Name: Trapezius Isolated Activation
Uploaded: 2023-04-26T01:01:17.000Z
Duration: 2 min 39 s

English captions

https://stream.mux.com/00X01pFsXIDPydxA8ilhK01N8fFQM8KFP8sIDCYawKUY0000.m3u8

Learn how to properly perform trapezius isolated activation in this comprehensive step-by-step instructional video from the Brookbush Institute. This evidence-based video provides expert coaching on setup, positioning, alignment, and exercise modifications to improve trapezius activation and scapular stability. Enhance scapular retraction, depression, and upward rotation while supporting optimal shoulder mechanics and postural alignment with this targeted activation exercise. Perfect for athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and rehabilitation clients seeking to reduce upper back and neck discomfort, improve posture, and restore optimal movement mechanics while reducing injury risk.

Understanding Trap Activation and Upper Body Dysfunction

Demonstrating the Prone Ball ITY Exercise

Progressions of ITY Exercises: From 'I' to 'Y'

Adapting ITY Exercises to Individual Needs

Trapezius Isolated Activation

This is Brent, President of B2C Fitness discussing trap activation. As individuals with upper body dysfunction have this tendency to get protracted, they have a tendency to get stuck in downward rotation, our traps get weak. We have overactive synergists such as our rhomboids or levator scapulae, we need to do something to work on depression, retraction, and upward rotation. I'm going to have Salvina come out and help me demonstrate a very common exercise everybody sees, they're called ITYs. We're going to start with the prone ball ITY. So Salvina is going to get the ball on her hips, she's going to roll out, make her body line nice and straight, she's going to have her knees locked, her quads nice and tight, she can push off the wall a little bit. I'm going to have her glutes tight, pressing into the ball, so we don't use that lower back. Then from here down, this stays just the way it is. Now, our upper body, which is what we're working, our traps, the first thing we're going to do is a cobra, or the "I" portion of an ITY. The cobra, we're just going to bring our hands up and back this way, as she externally rotates her arms, we're really working on pinching, protracting, and depressing our scapula. I'll have her do a couple of those for me, nice and slow. Great. Now a progression from this exercise is to go into a "T". This requires a little bit more control, and a little bit more flexibility. So, Salvina's still going to work on depression and retraction of the scapula, it's still the same here, and then we get a little bit more of that upward rotation component, that is so challenged in individuals with upper body dysfunction. Once again, we're externally rotated, thumbs are pointed towards the ceiling, that's nice and straight, perfect. And then we can progress from here, to the most challenging of our ITY, group which is to be able to maintain retraction and depression, while going into scaption in a "Y". This is pretty tough for Salvina, so we might stick with the "I" and "T", work on her flexibility, work on her stability a little bit more, and then progress maybe in the following week to this "Y". Now, it should be mentioned that a ball "ITY" is a progression unto itself. For most individuals, I would start them hanging off the table with just one arm, and then maybe progress to a bench with two arms, and then progress to a ball. So we're going to increase instability. Thank you.

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Integrated functional anatomy of the trapezius/trap muscles. Attachments, nerves, palpation, joint actions, arthrokinematics, fascia, triggerpoints, and behavior in postural dysfunction. Examples of common activation exercises, stretches, foam rolling, subsystems, and strength exercises for the trapezius/traps.

Trapezius Muscles

Trapezius exercises for improving movement dysfunction, posture, shoulder pain, neck pain, forward head, scapulothoracic pain, and sports performance. Great scaption, cobra, ITY variations and progressions.

Trapezius Exercises (Activation)

Prone Trapezius Activation on Stability Ball:

Lie prone on a stability ball. The ASIS (anterior superior iliac spine) should be the primary point of contact for the ball, allowing the pressure of one's own body weight to be supported by the pelvis and not the stomach.

Dorsiflex the ankles so that the toes, and potentially the balls of the feet, make contact with the floor. For added stability, the balls of the feet may be placed against a wall or solid object, note that the toes should still remain in contact with the floor. Cue triple extension mechanics, extending the hip (contracting the 

 ) and extending the knees (contracting the quadriceps), and pushing the toes and balls of the feet into the floor and wall. It should be the thrusting of the hips resulting from contracting the 

 that elevates the torso, and not lumbar extension.

 ), avoiding simply extending the neck. The nose should remain pointed toward the floor through the entirety of the movement.

Retract and depress the scapula, extend and externally rotate the arms reaching for the heels. Do not cue arms toward the ceiling as this could result in anterior tipping of the scapula when terminal extension of the shoulder is reached. (Note: the range of motion is fairly small)

Perform 12 – 20 repetitions through full available range of motion, with a 2:4:2 or 4:2:2 tempo, and move on to your next activation exercise. A second set may be performed if you desire and the patient is capable.

Note: I prefer to hold the top position for 4 seconds (2:4:2 count) reinforcing cues for cervical retraction, scapular depression and retraction, and triple extension mechanics in the lower extremities.

Keep in mind that the goal of this exercise is scapular depression with upward rotation, not how much shoulder motion can be achieved. Do not allow scapular elevation or anterior tipping for the sake of gaining more range of motion.

This same position can be used for prone abduction with external rotation, and/or scaption by cueing the appropriate arm position from step 5.

Abduction with external rotation: With your client/patient's elbows extended (arms straight), have them externally rotate their arms so the thumbs point up. Ask them to horizontally abduct just below shoulder height while maintaining scapular retractions and depression.

Scaption: With your client/patient's elbows extended (arms straight), and thumbs pointing up, have them attempt to reach up to roughly 130° of abduction while maintaining scapular retractions and depression.

Trapezius Isolated Activation

Upper Trapezius, Levator Scapulae, Splenii and Rhomboid Vibration Release

Upper Trapezius Static Manual Release (Soft Tissue Mobilization)

NASM Prone Ball Combo (Trapezius Activation)

Upper Trapezius SA Static Stretch

Trapezius Reactive Activation

Upper Trapezius SA Static Release

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