Your trapezius and shoulder muscles work together to move your shoulder girdle and arms. The trapezius spans from the base of your skull, down the back of your neck and thoracic vertebrae, across the top of your shoulders, and from the spine of the shoulder blades to your mid-back. It is an angular muscle which requires specific exercise positions and motions to strengthen.
Pilates Shoulder & Trapezius
Two Pilates exercises target the trapezius and shoulder muscles. The first is "shaving the head." Hold a small hand weight in each hand. Stand straight with your feet together. Raise your arms and hand weights up behind your head. Keep your elbows open. Inhale and raise the weights up toward the ceiling. Exhale and slowly lower them down behind your head. Repeat 12 times.
The second is "boxing." Use the small hand weights. Slightly bend your knees. Bend over at the waist and scoop up your tummy. Bend your elbows to a 90 degree angle by your sides. Inhale and punch one arm straight forward by your ear and the other arm straight backward. Exhale and return to starting position. Inhale and reverse the motion. Do 12 repetitions.
Dumbbell Workout
Two dumbbell exercises target your trapezius and shoulder muscles. The first starts standing with dumbbells held down beside your outer thighs. Inhale as you roll your shoulders up and back. Exhale as you continue to roll your shoulders down and around. Continue rolling your shoulders backward. You can also perform the overhead press standing. Bring your dumbbells up to the front of your shoulders. Inhale through your nose. Exhale and push the dumbbells up to the ceiling. Inhale and slowly lower them to starting position. Do three sets of 8 to 15 repetitions for each exercise.
Pull-ups and Pushups
Pull-ups and pike pushups are two body weight exercises that work out the shoulders and trapezius. You can modify pull-ups by placing a sturdy chair or wood box under your feet so that you can help push with your legs. Hang straight down from the bar with your palms facing forward. Pull your body up until your chin is over the bar. Slowly lower back down.
A pike pushup uses the muscles in reverse direction. Bend over at the hip and keep your buttocks up in the air. Look at your hands, inhale and slowly lower your nose down to an imaginary line between your hands. Exhale and push up. Do each exercise until you experience muscle failure.
Pulleys
Pulley machines work your muscles in the the pulling and the resisting phases of contractions. Use a pulley machine with two pulleys that will adjust to shoulder height. Choose a weight increment that will be difficult by the last repetition. Face the machine and hold a pulley in each hand, palms facing, with your arms straight out forward. Open your arms to a letter "T" position. Slowly resist the weight to starting position. You can substitute a bent arm row if you experience joint pain. Turn your back to the pulley machine and reverse the exercise by starting in the "T" position and pulling your arms together straight in front of your sternum. Do three sets of 8 to 15 repetitions.
References
- "YMCA Personal Training Manual"; YMCA of the USA; 2006
- "Anatomy of Strength Training"; Pat Manocchia; 2010
- "The Pilates Body"; Brooke Siler; 2000
