I posted this photo on my Instagram feed and was asked how can you replicate this with no equipment?
The side stretch exercise on a Pilates Arc with an added upper back extension gives an amazing chest opening. It’s so beneficial for those who tend to have a rounded shoulder posture or have desk jobs which require a lot of computer work.
Check out my video where I show the same movement but using a wall in a standing position.
Here I show how to open up the side of your body using a wall for support. I then transition into getting an upper back extension.
Additional tips & notes: I talk about shoulder health at the very beginning of this video because when I first learned this exercise, my right shoulder was being pulled into a forward position because I was so tight in my chest and my daily habits didn’t help. If I didn’t work to correct that posture I was heading towards a shoulder impingement.
If at any point you feel nerve pain, tingling sensations, or the joint hurts please come out of it!
It’s not worth it just to do a movement. Be kind to your body and listen to it.
When I position my hand on the wall I imagine my left shoulder blade gliding down my back to help get my upper arm bone in a slight external rotation. If you have a tight chest this may be hard. I also think about my sternum lifting up. You could stop at any point and just get a stretch and breath into the tight spot. My elbow’s bent and soft and I’m trying to get a sensation of doming in my armpit.
I talk about lifting my spine up because I don’t want to just hinge over I’m really looking for my spine to bend but in a lifted elongated way instead of compressing the vertebra in my spine.
The right arm may not come up by the ear and that’s OK! Ultimately you’ll want to get it there but I didn’t start that way.
Once you get into your side bend wherever feels good for your body, start looking with your eyes to the ceiling. The eyes are the king of the spine, so when you look out of the corner of your eyes you are indicating to your spine “ok I want to go that way”. Your body may not be ready to go there yet but slightly and gently send your intentions that way.
If it’s easy and you are open in your body go for it just try to keep your neck long and not just hanging back there because it may cause some tension in the neck and cut off your upward energy flow.
Watch that I’m trying to extend from my upper back. Think about your sternum placement but on your back above the bra line or bro line and up bending instead of the low back taking the work. Notice how your back feels as you go into this. We ideally want to have a long curve in the low back so we are not compressing the spine.
One more thing, notice what your ribs want to do. Do they want to pop out or can you keep your rib to pelvis connection as you take your arms overhead?
Let me know how this feels for your body!