A regular complaint I hear (more frequently from women) is that the upper trapz muscle feels tight and tender after weight training sessions. This can happen with cardio activities like running too, but that’s a whole different article!
If you find that after an upper body weights session, or even the next day, you are feeling tight and tense between the neck and shoulder – read on!
This area is called the Upper Trapz (short for Trapezius). Trapezius is a large muscle which covers most of the upper back and is separated into three sections based the differing orientation of the muscle fibres. The lower trapz are found at the mid back area – ranging from the lowest Thoracic vertebrae (T12) to around the mid Thoracic region and attaching onto the lower half of the shoulder blade (scapula). The Mid-Trapz fibres are found from around T7 to T1 and crossing horizontally over to the upper parts of the shoulder blade. The upper Trapz attaches to the Cervical (neck) vertebrae and base of the skull and spreads down and out to the acromion process (tip of the shoulder) and outer part of the collarbone (clavicle).
Each part of the muscle has a slightly different function, which can be seen here:
| Upper Trapz | Side bend neck to the same side; Elevates Shoulder girdle; Assists upward rotation of the shoulder blade |
| Mid Trapz | Retracts shoulder blade (pulls it back towards the spine) |
| Lower Trapz | Depresses shoulder blade (moves it down the back); Assists upward rotation of the shoulder blade |
Now we know what the Upper Trapz muscle is and what it does…why is it getting tight when we train?
Answer: It isn’t strong enough to cope with the demands we are putting on it because we are a) compensating for weakness elsewhere and b) we are lifting wrong!
Let’s start with Point A…
Many, many people do not have equal (relative) strength in their mid and lower Trapezius to their upper Trapz, or do not engage them fully when training. This is often due to a sedentary lifestyle causing increased Thoracic flexion (rounded mid back) or protracted shoulders (shoulders forward position) AKA a slumped posture. This lengthens the mid and lower trapz muscle fibres and contributes to their inactivity.
If the mid and lower fibres are not pulling their weight…upper trapz tends to overwork in order to stabilise the scapula and execute the motion of upward rotation. Overworked muscles are usually sore, tight muscles and with all the demands an upper body weight training session places on scapula motion, it’s no surprise that those upper trapz fibres are left feeling tight.
Point B…
A common sight I see is people hiking the shoulder up (elevating the shoulder) when performing weight training exercises. This can be for a number of reasons, but most commonly fatigue (towards the end of a set); lifting too heavy for your strength in the first place; poor technique or Injury. This is particularly evident on exercises such as the lateral or front raise, but also on row and reverse fly exercises to name just a few.
If you’re struggling to lift the weight, your body will subconsciously contract the upper traps to elevate the shoulder girdle and give you an extra little oomph! Whilst it may help you finish a set or lift more weight, it’s probably not helping in the long run.
When lifting, focus on scapula positioning – always set your posture before starting an exercise – think shoulder blades down and together on your back, and try to keep them this way throughout. You may even need to drop your weight down for a few weeks to really focus on technique and making sure that you are isolating the intended muscles.
In conclusion, if you are feeling the tension creep into the upper trapz during or after training upper body weights, consider a) strengthening your other scapula stabilisers (mid / lower trapz / serratus anterior) b) strengthening your upper Trapz so they can cope with demand and c) addressing your technique to ensure the shoulder doesn’t creep up towards your ear by the end of the set!
