I’m sure your back and shoulders get tight like mine. If you’re an athlete, or even sitting at a desk, your mid and upper back musculature is probably weak and overly tight.

I’m climbing 5 times per week, so stretching and mobility work have been a priority. I like to find easily accessible stretches for myself and my clients, after all, we can’t always get down on the floor for a proper stretch.

This one is simple. Find a step or chair where you can put your forearms on the inside of your thighs. Depending on which vector of your traps is tight, you may experiment on how high your knees should be in relation to your arms.

I’m a big believer in the contract/relax method of stretching. By contracting the stretching muscles isometrically, you give your muscles an effective opposing force. In this case, the forearms press into the inner thighs as the adductors pull the knees together.

Since your adductors are loading the retractors of your scapulae, the trapezius is forced to effectively tire it self out during the contract portion of the stretch. Upon the last rep, holding the final stretched position for 10 seconds will allow the traps to gain a deep and satisfying stretch.

Try this out and let me know what you think!