Your upper back and trapezius muscles work together to elevate, retract and depress your shoulder girdle. Your trapezius is a diamond-shaped muscle that runs from the base of your skull, out to your shoulder blades and down onto your mid-spine. Your rhomboids, located under your trapezius, attach your shoulder blades onto your upper spine. Both the trapezius and the rhomboids are important for posture and also the strength and function of your upper back and neck. A number of exercises will work these muscles.
Dumbbell Shrugs
To target the upper trapezius muscle that runs up to the base of your skull, grasp a dumbbell in each hand and stand with your feet hip-width apart. Keep your arms straight and shrug your shoulders as high as you can. Hold this top position for one to two seconds before slowly lowering your shoulders back down. Make sure you don't use your arms or your back to help as this will only reduce the amount of work being done by your upper traps.
Upright Rows
Using a barbell, take an overhand grip on the center of the bar with your hands no more than 6 inches apart. Standing with your feet hip-width apart, pull the bar up the front of your body until it touches under your chin. Your elbows should be higher than your hands at this point. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat. This exercise targets the upper traps along with your deltoids or shoulder muscles.
Bench Shrugs
To work your mid-back and trapezius, lie on a flat exercise bench with your arms hanging directly below your shoulders. Grasp either dumbbells or a barbell with a shoulder width grip. Keeping your arms completely straight, shrug your shoulders backward and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Pause in this most contracted position before allowing your shoulders to move forwards again. Make sure you don't bend your arms as this will make the exercise easier.
Rear Flies
With a dumbbell in each hand, lie on a flat exercise bench. Your hands should be hanging directly below your shoulders. Keeping your elbows slightly bent but rigid, lift your arms out to the side of your body and pull your shoulders back. Try to extend your arms back behind you while keeping them at shoulder height. After pausing for one to two seconds, slowly return to the starting position. This exercise works your mid traps, rhomboids and also your posterior deltoids.
Barbell Deadlifts
The barbell dead lift works the whole of your back, putting significant emphasis on the upper back. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and your toes under the barbell. Keep your feet flat, and bend down to grasp the barbell with an overhand grip. Keep your hips low, your arms straight and your shoulders squeezed back. Using mainly your hips and lower back, lift the bar from the ground to hip height whilst maintaining a tensed upper back. Hold this top position for one to two seconds before pushing your hips back, bending your knees and returning the barbell to the floor.
References
- "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding: The Complete A-Z Book on Muscle Building;" Robert Kennedy; 2008
- "Physique, Fitness, and Performance, Second Edition;" Thomas Battinelli; 2007
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