Overhead Shrugs
| English Name | Overhead Shrug |
|---|---|
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Exercise Types | ایستا, ایزومتریک |
| Primary Muscle (EN) | Trapezius |
| Muscle Groups | Trapezius |
|---|---|
| Workout Type | Endurance Strength training |
| Required equipment | Barbell |
💠 Exercise guide
The overhead shrug is a unique exercise for strengthening the trapezius, placing greater emphasis on the upper portion of the muscle. Unlike the traditional shrug where the weights are held at the sides of the body, in this variation the weights are held overhead. This position creates an additional balance challenge and actively engages the shoulder stabilizers and core muscles.
💠 How to perform the exercise
Preparation
✅ Hold a barbell or a pair of dumbbells overhead with straight elbows.
✅ Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and brace your core.
Execution method
✅ Elevate your shoulders upward, similar to a standard shrug.
✅ Pause for a few seconds at the top.
✅ Slowly lower your shoulders back down.
✅ Keep your elbows straight and maintain full control throughout the movement.
Coaching tips and recommendations
✔ Choose a weight that does not compromise your balance.
✔ Avoid fully locking the elbows to keep tension on the muscles.
✔ Focus on contracting the trapezius rather than leaning or straining the lower back.
Benefits of the exercise
1️⃣ Strengthens the upper trapezius
2️⃣ Improves shoulder stability and control
3️⃣ Enhances muscular balance in the upper body
4️⃣ Helps improve posture
5️⃣ Builds strength and control in overhead movements like presses and Olympic lifts
6️⃣ Engages shoulder stabilizers and core muscles
7️⃣ Improves neuromuscular coordination in upper-body movements
8️⃣ Increases shoulder mobility
9️⃣ Reduces the risk of injury in pressing and pulling exercises
🔟 Adds variety to training and serves as an effective alternative to the traditional shrug
💠 Muscles engaged in the movement
The primary muscle targeted in the overhead shrug is the upper trapezius. In addition, the anterior and lateral deltoids, the erector spinae, and the core muscles are engaged as stabilizers to maintain balance and ensure proper execution.
Main muscles
Synergistic muscles
Stabilizers
Trapezius muscle
Trapezius Muscle
The trapezius muscle is one of the most important superficial back muscles, extending from the occipital region to the middle of the back. It plays a key role in shoulder movements, scapular stabilization, and neck motions. Strengthening this muscle improves shoulder endurance, reduces neck pain, and enhances overall posture.
✅ Persian Name: Zozanaghei
✅ Latin Name: Trapezius
✅ Common Name: Trapezius muscle
✅ Location:
🟡 A superficial muscle extending from the base of the skull to the twelfth thoracic vertebra (T12).
🟡 Positioned as a broad, diamond-shaped muscle on both sides of the spine.
🟡 Responsible for shoulder movements, scapular stabilization, and assisting neck motions.
✅ 🦾 Origin
✔ Occipital bone
✔ Cervical ligamentum nuchae
✔ Cervical and thoracic vertebrae (C7-T12)
✅ 🦿 Insertion
✔ Clavicle (lateral third)
✔ Acromion process of the scapula
✔ Spine of the scapula
✅ 📌 Division and Function | Muscle Roles
🔹 The trapezius muscle consists of three main parts, each with different functions:
1️⃣ Upper (Superior) part
✔ Elevates the scapula (like shrugging the shoulders)
✔ Assists in head rotation and neck flexion
2️⃣ Middle part
✔ Retracts the scapula (drawing the shoulder blades closer together)
3️⃣ Lower (Inferior) part
✔ Depresses the scapula (pressing the shoulders downward)
✔ Assists in upward-to-downward rotation of the scapula
✅ Main Functions:
✔ Stabilization and movement of the scapula
✔ Assistance in head and neck movements
✔ Providing stability during shoulder and arm motions
✅ 💪🏻 Muscle Fiber Types
✔ A combination of slow-twitch fibers (Type 1) for endurance and fast-twitch fibers (Type 2) for rapid movements.
✔ The lower part contains more slow-twitch fibers, aiding in endurance maintenance.
✔ The upper part has a higher proportion of fast-twitch fibers, suited for explosive and quick movements.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Role in Motor and Sports Performance
✔ Plays a key role in weightlifting, bodybuilding, swimming, gymnastics, and wrestling.
✔ Active during overhead press, pull-ups, deadlifts, and rowing movements.
✔ Strengthening this muscle increases neck endurance and reduces injuries caused by spinal stress.
✅ 🧗🏻♂️ Muscle Strength and Endurance
✔ This muscle is engaged in all overhead and shoulder movements.
✔ Weakness in this muscle leads to reduced endurance in strength training and increases the risk of shoulder and neck pain.
