MoPro
TrainersEye · Neck & Upper Back Health
Neck & Upper Back C
Trainer's Eye
Phase 1 · Settle and move · Session C

Glide back.
Not up.
Not down.

Retraction, the first mid-back extension and the gentle levator work — the three things a desk neck needs most.

  • Csession
  • P1Settle
  • 12:00on the clock
  • — donecompleted

The best posture is the next one

Movement variety beats any single ideal position. Changing position every twenty to thirty minutes is the intervention.

Thoracic stiffness costs neck range

A stiff mid-back forces the neck to make up the difference in every reach and turn.

Screen height

Raising a screen to roughly eye level reduces how long the neck spends bent forward. It changes exposure, not capacity.

Three couplets · two rounds · twelve minutes · a neck that carries the day

A

Glide

Retraction glides + chin tuck hold
A1

Cervical retraction glides

60 s · slow reps

Slide the head straight back over the shoulders as if making a double chin, then release.

Easier smaller glide  ·  Harder hold three seconds

R1R2—
A2

Chin tuck hold

6 × 10 s · ×2

Hold the retracted position with the eyes level and the jaw relaxed.

Easier shorter holds  ·  Harder 15-s holds

R1R2
B

Mid-back

Thoracic extension + prone setting
B1

Seated thoracic extension

60 s · slow reps

Hands behind the head; arch the mid-back over the chair back and return, ribs down.

Easier smaller range  ·  Harder hold two seconds

R1R2—
B2

Prone scapular setting

12 × 5 s · ×2

Face down, arms by the sides; set the blades down and back without lifting the arms.

Easier shorter holds  ·  Harder lift the hands slightly

R1R2
C

Trace

Chin tracing + levator reaches
C1

Chin tracing — half circles

60 s · slow reps

Trace a half circle with the chin from shoulder to chest to shoulder — never backwards.

Easier smaller arc  ·  Harder slower

R1R2—
C2

Levator scapulae reaches

10 × 8 s · ×2

Turn the head 45° away and look down into the armpit; reach, hold, release.

Easier smaller range  ·  Harder hold longer

R1R2

The clock

Round 1settle in — 70%, perfect tracking
0:00A1 → A2
2:00B1 → B2
4:00C1 → C2
Round 2own it — beat Round 1 by quality
6:00A1 → A2
8:00B1 → B2
10:00C1 → C2

Each couplet: 60 s scored → the loading set → 10 s to move on. Done at 12:00.

How to run it

  1. Pain rule: up to 4/10 during, back to your normal by the next morning, no worse week to week.
  2. Never force or twist the neck to make it click. Nothing in this programme goes to a hard end range.
  3. Dizziness, visual change, slurred speech or swallowing trouble with neck movement: stop and get seen the same day.
  4. Isometric holds first. Tension without movement is the calmest way to load an irritable neck.

Tick it off

MovementRound 1Round 2Best
A1Cervical retraction glidesslow reps in 60 s —
A2Chin tuck hold6 × 10 s
B1Seated thoracic extensionslow reps in 60 s —
B2Prone scapular setting12 × 5 s
C1Chin tracing — half circlesslow reps in 60 s —
C2Levator scapulae reaches10 × 8 s
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-NECK-C