Upper Back Stretch

Setup

1. 01Stand or sit tall with the core lightly braced.
2. 02Interlace the fingers and press the palms away from the chest.
3. 03Keep the chin gently tucked.
4. 04Round the upper back slightly to begin.

Execution

1. 01Push the hands forward as far as possible while rounding the upper back.
2. 02Let the shoulder blades slide apart and drop the head slightly.
3. 03Hold the stretch and breathe into the space between the shoulder blades.
4. 04Release slowly and restack into tall posture.

Checkpoints

• -The stretch is felt between the shoulder blades, not in the lower back.
• -Shoulder blades protract fully around the rib cage.
• -Shoulders stay down rather than shrugging up.
• -Breathing expands into the upper back during the hold.

Common mistakes

• -Rounding the lower back instead of the upper back.
• -Shrugging into the neck and creating tension there.
• -Reaching so fast that the shoulder blades never separate.
• -Holding the breath.