🧠 Innervation | Neural Control
✔ Accessory nerve (Cranial Nerve XI)
✔ Branches of cervical nerves (C3-C4)
🩸 Blood Supply
✔ Transverse cervical artery
✔ Suprascapular artery
✅ 🤼♂️ Role in Sports and Physical Activities
✔ Important in sports such as bodybuilding, weightlifting, swimming, wrestling, and boxing.
✔ Vital for head and neck stability in American football, rugby, and martial arts.
✅ 🏌🏻♂️ Relationship with Other Muscles and Joints
✔ Works alongside the rhomboid muscles, levator scapulae, and latissimus dorsi in scapular movement and stabilization.
✔ Weakness in this muscle leads to poor posture, neck pain, and limited shoulder mobility.
✅ 💉 Vulnerability and Potential Issues
✔ Spasms and tightness in this muscle are common and often cause pain in the neck and upper shoulder area.
✔ Weakness or lack of strengthening can lead to shoulder drooping and reduced power in overhead movements.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Key Exercises to Strengthen the Trapezius Muscle
1️⃣ Dumbbell or Barbell Shrugs – Increase size and strength of the upper trapezius
2️⃣ Wide-Grip Pull-Ups – Engage the middle and lower parts of the muscle
3️⃣ Deadlifts – Strengthen the entire trapezius muscle
4️⃣ Bent-Over Rows with Barbell or Dumbbells – Target the middle portion of the muscle
5️⃣ Face Pulls with Cable – Enhance strength and endurance of the middle and lower trapezius
✅ 🧘🏻♀️ Stretching and Recovery Exercises
✔ Neck Stretch – Reduces tension in the upper trapezius
✔ Trapezius Stretch – Increases flexibility and reduces spasms
✔ Shoulder Stretch – Improves range of motion
✅ Interesting Fact:
✔ The trapezius muscle plays a crucial role not only in shoulder and neck movements but also in stabilizing the spine and controlling upper body motions.
✅ Practical Tip:
✔ Combining strength exercises (such as deadlifts) with stretching movements (like neck stretches) is highly effective for improving performance and preventing muscle injuries.
🔴 Name and Location: A superficial muscle on both sides of the spine from the neck to mid-back
🟠 Anatomy: Three parts (upper, middle, lower) with distinct functions
🟡 Function: Stabilizes and moves the scapula; assists head and neck movements
🟢 Physiology: Combination of slow- and fast-twitch fibers for endurance and strength
🔵 Innervation: Accessory nerve and cervical nerves (C3-C4)
🟣 Importance: Active in bodybuilding, weightlifting, swimming, and martial arts
🟤 Exercises: Shrugs, deadlifts, pull-ups, rows, neck stretches
⚫ Interesting Fact: The most important muscle for overhead movements and shoulder stabilization
Levator scapulae muscle
Levator Scapulae Muscle
The levator scapulae muscle is one of the superficial back muscles that plays a role in elevating the scapula, stabilizing the neck, and maintaining shoulder stability. It extends from the cervical spine to the medial border of the scapula and is active in movements such as shoulder shrugging, neck rotation, and maintaining balance during upper body motions. Strengthening this muscle improves neck strength, reduces shoulder pain, and enhances posture.
✅ Persian Name: goshe-ye ketf
✅ Latin Name: Levator Scapulae
✅ Common Name: Levator Scapulae Muscle
✅ Location:
🟡 A narrow, elongated muscle extending from the cervical vertebrae to the upper part of the scapula.
🟡 Located on both sides of the neck and upper back, working alongside the rhomboid and trapezius muscles.
🟡 Its main function is to elevate the scapula and assist in lateral neck movements.
✅ 🦾 Origin
✔ Cervical vertebrae C1 to C4
✅ 🦿 Insertion
✔ Medial border of the scapula (upper part)
✅ 📌 Function and Roles
🔹 The levator scapulae muscle is responsible for the following functions:
1️⃣ Scapular elevation
✔ Like shrugging the shoulders during indifference or lifting the shoulders toward the ears.
2️⃣ Downward rotation of the scapula
✔ Assists in internal rotation of the scapula, involved in movements like pulling the arm downward.
3️⃣ Neck stability and movement
✔ Assists with lateral bending and flexion of the neck to one side.
✅ Main Functions:
✔ Elevating the scapula and assisting lateral neck movements
✔ Stabilizing shoulder position during various movements
✔ Supporting proper posture and reducing neck strain
✅ 💪🏻 Muscle Fiber Types
✔ Contains a mix of slow-twitch fibers (Type 1) for endurance and stability, and fast-twitch fibers (Type 2) for sudden neck and shoulder movements.
