Shoulders · Neck
Unshrug
Activation · Seated or standing
- How to do it
- Lift your shoulders toward your ears, hold for 2 seconds, then let them drop and slide down away from your ears. Breathe out as they drop.
- Dose
- 8 × 2 s
- What you should feel
- The tops of your shoulders letting go as they drop
- Common mistake
- Holding your breath, or shrugging so hard the neck strains.
- Make it easier
- Shrug only halfway.
- Avoid this movement if
- Shrugging causes sharp neck pain.
Stop this movement if it causes sharp or worsening pain, numbness, weakness or dizziness.
Why it's here
Exaggerating the shrug, then letting go, makes it easier to notice when the shoulders are creeping up during work.
Routines with this move
Related moves
- Doorway or wall chest opener · Standing
- Elbows-pinned external rotation + scap squeeze · Seated or standing
- Shoulder rolls · Seated or standing
- Chin tuck · Seated or standing