An easy stretch for those tight computer (rounded) shoulders!
You can do this stretch anywhere! All you need is a door way, a corner wall, a pillar or a fence post! It is a gentle stretch that helps open your shoulders and your chest and is perfect for anyone who spends hours at a computer or on their phone.
Important things to remember about this stretch:
- Keep your shoulder down and back! Before you start to twist, do a little shoulder roll front to back with the shoulder of the bent arm and then keep it in that position as you twist.
- Keep your front ribs down and back. Use upper abs to keep your ribs down so your spine stays straight.
- Relax your sternum. Keep the lower chest area relaxed so it can stretch. Careful it doesn’t pop open with the ribs.
- If you want to increase the stretch, turn your head away from your bent arm.
- If you aren’t supposed to twist, you can still do this stretch, but make sure that you move your hips and shoulders equally so you aren’t twisting in your spine just opening the arm behind the shoulder.
- If you feel any tingling in your fingers while doing this stretch, back off slightly so you are still stretching your muscles and not irritating any nerves.
Be sure to hold your stretch for 30 seconds to 1 minute, either all at once or by easing out and easing back in if the stretch is too intense.
Looking for more chest stretches? Schedule your free 90 minute consultation.
This blog was contributed by our Pilates guru, Kaethe Birkner. Kaethe is a certified Pilates instructor through Balanced Body and dances ballet professionally at Continental Ballet Company. She has been teaching Pilates since 2012 and has been taking Pilates since 2004.