08/28/2023
Upper back issues? Breathing issues? Tag someone who could benefit from this. The Thoracic CAR is something I do at least once a week with a medicine ball or big stability ball. Some people use a weight plate. I don’t usually use something small like what is shown in the video.
This movement can be done at any speed or intensity, but I would recommend starting off slow and controlled. The goal is to try and isolate the range of motion to just the thoracic spine. In the video, when I extend backward, you can see me arching quite a bit in the lower back, this is a mistake and is likely something many of you will do. Try to isolate that curvature higher up the spine.
When protracting the shoulder blades while holding onto the ball, the ROTATION is by far the most intense sensation you will get from this exercise. This is stretching the serratus posterior. The combination of flexion, rotation, and an inhale will greatly intensify the stretch in the middle of your back and to the side of your spine. This is likely a movement you haven’t done very much of.
Adding a heavy medicine ball or weight plate will allow you to build strength in this movement.
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