The trapezius is a muscle group of the back and neck. There are three sections of the traps. All three sections pull the shoulders back. The top portion also lifts the shoulders, and the bottom portion pushes the shoulder blades down. Exercises without weight can stretch these muscles to promote flexibility, which may reduce neck pain and improve posture in the neck and shoulders. You can also use your body weight to strengthen the traps.
Trap Stretching Exercise
Carrying a heavy purse on one side of your body, wearing a heavy backpack and holding your head in a forward position throughout your day may all lead to tension in your upper traps. The upper traps connect at the base of your skull and go down to your shoulder blades. If these muscles are tight, you can feel pain in the neck or shoulders. Stretching relieves tension in the traps. A simple way to stretch is to look straight ahead and then just tilt your head toward your right shoulder. Use your right hand to pull the head gently down and hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Then stretch to the left side.
Shoulder Packing
Shoulder packing is a simple exercise that targets the traps, as well as the rhomboids of the upper back and the lats of the lower back. All three portions of the traps work for this exercise because all you do is pull your shoulders back. This is known as scapular retraction. Stand with your arms relaxed at your sides and pull your shoulders back as if trying to make the shoulder blades meet in the center of your back. Hold them there for five to 10 seconds. The shoulders are down away from the ears during this exercise, which uses the lower traps.
Supermans
Supermans strengthen your traps through retracting and depressing the shoulder blades. Depressing the shoulders means to push them down away from the ears. Supermans also strengthen the lower back, glutes and shoulders. Lie on your abdomen with your arms straight in front of you on the floor to begin. Turn the palms to face each other. Press your shoulders down and back. Then, lift your legs, arms, head and chest toward the ceiling. Lower back to the floor slowly.
Inverted Shrugs
The inverted shrug is an alternative to the popular weight training exercise known as shrugs, which have you hold weights or raise a machine's weight stack as you elevate your shoulders. Inverted shrugs involve hanging upside and pressing your body upwards. Your shoulders elevate when you raise your body, which targets the traps. To perform this exercise, hang upside down, holding two parallel bars with your palms facing inward and your knees bent toward your chest. Shrug your shoulders with your arms straight to lift your feet toward the ceiling and then slowly lower back to the starting position.
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