Mid to Lower Back
– Alternate Stretch exercise with Muscle Activation (Mobility) exercise
(1) Side Lying Upper Body Opener: tighten your abs; arms and legs perpendicular to floor
(2) All 4’s Scapula Press: tighten your abs; arms and legs perpendicular to floor; plus part of push-up plus
(3) All 4’s reach underneath: thread the needle; slide hand on floor
(4) Bird Dog
(5) Figure 4 Stretch
(6) Crunch single leg straight
(7) All 4’s Child Pose: knees wide; arms straight and wide; rock back buttocks to heels push chest to floor
Thoracic Spine – Rotation
(1) Side Lying Upper Body Opener: side lying locks the hips down; slide upper arm along floor arm before opening
(2) Seated stick behind head Rotation
(3) Standing stick behind head Rotation
(4) Standing no stick arms bent Rotation
(5) Standing Leaning Forward arms bent Rotation
Thoracic Spine Extension (1)Supine Arch over towel (Note: can also use big ball or heavy bag)
(2) Foam Roller long ways: arms out and moving T to W
(3) Kneeling: with elbows bent arms for thoracic spine; can do straight arms as well which will hit more lats
Thoracic Extension on a Foam Roller (1)Bilateral: on a 90 degree angle to the roller; brace the core; don’t arch the lower back
(2) Unilateral: on a 45 degree angle to emphasize one side helping lateral rotation; technique same as bilateral