Upper Body Stretches (Neck, Shoulder, Upper Back)

Stretches and mobility exercises to improve mobility and reduce tightness in your neck, shoulders, and upper back.

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· Last updated 9mo

Curated by

Valerie | Mobility, Flexibility & Strength Coach

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Shoulder Workout

Shoulder Mobility Exercises

Tight shoulders? Try this shoulder mobility exercise

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Upper Back Strengthening

Upper Body Warmup

Range Of Motion Exercises

Upper Body Mobility

Shoulder Range Of Motion

Mobility Routine

Become Stronger

Improve Your Shoulder Mobility

Our bodies are always adapting and changing Our shoulders can become stronger and more mobile 👌 To do this, we need to 👍 move our shoulder through its current fullest (pain free) range of motion; this helps to maintain our range of motion and keeps the joint healthy 👍 strengthen the areas where our range of motion is limited; this will help improve our range of motion over time • . • . • Details from video 👇👇👇 1️⃣ shoulder circles ("CARs") x 5 reps/arm 2️⃣ prone shoulder extension bias partial shoulder circles ("CARs") x 10 reps/arm Add this as part of your upper body Warmup or as part of your mobility routine 2x weekly 💖 • . • . • Would you like to see more shoulder mobility routines?

Stiff shoulders? Shoulder mobility routine

Stiff Shoulder Routine: 1️⃣ Shoulder circles ("CARs") x 3 reps/arm • 🔸️make a big circle (but avoid moving in to areas of pinching or pain) • 🔸️reach overhead (towards ceiling), without flaring the ribcage • 🔸️reach behind your body, as if reaching into the back seat of a car • 🔸️reverse the circle 2️⃣ Shoulder external rotations x 10 reps/arm • 🔸️can do lying face down on the floor (or standing in a doorframe) • 🔸️thing about rotating your bicep towards the ceiling 3️⃣ Bent elbow shoulder extensions x 10 reps • 🔸️ can do lying face down on the floor (or standing in a doorframe) • 🔸️avoid letting the shoulder round forward as you lift elbow towards the ceiling 4️⃣ Swimmer hovers x 5 reps • 🔸️ keep ribcage pulled down and avoid rib flaring • 🔸️ hands follow the pa

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Dive into better posture with "swimmer hovers" 🏊‍♀️😜

"Swimmer hovers" is an incredible exercise for improving shoulder health, mobility, and posture.

✔️aids in correcting rounded shoulders by strengthening the muscles of the upper back and rear deltoids
• ✔️improves shoulder mobility by moving through shoulder internal & external rotation, extension, and flexion

If you're new to learning swimmer hovers, the "seated swimmer hover" is a great place to start (plus, you can do them anywhere, anytime).

A few key points to remember
• 💕 keep spine stationary and avoid flaring the ribcage
• 💕 when lifting hands off lower back, avoid letting shoulders & chest to round forward
• 💕 avoid moving into any areas of pinching or pain

Add 10 swimmer hovers to your daily routine.

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Rounded Shoulder Exercises

Workouts For Swimmers

Fix Rounded Shoulders

Shoulder Flexibility

Posture Fix

Rehabilitation Exercises

Rounded Shoulders

Rounded shoulders and posture fix

Dive into better posture with "swimmer hovers" 🏊‍♀️😜 "Swimmer hovers" is an incredible exercise for improving shoulder health, mobility, and posture. ✔️aids in correcting rounded shoulders by strengthening the muscles of the upper back and rear deltoids • ✔️improves shoulder mobility by moving through shoulder internal & external rotation, extension, and flexion If you're new to learning swimmer hovers, the "seated swimmer hover" is a great place to start (plus, you can do them anywhere, anytime). A few key points to remember • 💕 keep spine stationary and avoid flaring the ribcage • 💕 when lifting hands off lower back, avoid letting shoulders & chest to round forward • 💕 avoid moving into any areas of pinching or pain Add 10 swimmer hovers to your daily routine. Let me kn

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🌟 5 Exercises To Reverse Hunched Posture 💪

💫 Start with T-Spine Extensions on a foam roller to gently open up your upper back, releasing tension and promoting proper spinal alignment (3 reps at 3 different places along your T-spine)

💫 Move on to Floor Scorpions, a fun twist that improves flexibility of your chest, shoulders & spine (5 reps/side)

💫 Strengthen the back of your shoulders (rear delts) and shoulder blades (rhomboids & trap 3's) with Y Raises (10 reps)

💫 Transition to T Raises to strengthen your shoulders (rear delts) and shoulder blades (rhomboids) for increased shoulder stability (10 reps)

💫 Finish off with a Bridge, targeting your glutes, lower back, and core while also promoting spinal alignment (10-20 sec)

