In the last blog post I explained why pulling your shoulders back and lifting your chest is not good advice if you want to correct your hunched forward posture. In short, I explained how these postural cues hide the issue but don’t actually address it and can even make it worse.
Instead I have three areas I work on in my own body and with clients that want to work on their hyperkyphosis. All of these areas involve tuning in to subtle movements and giving the nervous system new movement inputs to choose from. Here are the three main areas I focus on:
- Learning how to release the psoas and drop the ribs.
- Learning how to extend the thoracic spine rather than create a big backbend by taking the ribs forward.
- Learning how to mobilize the shoulders separately from the rib cage.
I tackle all of these areas in my Upper Back & Shoulders Workshop and my Whole Body Class Series. This blog will address #3: mobilizing the shoulders and doing this separately from moving the rib cage. Here are 5 simple exercises (there are hundreds) to begin creating awareness improving shoulder mobility.
- Internal and External Rotation of the Shoulder
2. Protraction and Retraction of the Scapula (shoulder blade)
3. Using the Wall to Mobilize the Shoulder
4. Rhomboid and Forearm Pushups: Adding Load
5. Mobilizing the Shoulders separate from the Ribs
These are just a few of my favourites for working on external rotation of the shoulder, protraction of the shoulder blades, and de-coupling shoulder mobility from ribcage movement. Want more? Sign up for the next Upper Back & Shoulders Workshop or the Whole Body Class Series. All of my Classes and Workshops focus on helping you create more awareness of your movement blind spots and increase both mobility and strength.
