Stretching for Shoulders, Back & Chest

Our modern lifestyles cause a huge problem for our shoulder and chest flexibility. We spend hours hunched over books, laptops and phones, added to by excessive chest and shoulder contractions at the gym.

WHY IS THIS A PROBLEM? Tight chest and shoulders can result in:

• Bad posture & backaches

• Poor shoulder flexibility & mobility for movement and sports

• Increase the likelihood of shoulder and back injuries

This particular chest and shoulder sequence incorporates elements of Yoga, Dance, Gymnastics, Biokinetics, and Pilates that can significantly improve shoulder flexibility. Ideally, done with a exercise ball as part of a warmup circuit or at home. Try this twice a week for one month to see immediate benefits, and feel your chest and shoulders opening up as you are supported by the ball underneath you.

If you do not have an exercise ball available, you can replicate some of these exercises with most objects, a sofa, Swedish wall bars, or a ballet barre. The key to this exercise is:

1. Keep core engaged with tailbone tucked under

2. Ribcage wants to poke out and to the front: actively tuck it under by rolling ribs under your sternum

3. Keep shoulders square and always forward: don't allow the movement to pull your shoulders backwards.

HOW TO USE THIS TRACK:

• ALWAYS warm up with at least one track from your WARMUP playlist first

• Use these tracks either as part of your flexibility training or as part of your cool down

• Deep flexibility/hyper flexibility training should NOT be performed before a heavy training session - leave this for the end or after your practice

• Ensure the room is warm enough for you to stretch

• Wear long layers if the room is cold

• Don't ever force a stretch: soreness/being uncomfortable is ok, but sharp pain is not

• Focus on the geometry and alignment of your positions

• Breathe deeply (breathe OUT as you deepen the stretch)