✔ Slow-twitch fibers help maintain balance and proper posture.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Role in Motor and Sports Performance
✔ Plays an important role in swimming, weightlifting, bodybuilding, boxing, and gymnastics.
✔ Influences overhead movements and neck stabilization during intense activities.
✔ Strengthening this muscle helps reduce neck pain and pressure caused by prolonged sitting.
✅ 🧗🏻♂️ Muscle Strength and Endurance
✔ The strength of this muscle is crucial for neck stability, reducing fatigue, and preventing shoulder and neck injuries.
✔ Weakness may lead to chronic neck pain and reduced shoulder range of motion.
🧠 Innervation | Neural Control
✔ Dorsal scapular nerve (C3, C4, C5)
🩸 Blood Supply
✔ Transverse cervical artery
✔ Dorsal scapular artery
✅ 🤼♂️ Role in Sports and Physical Activities
✔ Highly effective in sports such as boxing, weightlifting, wrestling, and bodybuilding.
✔ Plays a key role in neck and shoulder stretching movements.
✅ 🏌🏻♂️ Relationship with Other Muscles and Joints
✔ Works alongside the rhomboids, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi to stabilize the shoulder and neck.
✔ Weakness in this muscle increases pressure on the neck and leads to chronic muscular pain.
✅ 💉 Vulnerability and Potential Issues
✔ Tightness or spasms in this muscle can cause pain in the neck and shoulder area.
✔ Weakness increases strain on neck muscles and reduces shoulder mobility.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Key Exercises to Strengthen the Levator Scapulae
1️⃣ Dumbbell Shrugs – Increase muscle strength and endurance
2️⃣ Close-Grip Pull-Ups – Engage cervical and back muscles
3️⃣ Overhead Shoulder Press with Dumbbells – Enhance muscle stabilization strength
4️⃣ Narrow-Grip Lat Pulldown – Strengthen and increase muscle size
5️⃣ Cable Rows – Stabilize shoulder positioning
✅ 🧘🏻♀️ Stretching and Recovery Exercises
✔ Lateral Neck Stretch – Reduces tension and increases range of motion
✔ Trapezius & Levator Scapulae Stretch – Improves flexibility
✅ Interesting Fact:
✔ This muscle often tightens and becomes painful due to daily stress and tension, making regular stretching highly recommended.
✅ Practical Tip:
✔ To reduce tightness in this muscle, perform neck and shoulder stretches for a few minutes daily.
🔴 Name and Location: A long, narrow muscle extending from the cervical vertebrae to the scapula
🟠 Anatomy: Originates from cervical vertebrae (C1-C4) and attaches to the superior border of the scapula
🟡 Function: Elevates the scapula, performs internal scapular rotation, and stabilizes the neck
🟢 Physiology: A mix of slow- and fast-twitch fibers for endurance and quick movements
🔵 Innervation: Dorsal scapular nerve (C3, C4, C5)
🟣 Importance: Active in strength sports, wrestling, boxing, and bodybuilding
🟤 Exercises: Shrugs, close-grip pull-ups, shoulder press, lateral neck stretches
⚫ Interesting Facts: This muscle often tightens due to stress and prolonged sitting
Rhomboid Major Muscle
Rhomboid Major Muscle
The rhomboid major is one of the superficial muscles of the back, located between the spine and the scapula. It lies adjacent to the rhomboid minor muscle and is responsible for retracting the scapula towards the spine, stabilizing the shoulder, and assisting with scapular movements. Strengthening this muscle helps improve posture, prevent shoulder drooping, and reduce pain in the area between the shoulder blades.
✅ Persian Name: Rhomboid Major
✅ Latin Name: Rhomboid Major
✅ Common Name: Large Rhomboid Muscle
✅ Location:
🟡 A relatively deep muscle located between the thoracic vertebrae and the scapula.
🟡 It lies beneath the trapezius muscle and works in conjunction with the rhomboid minor muscle.
🟡 It plays a key role in scapular retraction and stabilizing the position of the shoulders.
✅ 🦾 Origin
✔ Thoracic vertebrae T2 to T5
✅ 🦿 Insertion
✔ Medial border of the scapula (from the scapular spine to the inferior angle)
✅ 📌 Function and Responsibilities of the Muscle
🔹 The rhomboid major performs the following functions:
1️⃣ Scapular Retraction
✔ Similar to bringing the shoulder blades closer together during a rowing motion.
2️⃣ Shoulder Stability
✔ Helps maintain the scapula in the proper position to prevent shoulder drooping.
3️⃣ Downward Rotation of the Scapula
✔ Assists in rotating the scapula when lowering the arm.
