The triangular-shaped muscle that starts at the nape of your neck and extends to your mid-back is called the trapezius. This muscle supports your arms and allows your shoulders to rise and fall. A tight or weakened trapezius can cause pain or inflexibility in your neck and shoulders. One of the most effective exercises to strengthen your traps, as they are also called, is with the shoulder shrug.
Step 1
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart. Pull your stomach toward your spine. Extend your tailbone down. Straighten your back.
Step 2
Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Relax your arms by your sides so that the palms of your hands are facing the sides of your body. Start with lower weighted dumbbells at first; they should weigh between five to 10 pounds. Gradually increase the resistance as you become stronger.
Step 3
Lift your shoulders toward your ears as high as you are able to go while still keeping the rest of your body stabilized. Keep your arms relaxed at your side during the shrug; do not lift your arms up in any way to assist your shoulders.
Step 4
Lower your shoulders back down to starting position for one repetition. Complete a total of 10 repetitions.
Tips and Warnings
- The shoulder shrug can also be performed sitting on a workout bench. Sit on the edge of the bench with your feet flat on the floor; allow your hands to hang by the side of each leg. Lift your shoulders straight up and down, rather than rolling them from front to back, which will likely not hit your traps in the right way and may even cause stress to your shoulders.
Things You'll Need
- Dumbbells
