Very often, whether you stand or sit all day, by mid afternoon, if not before, your shoulders start to roll forward and you begin to slouch. It’s just your body getting tired and conforming to life in front of a computer or life looking down at things below you as you fill out paperwork or help a student at his desk.
So this week take some time to counteract that forward roll. Try some back extensions. You don’t have to get up from your desk and you can do them where ever you are standing. It won’t look odd. It will just look like you’re taking a little stretch. Here’s what to do:
- Stand up or sit up nice and tall, lengthening through your ears.
- Take a deep inhale to prepare.
- Exhale extend your upper back backwards. Try to move from the base of your rib cage only. Your hips shouldn’t move and your neck shouldn’t do all the work. It might help to think of it like pushing your breast bone forward. Keep your neck in line with your spine the whole time. Pull your shoulder blades back and down your spine.
- Stay extended for an inhale.
- Exhale come back to a tall, lengthened position.
- Repeat five times, focusing on the back muscles and the breath.
Enjoy and I hope the stretch helps wake you and your muscles up!
