the arm down and back, and drives vertical pulling.
  • Erector spinae
    Muscular columns — iliocostalis, longissimus and spinalis — running from the sacrum and iliac crest to the ribs, the vertebrae and the skull, on either side of the spinous processes. They extend the spine and control the trunk as it lowers.
  • Triceps brachii
    Three heads — long, lateral and medial — arising from the scapula and the back of the humerus and joining on the olecranon of the ulna. It extends the elbow, and its long head also assists shoulder extension.
  • Glutes
    Gluteus maximus, medius and minimus, arising from the iliac wing and the sacrum and inserting on the femur and the iliotibial tract. They extend, abduct and rotate the hip, and drive the pelvis upright in the hinge and the squat.
  • Hamstrings
    Biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus, running from the ischial tuberosity to the tibia and fibula. They extend the hip and flex the knee, and control the trunk as it lowers in the hip hinge.
  • Calves
    The gastrocnemius and soleus, joining through the Achilles tendon onto the calcaneus. They plantarflex the ankle, and the gastrocnemius, which crosses the knee, also assists knee flexion.
  • Rotator cuff
    Four short muscles running from the shoulder blade to the top of the humerus. Their tendons merge into a sheet that holds the head of the bone against its socket while the deltoid moves the arm.
  • Serratus anterior
    A sheet hooked onto the upper ribs by triangular slips, passing under the shoulder blade and attaching to its inner border. It holds the blade against the ribcage and rotates it.
  • Iliopsoas
    The only muscle linking the lumbar spine directly to the femur. It descends from the vertebrae and the iliac fossa, curves around the rim of the pelvis and attaches to the lesser trochanter.
  • Hip adductors
    Five muscles running from the pubis to the back of the femur in overlapping layers. They draw the thigh towards the midline and control the pelvis in single-leg stance.
  • Forearm muscles
    Masses gathered near the elbow, continued by long tendons to the wrist and fingers. They drive the hand from a distance and carry grip strength.
  • Tibialis anterior
    A muscle pressed against the outer surface of the tibia, its tendon swinging towards the inside of the foot. It lifts the toes on every step and brakes the forefoot after heel strike.
  • Diaphragm
    A muscular dome running from the lower border of the ribs, the sternum and the lumbar vertebrae to a central tendon. As it contracts it descends, the chest gains volume and air enters: it is the engine of quiet breathing, and the ceiling of the abdominal cavity.
Guided steps
  • 1/5
    The front of the body. Pectoralis major covers the upper chest, the deltoid caps the shoulder, the biceps fills the front of the arm, the abdominal wall links the ribs to the pelvis, and the quadriceps fills the front of the thigh. Further out on the limbs, the forearm muscles drive the wrist and hand, and tibialis anterior lifts the foot.
  • 2/5
    The back of the body. The trapezius links the neck to the shoulder blades, the latissimus dorsi fans down to the pelvis, the erector spinae flank the spine, and the triceps fills the back of the arm. Glutes, hamstrings and calves form the posterior chain from hip to ankle.
  • 3/5
    Beneath the visible groups work muscles no silhouette shows. The rotator cuff holds the head of the humerus against the shoulder blade, serratus anterior keeps the shoulder blade flat on the ribcage, the iliopsoas links the lumbar spine to the femur, and the adductors fill the inner thigh. Deeper still, the diaphragm closes the trunk as a dome, inside the ribs. They orient and stabilise more than they move.
  • 4/5
    In a push, force starts at the ground, travels through the quadriceps and the abdominal wall, and then pectoralis major, the anterior deltoid and the triceps drive the load away from the trunk. The skeleton acts as the lever: no group works alone, and the quality of the movement comes from their sequencing.
  • 5/5
    In a pull, the latissimus dorsi and trapezius bring the arm and shoulder blade towards the trunk while the biceps flexes the elbow. Glutes, hamstrings and erector spinae hold the pelvis and spine so that force transfers without the trunk collapsing.
Model licence · Z-Anatomy et BodyParts3D — CC-BY-SA 4.0
The vertical push forms a pair with the vertical pull, which retraces the same path in the opposite direction, and differs from the horizontal push in the orientation of the arm and the extent of shoulder blade rotation.
The pages devoted to the deltoids, the trapezius and the triceps brachii detail the structures cited here.

Key sources

  • Neumann DA (2016). Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation, 3rd edition. Elsevier.
  • Standring S (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice, 42nd edition. Elsevier.
  • Kolber MJ, Beekhuizen KS, Cheng MS, Hellman MA (2010). Shoulder joint and muscle characteristics in the recreational weight training population. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
  • McGill SM (2010). Core training: evidence translating to better performance and injury prevention. Strength and Conditioning Journal.
Put it into practice in Shapier

See the shoulder press exercise

Find in Shapier the shoulder press, the reference vertical push exercise, to place it within a session.
See the shoulder press exercise
Body Lab explains; Shapier lets you act and track.

Check my understanding

What happens if you stop the trapezius from rising while the arm is being raised?
Why can the deltoid not raise the arm on its own?
Someone cannot straighten their arms overhead: what can be concluded?
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Read next

  • Vertical pull
    The vertical pull brings the arm back towards the trunk from a position above the head. This page describes its phases, the rotation of the shoulder blade that accompanies it, the muscles involved and the most widespread confusions about it.
    With a 3D scene
  • Horizontal push
    The horizontal push drives the hands away from the trunk along an axis perpendicular to it. This page describes its phases, the shoulder and elbow joints, the prime movers and stabilisers, and the most frequent confusions about it.
    With a 3D scene
  • Deltoids
    The deltoid caps the shoulder with three heads pointing in different directions. It raises the arm in every direction, and its shape explains why the same shoulder changes function depending on the angle of the movement.
    With a 3D scene
  • Trapezius
    The trapezius links the skull and the spine to the shoulder girdle. Its three portions orient the shoulder blade, a condition without which the arm cannot rise fully.
    With a 3D scene

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Trust and method

Author
equipe-editoriale-shapier
Editorial review
Thanh Chau
Scientific review
Pending
Published on
August 2, 2026
Reviewed on August 2, 2026
Next review due August 2, 2027
Limits of this page
  • The description corresponds to a symmetrical, controlled push starting from shoulder height; a movement launched with help from the legs, or performed with a single arm, reorganises the contribution of the trunk muscles.
  • The range of arm elevation depends on the orientation of the glenoid cavity, the mobility of the thoracic spine and the shape of the acromion, which vary between people and are not represented by a single model.
  • This page explains a movement, it judges no execution: shoulder pain that persists, a sudden loss of strength or a feeling of instability are matters for a healthcare professional.
Sources
  • Neumann DA (2016). Kinesiology of the Musculoskeletal System: Foundations for Rehabilitation, 3rd edition. Elsevier.
  • Standring S (2020). Gray's Anatomy: The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice, 42nd edition. Elsevier.
  • Kolber MJ, Beekhuizen KS, Cheng MS, Hellman MA (2010). Shoulder joint and muscle characteristics in the recreational weight training population. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
  • McGill SM (2010). Core training: evidence translating to better performance and injury prevention. Strength and Conditioning Journal.
Educational content. Body Lab does not diagnose and does not replace professional advice.
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