Upper back · Shoulders

Seated scap squeeze

Activation · Seated

How to do it

Sitting tall, draw your shoulder blades together and slightly down. Hold briefly, then release. Don’t shrug up toward your ears.

Dose

10 reps · 3s hold

What you should feel

The muscles between your shoulder blades switching on

Common mistake

Shrugging shoulders up toward the ears.

Make it easier

Squeeze at half effort.

Avoid this movement if

You feel sharp pain at the shoulder joint.

Why DeskBreak uses it

Wakes up the muscles between the shoulder blades that switch off when the arms live in front of the body.

Stop this movement if it causes sharp or worsening pain, numbness, weakness or dizziness.