Name: Playbook - Ashley Thomas - Upper body Stretches for Back, Neck, and Shoulders
Uploaded: 2024-01-19T23:30:03.830Z
Duration: 15 min
Description: Upper body Stretches for Back, Neck, and Shoulders

When it comes to stretching, make sure you warm up your muscles slightly (if you plan on deep stretching). Even a few arm circles will help.

You want to hold the stretches for 60-90s each making sure to breathe throughout the movement. This is different than performing things like thoracic spine exercises in which you're moving through the drill.

Foam roller chest opener

Use your right arm to grab the side of your hear and gently pull it toward the right.
Hold for 30 seconds and then look down toward the floor while still holding the head and hold another thirty seconds.
Release and repeat on the other side.

Use your own strength the stretch out your neck. Remember to work WITH your breath and move gently.

* perform on each side

Neck stretches

Come into a position on all fours.
Keeping your hips elevated off your legs, walk your hands forward and keep your arms straight.
Press your chest to the floor and open up the upper back.
Think of bringing your belly button up and holding a neutral to posterior pelvic tilt. This ensures you stretch in the underarms and not the low back.

Hold for 90 seconds.

Puppy pose

Come into a table top position on your hands and knees.
Take your right arm and thread it through the gap between your legs and left arm.
Place the right shoulder on the floor and look to the left.
Twist from your upper back and not your lower back so that you feel the stretch in the back of your right shoulder.
Use the floor as resistance to twist from the upper back while keeping the hips squared so that the low back is not twisting.

5 reps each side, holding longer on the last rep.

Thread the needle

Come into a child pose position with your bum on your heels and arms straight out in front of you.
Walk your arms to the right side while maintaining the position until you feel a stretch in the left side.
Hold and repeat on the other side.
This stretch is also great for relaxing the pelvic floor. The goal is to get breath into the side body and ribs.

Hold for 60 seconds each side.

Crescent Childs pose

With your knees on the floor place your elbows on a bench or couch and bring your hands together.
Keeping the elbows on the bench, push your chest toward the floor, opening up the arm pits.
Hold.
Open up the underarms to get the upper back into extension. Make sure the belly is pulled to the spine so there’s no arch in the lower back.

Hold for 60 seconds.

Assisted Tricep stretch

Lay on your right side with your knees bent at hip level.
Place your arms together straight out from your shoulders on the floor.
Place a pillow or yoga block between your knees.
Without moving your hips (keep them squared and facing forward), open your left arm toward the opposite floor.
Twist from the upper back, not the lower back.
Bring the arm back to the other and repeat.
Mobility drill that helps get movement in the shoulders and upper back. Make sure the knees stay stacked and hips face forward to ensure movement in the upper and not lower back.

Perform for 30 seconds on each side.

Thoracic openers

Sit or stand up tall.
Take your left arm and wrap it under the right elbow and bring your palms together.
Slowly move your elbows up and down above and below shoulder level.
Can be done statically (not moving) or as a dynamic stretch where you move the arms up and down.
Repeat for 30 seconds each side or hold for 45 seconds each side.

Upper body Stretches for Back, Neck, and Shoulders

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