autostretching0204

THE UPPER BACK 2A.

Yourdifficulty is: Tight Muscles: Eąuipment: Starting Position:

Stretching:

Stimulation:

Common Errors:

Notes:

Normal Mobility:

Bending forward at shoulder level. Lying face down.

Muscles that bend upper back backward.

Table or bench. Cushion or other pad to soften edge. Maybe a belt.

Lie face down on table, upper torso beyond edge. Hołd body stead> r hooking feet under edge of table or by strapping legs down with a bet Place both hands on shoulders, fingers along spine.

1.    Look in direction of navel. Exhale and bend upper back forward. pulling forward and down with hands, so that stretch is felt in back of rib cage,

2.    Draw chin back and inhale.Try to straighten neck and back, while resi<-ing movement with hands; hołd for 5 seconds.

3.    Relax and look in direction of navel. Exhale and bend forward and do*z_ pulling with hands, to limit - maybe a little bit morę.

4.    Repeat until you feel you can stretch no further and muscles feel tigżr. Hołd this finał stretch from 15 seconds to a minutę or morę.

1.    Grip table legs with hands, or place palms on floor or other support.

2.    Look down toward navel.

3.    Exhale and bend upper back forward and down to limit.

4.    Resist movement with arms and hands.

5.    Hołd position a few seconds.

*    Chin juts forward.

*    Pelvis raised from table.

1.    Stretch should be felt only in upper back, not in lower back er elsewhere.

2.    If you move trunk farther out over edge. the effect of this stretci comes further down the back.

3.    As shown to the right, this exercise may also be done with hands grasping table legs.

You should have no difficulty bending your upper back.

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