Roller Back Stretch

Setup

1. 01Place a foam roller on the floor perpendicular to the spine.
2. 02Lie back so the roller sits across the mid-back at the bottom of the shoulder blades.
3. 03Support the head lightly with the hands, elbows pointing forward.
4. 04Plant the feet flat with knees bent and hips resting on the floor or just off it.

Execution

1. 01Exhale and gently extend the upper back over the roller.
2. 02Hold the extended position for a breath or two, letting the segment open.
3. 03Lift the hips slightly and roll the roller one segment up or down the mid-back.
4. 04Repeat the extend-and-hold at each segment between the mid-back and the base of the neck.

Checkpoints

• -Extension happens over the roller, not by arching the lower back.
• -The head stays supported so the neck never whips backward.
• -Movement stays slow, matched to long exhales.
• -The roller stays between the lower shoulder blades and upper back, off the lumbar spine.

Common mistakes

• -Rolling onto the lower back, which it does not tolerate well.
• -Flopping into extension quickly instead of easing in with the breath.
• -Pulling on the head with the hands.
• -Chasing pain; the stretch should feel like a firm release, not a bruise.