What Does an Inverse Head And Shoulders Tell You? Investors typically enter into a long position when the price rises above the resistance of the neckline. The first and third trough are considered shoulders and the second peak forms the head. A move above the resistance, also known as the neckline, is used as a signal of a sharp move higher. Many traders watch for a large spike in volume to confirm the validity of the breakout. This pattern is the opposite of the popular head and shoulders pattern but is used to predict shifts in a downtrend rather than an uptrend.