Full Spine Side Bend
Full Spine Side Bend
Muscle Group(s) Stretched: Back*
Ranges of Motion Trained: Back lateral flexion (sidebending)
Type of Stretch: Passive Static
Difficulty: All-Levels
Suggested Prerequisites: none
Going a bit deeper than just a thoracic side bend, this full side bend starts to go into the lower part of our thoracic spine, and even potentially into our lumbar spine (aka side bending through your upper back and lower back).
How To
Step 1
Start sitting or standing. Place your left hand on your hip or outer thigh for support, reach the right arm up overhead, palm facing in.
Step 2
Start to lean to the left, keeping as much weight in your left hand as you need to for support. You should feel a stretch in any of the following: outer armpit (lats), outer ribs, or outer waist (obliques).
Hold for 10-30 seconds.
Modifications
Need to make it easier?
Keep it tall! You don’t have to fold completely in half to get a stretch.
Want to make it harder?
Experiment with adding a tiny bit of a twist, slightly rotating your chest towards the ceiling, and towards the floor, when you’re in your side bend. Notice how this may change the location/intensity of the stretch.
Related Content
Flexopedia: Thoracic Side Bend
Blog Post: Back Stretches for Full Spinal Flexibility
Blog Post: 6 Cat-Cow Variations for Spinal and Shoulder Mobility
Blog Post: Why Your Upper Back Sucks at Backbending (and How to Make it Suck Less)
