Antagonist Muscles

Rhomboid(red) Lavator scapulae(blue)

There is an interesting fact I have found that each muscle has an antagonist which keep to take the body balance. for example,  

Rectus abdominis (berry muscle) <---> Elector spinae (aside of spine)


Rhomboid (the red part on the right fig.) <---> Serratus (another name is Boxer muscle, red part on the bottom fig.)


 Pectoralis minor ( the blue part on the bottom fig.) <---> Lavator scapulae (it connects cervical and shoulder blade, blue part of the right fig.)

Serratus(red), Pectoralis minor(blue)

If the muscle is strong and the antagonist is weak, it's difficult to take the body balance or equality. I would like to focus on some areas where people suffer from computer work this time ...the side and back part of the neck, shoulder, scapula and the chest.

The shoulder blade will be slanted when the contraction is different between the muscle and the antagonist, then range of  the motion might be changed or feels pain at a point of a movement.


It is not only important that softening the muscle tightness,　be conscious about the antagonist and how to train the both muscles evenly at the gym, yoga, or in any exercises, also.