Posture & Movement Awareness

Starting Position

Stand with your back against a clear wall, feet shoulder-width apart.

How to Do It

1. Place your arms against the wall with elbows bent to 90 degrees and palms facing forward.
2. Slide your arms upward, keeping contact as comfortably possible.
3. Lower to the starting position.

What You Should Feel

Gentle movement around the shoulders.

Common Mistake

Avoid arching your lower back to gain reach.

Starting Position

Begin on hands and knees, hands under shoulders and knees under hips.

How to Do It

1. Round your back toward the ceiling and ease your chin toward your chest.
2. Then gently lower your belly and lift your head and tailbone.
3. Alternate slowly within a comfortable range.

What You Should Feel

Gentle movement through the back.

Common Mistake

Avoid forcing either end of the movement.

Starting Position

Stand securely in a doorway with forearms against the frame and elbows bent to 90 degrees.

How to Do It

1. Lean forward only until you feel a gentle chest stretch.
2. Hold without bouncing.
3. Ease back to release the stretch.

What You Should Feel

A gentle stretch across the chest, not pinching at the shoulder.

Starting Position

Lie on your side with knees bent and both arms extended in front.

How to Do It

1. Move the top arm across your body as you open your chest.
2. Follow the hand with your eyes while keeping the lower body still.
3. Return slowly. Repeat on the opposite side.

What You Should Feel

A gentle stretch through the chest and upper back.

Common Mistake

Keep the hips from rolling backward.

Starting Position

Lie on your back with a foam roller running lengthwise along your spine. Use only a setup you can enter and leave safely.

How to Do It

1. Open the arms out to the sides with palms upward.
2. Let the chest relax without forcing the shoulders toward the floor.
3. Hold comfortably, then bring the arms back in to release.

What You Should Feel

A gentle chest and front-of-shoulder stretch.

Starting Position

Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your abdomen.

How to Do It

1. Inhale slowly through your nose, allowing your abdomen to rise while your chest stays relatively still.
2. Exhale slowly through your mouth, allowing the abdomen to fall.
3. Continue without forcing the breath.

What You Should Feel

Easy breathing and gentle movement beneath the lower hand.

Starting Position

Lie face down on a mat or bench with your neck relaxed.

How to Do It

1. For the Y, reach the arms overhead at an outward angle and lift them slightly.
2. Lower with control.
3. For the T, reach the arms directly out to the sides and lift slightly, bringing the shoulder blades together.
4. Lower slowly. Complete the stated repetitions for each movement.

What You Should Feel

Muscle effort around the shoulder blades.

Common Mistake

Avoid lifting your head to raise the arms higher.

Starting Position

Lie on your back with the roller horizontal under your upper back. Support your head with your hands.

How to Do It

1. Gently extend the upper back over the roller.
2. Hold each extension for the time shown.
3. Return with control. Move the roller along the upper back as demonstrated, pausing without seeking painful pressure.

What You Should Feel

A gentle upper-back stretch.

Common Mistake

Do not pull your head forward with your hands.

Starting Position

Place the foam roller across the mid-thoracic region, perpendicular to your spine. Hold the fixed, stable support shown during care and begin with your hips elevated in a bridge.

How to Do It

1. Maintain the fixed handhold while slowly lowering your hips toward the floor, stretching over the mid-thoracic roller.
2. Hold for 10 seconds, then return to the bridge with control.

What You Should Feel

Controlled muscle effort or a gentle stretch, without pain.

Starting Position

Hold the broomstick with an overhand grip selected during care.

How to Do It

1. Move the stick overhead and behind your body within the demonstrated comfortable range.
2. Return with control; do not force the range.

What You Should Feel

Controlled muscle effort or a gentle stretch, without pain.

Starting Position

Stand with your back against the wall and both arms in contact.

How to Do It

1. Slide both arms upward along the wall.
2. Slide down with control, keeping the range comfortable.

What You Should Feel

Controlled muscle effort or a gentle stretch, without pain.

Starting Position

Lie face down on the incline bench, stability ball or flat bench selected during care.

How to Do It

1. Lift and lower the arms in a Y position.
2. Repeat in a T position, then in an I position.
3. Keep the neck relaxed and movement controlled.

What You Should Feel

Controlled muscle effort or a gentle stretch, without pain.

Starting Position

Stand facing a securely anchored band at chest height, holding one end in each hand.

How to Do It

1. Pull toward your torso with elbows close to your sides.
2. Return slowly without leaning or shrugging.

What You Should Feel

Controlled muscle effort or a gentle stretch, without pain.

Starting Position

Hold a band approximately shoulder-width apart with straight arms in front at shoulder height.

How to Do It

1. Pull the band apart while drawing the shoulder blades together.
2. Return with control, keeping the arms at shoulder height.

What You Should Feel

Controlled muscle effort or a gentle stretch, without pain.

Starting Position

Lie on your back. Gently press the lower back and back of the skull into the mat. Point both arms toward the ceiling, palms facing each other.

How to Do It

1. Open both arms slowly into a T, working toward the mat.
2. Maintain gentle low-back and head pressure through the hold.
3. Bring the arms back up.

What You Should Feel

Controlled muscle effort or a gentle stretch, without pain.