Posture SOS : Mid-Back Strengthening
Chest Opening Starts With The Back
When we think about “opening the chest,” we usually think about pulling the shoulders back or stretching the front body, like over a bolster or block as you would in a yoga class. But strengthening your postural muscles are as important to opening your chest as stretching those tight chest muscles! Muscles work in opposition, so while any muscle contracts, the opposing muscles stretch. So in the long term, a strong mid-back helps keep the spine longer and chest more open, as a result.
Modern life puts most of us in a rounded, forward position by sitting for long hours and working on our devices. This posture shortens the chest and weakens the mid-back, and over time, it can leave you feeling stiff and compressed. The rhomboids, and mid and lower trapezius muscles are the key postural muscles that can counteract this compression. These muscles sit between the shoulder blades and down toward the middle of your spine. Their job is to stabilize the shoulder blades and assist in drawing them down and slightly together. When they activate properly, the arms and shoulders have freedom to move without collapsing forward, and the thoracic spine (your mid-back) can lengthen and extend.
Pilates Moves That Strengthen the Mid-Back
Here are a few of my favorite mat moves that target the mid and lower traps:
Swan
Arms reaching back by sides and floating head, arms and legs off of the floor. This strengthens the mid-back extensors, helps lift and lengthen through the thoracic spine, and counters forward rounding.
Quadruped Thoracic Rotation
From all fours with one hand behind head, rotate upper spine. Focuses on scapular stability and thoracic rotation, strengthening the mid traps while coordinating with the shoulder stability.
W to Wide V Kneeling
In a forward hinge kneeling, pull arms from W to Wide V shape. This strengthens mid back while stretching lats, or better posture and alignment.
If you’re craving more openness in your chest and freedom in your shoulders, start by focusing on exercises like these combined with stretches like laying over a ball with arms out in a T. The combination of both will give you a supported, lengthened thoracic spine that will make you feel taller on and off the mat!
