DO YOU HAVE ENOUGH UPPER/MID BACK MOBILITY??
Feb 18, 2020This week’s topic: Thoracic Mobility.
Your thoracic spine is your upper/mid back. It starts a little above the shoulder blades and goes until about mid way down your back. And it’s important for that area to stay mobile for many reasons.
It affects multiple lifts and movements. For example, if you don't have enough thoracic extension, your trunk is going to lean way forward in your squat, I.e. anytime you squat down to pick something up off the ground or play with your kids, putting more pressure on your hips and low back. It will also be difficult for you to have upright posture when sitting or standing. Reaching up overhead may not seem difficult, as your low back will provide compensatory motion, but over time, compensation patterns aren’t ideal. And if you're a CrossFitter, you also won't be able to get correct mechanics on any kipping motion and will likely end up cranking on your shoulders to compensate. And let’s not even get started on what your overhead squat and any of the overhead presses may look like without adequate thoracic mobility.
This is just the tip of the iceberg, but I think you get the point. To top it off, when we don’t have good mobility in an area of our spine, the supporting muscles aren’t engaging/working as much, which can result in some tension and weakness, potentially perpetuating the issue if we let it.
Good news is, I’m about to give you a whole bunch of exercises that tackle thoracic mobility and strength!
Below are some of my favorite thoracic mobility exercises. Some even double and work on thoracic stability and strength as well. Better yet, you can put a few together as a rEMOM ( rehab EMOM where you perform a movement every minute on the minute, rotating through the exercises. rEMOM term coined by @dr.mitch.dpt). At the bottom of this blog, I give an example of one I’ve done myself!
You'll notice in one of the videos with kettlebells I have them turned upside down, which is called bottoms up. This is a great way to also add shoulder and scapular stability into an exercise/drill.
The Z Press: Sit with your legs out straight. This locks out your low back from being able to compensate. Here, I’m doing a bottoms up version. You can use dumbbells or kettlebells. Press the weight straight overhead, staying tall the whole time (ie don’t lean back). Great for thoracic mobility and strength
Prone Swimmers: These are also great for shoulder stability throughout full range of motion. But it also works on helpig open up your upper back! Basically, the goal here is to make as big a circle as possible with your arms, starting behind the neck and finishing behind your low back. Start without weight - tougher than it looks!
Arm Bars: Laying on your back, hold a weight in one hadn straight up. Pick a spot on the ceiling to keep it focused on. Don’t let it move from that spot as your roll onto your opposite side, pressing that weight up to the ceiling the whole time. Slowly return to the start position. This is another great shoulder stability drill that also happens to work on thoracic mobility and strength simultaneously
Squat Ys: Use a thick band around your rear to support yourself in an upright squat position. Either with light weights or no weights at all, alternate raising one arm up at a time at a 45° angle
….AAAAAnd technology hates me, so here are the rest, but I believe you’ll have to click on them and go to another page to see them.
Side Plank with Pass Through: This one does so much. Core, shoulders, upper back…Try to maintain a straight line from feet to shoulder and don’t let those hips drop. Stay stabe throughout the motion.
Thoracic Openers: Basically do exactly what they say. Keep your arms straight and push your head through your arms to get a good stretch
Wall slides with Band: Apparently these are also called Robbers? Anyways, keep tension on the band and keep your elbows directly below your wrists. Slide up the wall and push your head through at the top. (Also sorry for the extra large video here? Not sure why it did that)
Ok, I think that’ll do for now. Obviously, there are others, but these are some solid options and my typical go-tos, plus some.
Here’s an example of a rEMOM:
20’ rEMOM, 40” work, 20” rest:
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Wall slides with band
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Z Press with 8# kettlebells, bottoms up
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Side plank pass throughs, L
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Side plank pass throughs, R
Give these a shot and let me know what you think! And of course, please share this with anyone who may find it useful.
Want more individualized help? Text me at 480-751-2137
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