MoPro
TrainersEye · Neck & Upper Back Health
Neck & Upper Back O
Trainer's Eye
Phase 3 · Thoracic and upper back · Session O

Reach across.
Reach behind.
Reach overhead.

Rotation with the arm long, the high pull, and the positions that open the front of the chest.

  • Osession
  • P3Upper back
  • 12:00on the clock
  • — donecompleted

Serratus rotates the blade

Serratus anterior turns the shoulder blade upward so the arm can reach overhead without the neck helping.

Jaw and neck travel together

Jaw clenching and neck tension often occur together. If the jaw aches, it belongs in the conversation.

Trapezius has three parts

Upper, middle and lower trapezius do different jobs. Neck programmes usually train the upper one by accident and the lower one never.

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

A

Windmill

Side-lying windmill + Bretzel
A1

Side-lying windmill

60 s · slow reps

Side-lying, arms together in front; sweep the top arm overhead and around to the floor.

Easier smaller sweep  ·  Harder slower

R1R2—
A2

Bretzel

8 × 10 s/side · ×2

Side-lying; hold the top knee, catch the bottom foot behind, and open the chest.

Easier use a strap  ·  Harder hold longer

R1R2
B

Overhead

Overhead reach slides + high face pull
B1

Overhead reach slides

60 s · slow reps

Forearms on a table; slide them forward until the arms are overhead, chest dropping.

Easier shorter slide  ·  Harder lower table

R1R2—
B2

High face pull

12 reps · ×2

Towel above head height; pull the hands down and back to the ears, elbows high.

Easier less tension  ·  Harder more tension

R1R2
C

Lunge

Rotation lunge + prone horizontal abduction
C1

Thoracic rotation lunge

60 s · slow reps

In a lunge, hand inside the front foot; rotate the other arm up to the ceiling.

Easier smaller rotation  ·  Harder hold two seconds

R1R2—
C2

Prone horizontal abduction

12 reps · ×2

Face down, arms at 90°, thumbs up; lift to shoulder height and lower over three seconds.

Easier no weight  ·  Harder light weights

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. A stiff mid-back forces the neck to do its work. Free the ribs and the neck gets range for nothing.
  2. Pull at least as much as you push — the upper back is the neck's anchor.
  3. Move from the ribs, not the low back: the arch happens between the shoulder blades.
  4. Two clean sessions at a load earn the next. In doubt, add a rep rather than a kilo.

Tick it off

MovementRound 1Round 2Best
A1Side-lying windmillslow reps in 60 s —
A2Bretzel8 × 10 s/side
B1Overhead reach slidesslow reps in 60 s —
B2High face pull12 reps
C1Thoracic rotation lungeslow reps in 60 s —
C2Prone horizontal abduction12 reps
Session time
StreakDay —
Client / Patient
Coach / Clinician signature
Date
TE-12-NECK-O