Feeling stiff from exercise or want to improve your posture? Week three of our Resistance Stretching series with exercise therapist Lucia Farina from London fitness studio FRAME focuses on back and neck muscles
Learning how to stretch properly is important to reduce your risk of injury, quicken muscle recovery, improve flexibility and posture. This week you will be learning how to stretch your back and neck using Resistance Stretching techniques, which work on your body’s fascia, the bands and sheets of connective tissue that hold your muscles together. It’s basically stretching muscles while also contracting them.
This can be done in your gym or at home and you only need a small rolling ball, preferably a lacrosse ball or you can use a slightly softer ball such as a tennis ball.
When we roll this area, it’s pretty straight forward. We must ensure that we avoid the bones and apply as much pressure as is comfortable. Stretches for the back are done with movement, to allow more of a flow in the spine.
Considering the spine is made up of lots of little bones, rather than one straight bone, it’s always better to rotate, side bend, or articulate to help ease pain there.
The upper back also is the home of our rib cage, there’s lots going on there, so the rotations are particularly good for any middle to upper back tension.
When stretching the spine, always think of growing taller through the top of the head. This ensures that all the teeny little muscles really close to the spine get that nice bit of length too.
Happy stretching.
Would you like to train with FRAME?
Lucia Farina began her fitness journey through Martial Arts at the age of 17. Moving into Aerial (Circus Skills), she mastered the art of using physical training to strengthen the mind. She also specialises in the management of lower back pain exercise referrals.
Follow Lucia on Instagram @tattoos_and_pilates
More Resistance Stretching from Lucia:
Resistance stretching to lengthen muscles – new video starts today
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