This exercise involves holding dumbbells while lying on an incline bench and shrugging your shoulders up towards your ears. It primarily targets the upper trapezius muscles in the shoulders and can help improve posture and upper body strength.
Type
Strength
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Key Benefits
- Targets the upper trapezius muscles, which are responsible for shoulder elevation and stability
- Improves posture and reduces the risk of shoulder injuries
- Increases strength and endurance in the upper back and shoulders
- Can be performed with a variety of weights and angles to challenge different muscle groups
- Can be easily modified for individuals with shoulder or neck pain by using lighter weights or adjusting the angle of the bench
How to perform
- Start by lying on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Extend your arms straight up towards the ceiling, with your palms facing each other.
- Slowly shrug your shoulders up towards your ears, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
- Hold for a second, then slowly lower your shoulders back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of reps.
- Make sure to keep your elbows slightly bent throughout the exercise and avoid using momentum to lift the weights.
FRONT VIEW
BACK VIEW
Traps
Primary
Back
Primary
Upper Back
Primary