Sore quadriceps are not a pleasant sensation. A tight lower back is also not ideal. But neck pain and stiffness are a completely different situation.
Fortunately, all it takes is 10 minutes to release the stiff trapezius muscles a bit. Whether you wake up with a twisted neck knot or are feeling some stress after a strenuous workout, we recommend trying this quick routine.
5 exercises to stretch the trapezius
Neck circle
- Start sitting in a chair or kneel on the floor.
- With your hands crossed on your chest, begin to rotate your neck clockwise.
- Push your neck gently to the limits of a comfortable range.
- Circle in this direction for five reps, then turn counterclockwise.
Shoulder roll
- Begin to kneel or sit with your arms at your sides.
- Shrug your shoulders as high as possible towards your ears.
- Roll your shoulders forward and down, creating as much space between your ears and shoulders as possible.
- Pull them down and back, bringing your shoulder blades together.
- Finish shoulders up by the ears again and complete 10 reps.
- Repeat all reps in the opposite direction.
Upper trapezius stretch
- Start by sitting in a chair or kneeling on the floor.
- Extend your right hand above your head and gently grasp the left side of your head.
- Gently apply pressure to bend your neck to the sides, stretching it toward the trapezius muscle.
- With each deep breath, gently apply a little more pressure.
- Hold here for 30 seconds, release and repeat 3 times total.
- Do the same on the opposite side.
Be careful not to pull on your neck, but to apply pressure to the stretch gradually.
Upper trapezius trigger point
- Place a massage ball or lacrosse ball between your upper shoulder and your upper trapezius muscle.
- Lean gently against the wall, adding pressure to the muscle.
- Hang in here for a moment, then release the pressure.
- Repeat 10 times, then switch to the other side.
You can also gently roll from side to side against the ball to ease the knots and further massage the trap and shoulder muscles.
Upper trapezius release with arm lift
- Place a massage ball or lacrosse ball between your upper shoulder and your upper trapezius muscle.
- Lean gently against the wall, adding pressure to the muscle.
- Raise your arm up and down for 20 reps.
- Then repeat on the opposite side.
