4 Key Stretches
Lats
- Begin standing next to your bed or a table
- Adjust posture to be standing as tall as possible with core engaged and shoulders down and back
- Bend forward at the waist so your spine stays straight
- Put hands on your bed or table
- Sit back slightly and put your head between your arms until you feel a stretch on either side of your upper back just below your armpits
- Hold for 15-30 seconds
- Repeat 2 times
- While your hands are on the table, put your hips to one side so that it increases the stretch on the other side
- Hold for 15-30 seconds
- Repeat 2 times
- Switch sides
Rhomboids
- Begin in standing or sitting
- Adjust posture to be standing or sitting as tall as possible with core engaged and shoulders down and back
- Interlace your fingers and turn your hands so your thumbs are down, and your palms are out
- Push away with your hands so that your shoulder blades are separating
- Hold for 15-30 seconds when you feel a stretch
- Repeat 2 times
Upper Trap - Diagonal Flex
- Begin in standing or sitting
- Adjust posture to be standing or sitting as tall as possible with core engaged and shoulders down and back
- Bring chin to chest and then bend to right side
- Place right hand on the back of your head
- Pull slowly until you feel a stretch in the left side of your neck
- Hold for 15-30 seconds
- Switch sides
Middle traps and lower traps- cat/cow
- Begin on your hands and knees on a soft surface
- Arch through your upper back as your head goes in between your arms until you feel a stretch between your shoulder blades
- Hold for 15-30 seconds
- Go back to the neutral hand and knees position
- Drop your belly towards the ground and extend your neck back
- Hold for 15-30 seconds
- Repeat 2 times