The large angle between the shoulders and the neck causes the clavicles to move forward, dragging the entire shoulder area forward and downward, resulting in a slumped shoulder posture. In this posture, the scapulae will protrude outwards, making the person look lifeless. This slumped posture also affects clothing, making it lack shape.

From a physiological perspective, shoulder slump and trapezoid muscles are not directly related. Besides the inherent tendency, shoulder slump is primarily caused by bad habits such as incorrect posture while sitting and standing. Therefore, for shoulder slump sufferers who want to strengthen the trapezoid muscles, they should first improve their shoulder posture before training.

I. How to Improve Shoulder Slump Posture?

1. Dumbbell Y-Raise

Assume a standing posture with feet shoulder-width apart. Hold a dumbbell with both hands above the shoulders, maintaining stability. Then, raise both hands simultaneously in a Y-shaped trajectory, contracting the deltoid muscles for 1 second at the peak, and slowly lower the dumbbell back to the shoulder level. Repeat the action for 3 sets of 6-8 reps each.

Sponsored by isok.co Shorten the links behind every story Use isok.co to create clean URLs, QR codes and real-time source analytics for campaigns. Create tracked links

2. Dumbbell Side Fly

Assume a prone position, feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended downwards, with elbows not locked. Hold a dumbbell with palms facing in. Maintain a neutral spine. Then, keep the body stable and raise both hands outwards, reaching the highest point, holding the position for 1 second, and slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting point. Repeat the action for 3 sets of 6-8 reps each.

3. Aussie Pull-Up

Place feet flat on the ground, grasp a pull-up bar with arms fully extended, maintaining a straight line between the thighs and torso, with the scapulae pulled down. Hold your body weight with your shoulders and feet. Then, bend your arms to pull your chest towards the bar, keeping the legs and torso posture unchanged. At the highest point, hold the position for 1 second before slowly lowering the body. Repeat the action for 3 sets of 6-8 reps each.

II. How to Better Train the Trapezoid Muscle After Improvement

Action 1

Assume a seated posture, arms extended downwards, grasping a barbell with both hands, maintaining a neutral spine. Support your thighs and calves on the ground, with the legs and calves perpendicular to each other.

Contract the core muscles and raise the shoulders (shrug), maximizing the contraction of the abdominal oblique muscles. At the highest point, hold the position for 1 second, and then slowly lower the scapulae back to their original position. Repeat the action for 2-3 sets of 10-12 reps each.

Action 2

Assume a supine position on a bench, with arms extended forward and grasping a rope handle. Maintain stability and keep the core muscles contracted. Pull the rope handle outwards with both arms, maximizing the contraction of the trapezoid muscles. Hold the position for 1 second before slowly returning the weight to the starting point. Recommend 2-3 sets of 8-10 reps each.

Action 3

Assume a prone position on a bench, with arms extended in front of the body and grasping a rope handle. Maintain stability and keep the core muscles contracted. Pull the rope handle outwards with both arms, maximizing the contraction of the trapezoid muscles. Hold the position for 1 second before slowly returning the weight to the starting point. Recommend 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps each.

Action 4

Assume a standing posture with feet shoulder-width apart, with arms held behind the body and grasping a barbell with hands opposite the shoulders. Contract your core muscles and raise your hands upwards, simultaneously performing a shrug action, to enhance the stimulation of the trapezoid muscles. At the peak, contract for 1 second, and then relax your shoulders, allowing the dumbbell to return to its starting position. Continue the exercise. Recommend 2-3 sets of 6-8 reps.

Summary: Trapezoid muscle training should not be performed directly on shoulder slump sufferers. Although they are not directly related, performing trapezoid muscle training directly will make the shoulder slump posture more severe. Therefore, if you really want to train the trapezoid muscles, you should first improve your shoulder posture before training, which is the most effective method.