Why this one exists
The upper trap works all day as a default shrug muscle. Anchoring the shoulder lets the neck side-bend do the stretching, not the shrug.
Set up
Sit on a firm chair. Hold the side of the seat with the left hand so that shoulder cannot rise.
Steps
- Hold the chair with the left hand.
- Tip the right ear toward the right shoulder.
- Turn the nose a few degrees toward the right armpit if that finds more stretch without pain.
- Switch the anchor hand and repeat left.
What you should feel
A broader stretch than a simple neck tilt, running from neck into the top of the shoulder.
Skip if it hurts
Skip if the arm on the anchored side goes numb or the stretch feels like a zap.
Common mistakes
Do not pull the head hard. The chair hand is the important part.