Exercise Profile
- Target Muscle Group
- Exercise TypeSMR
- Equipment RequiredLacrosse Ball
- MechanicsIsolation
- Force TypeCompression
- Experience LevelIntermediate
- Secondary Muscles
None
Target Muscle Group
Traps
Trap Lacrosse Ball Overview
Using a lacrosse ball to perform smr on your traps is a great way to warm up and cool down for your workout, especially if you plan to perform upper body exercises that require the traps to be more mobile.
When you perform smr on the traps, or any muscle group for that matter, you alleviate some of the tension that is built up during the day and your workouts.
Trap Lacrosse Ball Instructions
- In a supine position, place the lacrosse ball directly underneath the base of the trap.
- Bridge your hips up to apply pressure into the lacrosse ball and roll back and forth. You can also move the arm overhead and across the body to “tack and floss” the trap and improve results.
- Roll slowly for 20-30 seconds, “tack and floss” for 5-10 repetitions, and repeat on the other side.
Trap Lacrosse Ball Tips
- The most important thing you can remember with any soft tissue work: KEEP BREATHING. Don’t hold your breath, you want to release tension, not generate it.
- Do not allow yourself to fall into overextension, keep tension through the abs.
- If you find a tender spot, pause for 5-6 seconds and focus on slow, deep breaths and try to relax.
- Performing SMR may be uncomfortable but that’s not an excuse to avoid it. It hurts because there may be physiological or neurological influences generating a pain response. The more you roll the better it’ll feel provided there’s no serious underlying mechanism.
- If you notice any burning, numbness, or tingling, keep moving past that area. It’s likely a nerve and pausing on it for any length of time would not be a good idea.
- If you find a sensitive spot, pause for a second and take the joint through flexion and extension. This a method of active release known as “tack and floss”.
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