✅ Main Functions:
✔ Retracting the scapula towards the spine
✔ Stabilizing the scapula for arm movements
✔ Assisting in improving posture and reducing neck strain
✅ 💪🏻 Muscle Fiber Type
✔ Predominantly composed of slow-twitch fibers (Type 1) for endurance and stability.
✔ Contains fast-twitch fibers (Type 2) for quicker movements, such as sudden shoulder reactions.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Role in Movement and Sports Performance
✔ Plays a key role in rowing, weightlifting, swimming, and martial arts.
✔ Strengthening this muscle enhances shoulder retraction strength and upper body stability.
✔ Weakness in this muscle can lead to shoulder drooping and reduced strength in pulling movements.
✅ 🧗🏻♂️ Muscle Strength and Endurance
✔ The strength of this muscle is crucial for shoulder stability and preventing injuries caused by scapular imbalances.
✔ Weakness in this muscle may lead to pain between the shoulder blades and reduced arm range of motion.
🧠 Innervation | Neural Control
✔ Dorsal Scapular Nerve (C4, C5)
🩸 Blood Supply
✔ Dorsal Scapular Artery
✅ 🤼♂️ Role in Sports and Physical Activities
✔ Effective in sports such as bodybuilding, swimming, rowing, weightlifting, and boxing.
✔ Active in upper body pulling and endurance movements like pull-ups and rowing.
✅ 🏌🏻♂️ Connection with Other Muscles and Joints
✔ Works with the trapezius, rhomboid minor, and scapular muscles to stabilize and move the shoulder.
✔ Weakness in this muscle increases pressure on the neck muscles and reduces shoulder stability.
✅ 💉 Vulnerability and Potential Issues
✔ Weakness in this muscle can lead to chronic pain in the area between the shoulder blades.
✔ Failure to strengthen this muscle can cause shoulder drooping and increased pressure on the neck.
✅ 🏋🏻♂️ Main Exercises for Strengthening the Rhomboid Major Muscle
1️⃣ Bent-Over Rows – The strongest exercise for this muscle
2️⃣ Wide-Grip Pull-Ups – Strengthens the back and rhomboids
3️⃣ Face Pulls – Enhances shoulder strength and stability
4️⃣ One-Arm Dumbbell Row – Deep activation of muscles between the shoulder blades
5️⃣ Narrow-Grip Lat Pulldown – Improves shoulder and scapular muscle strength
✅ 🧘🏻♀️ Stretching and Recovery
✔ Scapular Stretch – Reduces tension and increases flexibility
✔ Upper Back Stretch – Improves range of motion and reduces stiffness
✅ Interesting Fact:
✔ The rhomboid major muscle is often weakened due to poor posture and slouching, which is why corrective exercises for it are highly recommended.
✅ Practical Tip:
✔ To prevent pain between the shoulder blades, combining strength exercises (like rowing) with stretching exercises (such as upper back and shoulder stretches) is very effective.
🔴 Name and Location: A muscle between the spine and scapula, located beneath the trapezius muscle.
🟠 Anatomy: Originates from the thoracic vertebrae (T2-T5) and attaches to the medial border of the scapula.
🟡 Function: Scapular retraction, stabilizing the shoulder position, downward rotation of the scapula.
🟢 Physiology: Contains slow-twitch fibers for endurance and stability.
🔵 Innervation: Dorsal scapular nerve (C4, C5).
🟣 Importance: Active in bodybuilding, rowing, weightlifting, swimming.
🟤 Exercises: Bent-over rows, pull-ups, face pulls, lat pulldown.
⚫ Interesting Fact: Plays an important role in posture and preventing shoulder drooping.
Muscle training
Pelank is a comprehensive encyclopedia of the body’s muscles, providing an accurate and scientific review of all muscles. Below, you can find muscle groups. By clicking on each muscle group, you will have access to complete information about it, including:
1️⃣ Basic information about the muscle
2️⃣ Muscle anatomy
3️⃣ Muscle physiology
4️⃣ Innervation and blood supply
5️⃣ Importance of the muscle in the body and sports
6️⃣ Strengthening exercises
7️⃣ Scientific and interesting facts
📌 At the end, a summary review of each muscle will be provided.
Body muscles training guide link
🔹 The muscle group engaged in this movement is highlighted in color.
References
Anatomy and medical books :
- Gray’s Anatomy (one of the standard references in anatomy).
- Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy (a famous visual atlas in anatomy).
- Clinically Oriented Anatomy by Keith Moore
Sports and training references :
- Strength Training Anatomy by Frederic Delavier
- Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning by NSCA
- Well-known articles and training programs by international coaches
Medical databases :
- PubMed (for scientific and research articles)
- MedlinePlus (health and medical information)
- WebMD (for practical and general health information)
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