Dominic Stone
The rhomboid muscles are responsible for supporting the upper back and holding it in proper alignment. They pull the shoulder blades toward each other and press the shoulders down, away from the ears. You can activate your rhomboid muscles by squeezing your shoulder blades toward each other, which will pull your shoulders down and back, reversing the forward slump. Face pulls are a popular exercise to activate the rhomboids, as they improve posture and shoulder health.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Position | Squeeze your shoulder blades towards each other |
| Hold | Hold for a count of 5 and slowly release |
| Repetition | Repeat the exercise, this time imagining there's a quarter between your shoulder blades that you need to hold in place |
| Stretch | Stretch the muscles that span across the width of your chest |
| Exercise | Face pulls |
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What You'll Learn
Squeeze your shoulder blades together
Squeezing your shoulder blades together is a great way to activate your rhomboid muscles. These muscles are responsible for pulling the shoulder blades toward each other and pressing the shoulders down, away from the ears. This move will immediately and naturally pull your shoulders down and back, reversing the forward slump.
To activate your rhomboids, sit on a firm chair and wrap your arms around your ribs as if you're hugging yourself. Contract your back muscles and bend your elbows to pull your hands up to the sides of your head at around ear level. Your elbows should be pointing outward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a second or two.
Face pulls are another great exercise to activate the rhomboids. Secure a rope attachment to a cable pulley set to around forehead height. You can also loop a resistance band around a sturdy object and grasp the free end with both hands. Pull the rope straight toward your face and let your hands go off to the sides of your head. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a few seconds.
Repeat these exercises for reps and try to increase the hold time to strengthen your rhomboid muscles over time.
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Wrap your arms around your ribs
To activate your rhomboid muscles, you need to wrap your arms around your ribs and squeeze your shoulder blades towards each other. This will pull your shoulders down and back, reversing the forward slump.
The rhomboids are the muscles that support the upper back and hold it in proper alignment. They are responsible for pulling the shoulder blades toward each other and pressing the shoulders down, away from the ears.
To activate them, sit on a firm chair and wrap your arms around your ribs as if you are hugging yourself. Squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other and hold for a count of five. Slowly release and repeat, this time imagining there's a quarter between your shoulder blades that you need to hold in place. This will help you increase the degree to which you squeeze the muscles.
You can also activate your rhomboids by doing face pulls. Secure a rope attachment to a cable pulley set to around forehead height. Contract your back muscles and bend your elbows to pull the rope straight toward your face, letting your hands go off to the sides of your head at around ear level. Your elbows should point outward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a second or two. Reverse the motion to slowly return to the start position and repeat for reps.
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Face pulls
To perform a face pull, secure a rope attachment to a cable pulley set to around forehead height. You can also loop a resistance band around a sturdy object and grasp the free end with both hands. Contract your back muscles and bend your elbows to pull the rope straight towards your face, letting your hands go to the sides of your head at around ear level. Your elbows should point outward.
At the end of the range of motion, squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a second or two. Reverse the motion to slowly return to the start position, and repeat for reps.
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Contract your back muscles
To contract your back muscles and activate your rhomboids, start by sitting on a firm chair and wrapping your arms around your ribs as if to hug yourself. Then, squeeze your shoulder blades toward each other. Hold this position for a count of five and slowly release. Repeat this, but this time imagine there's a quarter between your shoulder blades that you need to hold in place. This will help you increase the degree to which you squeeze the muscles.
You can also try face pulls, which are a popular prehab exercise among lifters. To do this, secure a rope attachment to a cable pulley set to around forehead height. Then, contract your back muscles and bend your elbows to pull the rope straight toward your face, letting your hands go off to the sides of your head at around ear level. Your elbows should point outward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a second or two. Reverse the motion to slowly return to the start position, and repeat for reps.
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Stretch your pectoralis muscles
To activate the rhomboid muscles, you need to squeeze your shoulder blades towards each other. This will pull your shoulders down and back, reversing the forward slump. You can do this by sitting on a firm chair and wrapping your arms around your ribs as if you are hugging yourself.
To stretch your pectoralis muscles, try the following:
The doorway stretch
Stand in a doorway with your feet together. Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle and place your forearms on the doorframe, ensuring your elbows are at shoulder height. Take a small step forward with one foot, gently leaning into the doorway until you feel a comfortable stretch in your chest. Repeat on the other side.
Child's Pose
Start on your hands and knees in a tabletop position. Ensure your wrists are directly under your shoulders and your knees are under your hips. Gently walk your arms forwards until your forehead rests on the mat and your buttocks are on your heels. Hold for several seconds, then take a deep breath in and walk your hands back towards your knees.
Wall stretch
Stand upright next to a wall. Place your arm slightly above horizontal, with your palm facing the wall. Rotate your torso away from the wall, keeping your hand and arm firmly planted against it. As you stretch, keep your shoulder back on the side closest to the wall.
Face pulls
Secure a rope attachment to a cable pulley set to around forehead height. Contract your back muscles and bend your elbows to pull the rope towards your face, letting your hands go to the sides of your head at ear level. Your elbows should point outward. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and hold for a second or two. Slowly reverse the motion to return to the start position and repeat.
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Frequently asked questions
Squeeze your shoulder blades towards each other. This will pull your shoulders down and back, reversing the forward slump.
Face pulls are a good way to activate the rhomboids. To do this, secure a rope attachment to a cable pulley set to around forehead height. Then, contract your back muscles and bend your elbows to pull the rope towards your face, letting your hands go to the sides of your head at around ear level.
The rhomboids are the muscles that support the upper back and hold it in proper alignment. They are responsible for pulling the shoulder blades toward each other and pressing the shoulders down, away from the ears.
