A GOOD THING: Edition 3
EDITION 3: THORACIC EXTENSION
WE are so excited to talk to ya’ll about thoracic extension this week and why it’s important.
We are all aware of the impending “tech neck” that flares up from too many hours on our computers or phones, but rarely do we understand why it happens and how to fix it. Thoracic extension (mid upper back/ribcage) is a huge area of tightness for most people as well as a a part of the body that is weak because of poor posture and being seated way too many hours a day. Because we are a forward moving species, our back body is sometimes forgotten when we strengthen or stretch, therefore making extension much more challenging. Adding it into your movement practice will get your whole chain moving more functionally and sustainably.
With extension and strengthening the posterior chain (back bod) being the focus of the week, we wanted to give you some easy stretches you can do daily to help alleviate forward head and neck/back tension throughout your day. These stretches are great to help mobilize the least mobile part of your spine, and prep you for strengthening!
The movement Meg shows above is a great way to access the muscles along the back of your neck that connect your ribcage to your skull. These muscles tend to live in a lengthened/weak position (picture 1) and can be stretched by drawing your head back in space and giving yourself a triple chin. Focus on unclenching the jaw and feeling the chin slightly tip down so the occipital points (where the muscle attaches to the skull) get a little release.
Once your head feels aligned with your spine you can add the arms into the mix. Below, Meg stretches the front of her neck (scaline muscles) by tilting her chin up. This also shortens those back neck muscles to give them a bit of relief. Bringing your arms behind your head and drawing your chin to chest (adding cervical nod + curl) and then opening arms to goal post and reaching straight up puts your thoracic spine into a neutral position so that the lats and side body get an even stretch. It’s all connected bbs!
Once your neck and upper back are feeling good, a great addition to opening up your back body is adding rotation. We don’t have rotation as prominent in our daily life and activities so it can often feel super restricted. Follow the steps below for adding rotation correctly.
Goal post arms and align head with spine and shoulders.
grow tall through the crown of the head and soften shoulders.
Exhale to twist rib cage to one side, feeling pelvis stay stable and a deep rotation happening from under the ribs.
Resist the urge to move just from the shoulders, the rotation is from that ribcage rotation on your spine! If it’s super tight then range of motion will be small, that’s okay, form is way more important that how far you twist :)
Once seated stretches feel good and body is feeling loose, you can move to adding “weight” into your extension. Adding stretches in a quadruped position uses gravity as added weight to help stretch and add strengthening elements to the movements.
Using pressure of your hands into the mat as you add rotation, flexion, and extension will give your muscles more feedback to work as they stretch. Remember, as we move into more intense stretches and movements, form is always the most important. Use strong breath work to guide you through and let us know if you have any questions at all!
Love,
Sam and Meg
