3. Connect Your Base-Line

To Your Upper Body.

human skeleton, off-center view from the back showing the trapezius muscles from back of the head to mid-back, extending out towards each shoulder. Together, the trapezius muscles form a diamond-shaped sheet of muscle. The lower point midline on the spine level with the lowest ribs. Extending upwards and outwards to the shoulders. Then up and in, towards the head, curving up the neck. Also showing the baseline muscles: the rectus abdominis muscles at the front of the abdomen and the pelvic floor muscles spanning the pelvic canal.

The trapezius muscles connect the head and arms to Base-Line support and are responsible for aligning the upper body.

The whole of both trapezius muscles should be free to fully extend in all directions.

Keeping it simple...

your trapezius muscles

tra-pee-zee-us

the trapezius muscles, connecting the base-line muscles to the head and arms. Trapezius muscles in an outline of the upper body showing the base of the skull and shoulder blades. A blanket of muscle over the upper back and back of the neck. Thin, sculpted muscles that should be free to extend in all directions supporting the head and arms through a full range of movement.

trapezius in detail

The left and right trapezius muscles are the superficial muscle layer from mid-back to the back of the head.

Big, thin muscles that curve down the neck and extend out towards each shoulder.

The trapezius muscles attach to the skull, shoulder blades, collar bones and the bones of the spine (via connective tissue).

Trapezius attachments to base of the skull.

Feel for the midline bump on the back of your head and then move your fingers towards your ears and feel the ridge where the trapezius muscles attach.

The midline bump is known as the external occipital protuberance one of the 5 midline markers for alignment.

external occipital protuberance

2 images. Back view and off-center view from the back. Showing the skull and vertebrae of the spine with the right trapezius muscle also shown. The nuchal ligament in the neck, which continues as the supraspinous ligament to the sacrum can be seen on the body's midline. It is via these ligaments that the trapezius muscles attach midline to the back of the vertebrae/bones of the spine. The nuchal ligament is a leaf-shaped structure in the back of the neck, a sheet of connective tissue between the cervical vertebrae and the trapezius muscles. The supraspinous ligament is a cord of tissue along the back of the spine to which the trapezius muscles attach.

Trapezius attachments to the spine.

The left and right trapezius muscles meet midline, attaching to the spine via the nuchal ligament in the back of the neck and the supraspinous ligament from the base of the neck down the back.

nuchal & supraspinous ligaments

Attachments to the collar bones and shoulder blades.

Feel for all the bony bits where the trapezius attaches near the shoulder. A pencil-like bone at the front (the collar bone/clavicle) and lumps of bone at the shoulder and a ridge of bone at the back (parts of the shoulder blade/scapula).

view from behind of the bones of the upper body, Showing the right trapezius in-situ. The left trapezius is not shown but where it attaches to the scapula and clavicle are marked. The clavicle, or collar bone, is a pencil shaped bone at the front. The trapezius attaches to the third closest to the shoulder. The scapula, or shoulder blade, is an odd-shaped bone, a flattish triangle with a ridge on the back surface known as the spine of the scapula, and several knobbly bits, for want of a better description sorry, at the end nearest the shoulder joint. The trapezius muscles attach to spine of the scapula and the acromion (one of the knobbly bits) Palpate the structures around your shoulder

the left and right trapezius muscles seen from the back. Each muscle can be divided into three areas: The lower trapezius muscles originate from the spine level with the lowest ribs, extending upwards and outwards towards the shoulders. The lower trapezius is triangle shaped, pointed at the base. The middle trapezius fibres run from midline towards the shoulders, strips of muscle tissue almost horizontal across the top of the upper back. The upper trapezius muscles from shoulders to base of the skull, almost like triangles again but the attachment to the skull is a line rather than coming to a point. The whole of both trapezii form a kite-shape. with the cross of the frame consisting of the nuchal and supraspinous ligaments midline up the middle and the middle trapezius the horizontal bars. There is an ellipse of connective tissue between shoulder blades, in the middle where the trapezius muscles meet. Connective tissue connects the upper trapezius to the skull and connective tissue attaches the muscles to the clavicle and scapula.

The 3 parts of the trapezius.

The direction of the muscle fibres creates 3 sections in each trapezius: the lower, middle and upper trapezius.

Between the shoulder blades there is a diamond/ellipse shaped section of connective tissue extending from the muscle tissue.

Movement of the upper body should begin from the lower trapezius, extending upwards and out towards to the arms and head.

Think extension and expansion, like wings spreading wide.

The trapezius muscles - a blanket of muscle that should be smooth and wrinkle-free.

Figure from behind showing the trapezius muscles and arrows extending upwards from the lowest point of the muscles. Movement of the upper body should start from the lower trapezius, extending upwards and outwards. The scapula bones are the start of the arms, extending from midline of the back.

the left trapezius muscle seen from the side showing the curves of the muscle, sculpted down the back of the neck and extending forwards to attach to the collar bones. The trapezius muscles are thin, like a blanket of muscle over the upper back and neck that should be smooth and wrinkle free, able to extend in all directions to guide the upper body, head and arms, through a full range on natural movement. Also showing the midline supraspinous ligament that extends down the spine from the bottom of the trapezius.

Look at the pictures, feel for the bony attachments and appreciate the shape and extent of your trapezius muscles.

There is a large potential for movement in the upper body but this area can also carry a lot of restrictions, causing tension, pain and body imbalance.

As you connect with your Base-Line and start to feel your alignment you will become more aware of the condition and range of movement in your upper body.

Base-Line muscles

Do you have any connection to your trapezius muscles?
Can you activate them from midback up? Push your shoulders up from under, not pulling them up from above.
Can you feel your arms extend out from midline? Your shoulders free to move and rotate?
Can you let your head relax forwards? Fully, without tension?

view of the upper body front off center. Showing the trapezius muscles and selected bones. The cervical vertebrae are not shown, allowing the nuchal ligament in the back of the neck to be seen. The left and right trapezius muscles merge with the nuchal ligament and these muscles are key to feeling the relative position of the nuchal ligament and its state of alignment. The left and right clavicle and scapula are shown, the trapezii attaching towards the shoulder.

3. Connect Your Base-Line

To Your Upper Body.

your trapezius muscles

OPTIMISING THE USE OF YOUR MUSCLES = BETTER HEALTH.