This routine can be repeated twice weekly to improv

Back Exercises

Workout Routines For Women

Rounded shoulders & tight upper back? Try this simple rountine

🌟 5 Exercises To Reverse Hunched Posture 💪 💫 Start with T-Spine Extensions on a foam roller to gently open up your upper back, releasing tension and promoting proper spinal alignment (3 reps at 3 different places along your T-spine) 💫 Move on to Floor Scorpions, a fun twist that improves flexibility of your chest, shoulders & spine (5 reps/side) 💫 Strengthen the back of your shoulders (rear delts) and shoulder blades (rhomboids & trap 3's) with Y Raises (10 reps) 💫 Transition to T Raises to strengthen your shoulders (rear delts) and shoulder blades (rhomboids) for increased shoulder stability (10 reps) 💫 Finish off with a Bridge, targeting your glutes, lower back, and core while also promoting spinal alignment (10-20 sec) This routine can be repeated twice weekly to improv

Flexion And Extension

Body Stretches

Push Ups

Wrists need a little TLC?

Wrists need some TLC?❤️‍🩹 All you need for this gentle wrist mobility routine is your cell phone 📱 1️⃣ Wrist CARs (10 circles/direction/wrist) • 🔹"CARs" is an acronym for "controlled articular rotations;" this means we are moving our wrist through it's biggest range of motion, avoiding any areas of pinching or pain • 🔹 Holding the cell phone will help keep the movement isolated to the wrist, and help us keep our palms and fingers flat 2️⃣ Wrist Waves (10 waves/direction) • 🔹This gently opens our wrists up in flexion and extension • 🔹Interlacing the fingers and work through your biggest range of flexion and extension 3️⃣ Wrist adduction/abduction (10 reps) • 🔹Think of this motion as a hand wave, from side to side 4️⃣ Fingertip push ups (10 reps) • 🔹We don't need to use

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Grab your band and let's free up the potential of your shoulders with this simple shoulder mobility routine 🚀

1️⃣ Shoulder dislocates (x 10 reps)
• 2️⃣ Shoulder infinity hovers (x 10 reps/direction)
• 3️⃣ Scapular retractions (x 10 reps)
• 4️⃣ Band pull aparts (x 10 reps)
• 5️⃣ Beast side sit through (x 10 reps/side)

💕 Can substitute 30 sec high planks (plank on hands) or beast holds for the beast side sot throughs

💕 Tag a friend who needs this

Happy Sunday 🌞
• .
• .
• #shoulder #shouldermobility #mobility #flexibility #strengthtraining #fitover40 #fitnessjourney #posturecorrection #healthyshoulders #scapularstrength #rotatorcuff

Theraband Exercises For Upper Back

Exercises For Upper Back

Rotator Cuff Muscles And Tendons

Theraband Exercises

Mobility Flexibility

Pull Aparts

Stiff shoulders? Try this simple mobility routine using a band

Grab your band and let's free up the potential of your shoulders with this simple shoulder mobility routine 🚀 1️⃣ Shoulder dislocates (x 10 reps) • 2️⃣ Shoulder infinity hovers (x 10 reps/direction) • 3️⃣ Scapular retractions (x 10 reps) • 4️⃣ Band pull aparts (x 10 reps) • 5️⃣ Beast side sit through (x 10 reps/side) 💕 Can substitute 30 sec high planks (plank on hands) or beast holds for the beast side sot throughs 💕 Tag a friend who needs this Happy Sunday 🌞 • . • . • #shoulder #shouldermobility #mobility #flexibility #strengthtraining #fitover40 #fitnessjourney #posturecorrection #healthyshoulders #scapularstrength #rotatorcuff

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Upper Body Stretch

Upper Back Stretches

Stretching Flexibility

Shoulders & upper back stiff? Try this quick mid-day routine

Nothing like a great mid-day stretch to get ourselves feeling great for the rest of the afternoon. Give this quick upper body stretch routine a go if you're feeling tight in your upper back & shoulders 👇 1️⃣ Upper back stretch (hold the stretch for 5-10 breaths) 2️⃣ Shoulder & chest stretch (hold the stretch for 5-10 breaths on each side) 3️⃣ Scapular depression & retraction (repeat for 10 repetitions) • 🔹This will help to engage the muscles around the shoulder blades (looks a little odd, but it feels amazing 👌) This routine can be done daily to improve your posture and help alleviate feelings of tightness in the upper back & shoulders Do you have a favorite stretch you enjoy doing mid-day? • . • . • #stretching #flexibility #posturecorrection #thoracicmobility #tspinemobil

Shoulder feel stiff? Try this 5 minute routine

Give this 5 minute routine a try if your shoulders are feeling stiff or you'd like to improve your shoulder mobility 👇👇👇 1️⃣ Seated scapular retraction-protractions - think about reaching your arms towards opposite walls (to protract your shoulder blades), then theink about squeezing the back of a racerback top (to reteact your shoulder blades) 2️⃣ Seated shoulder extension with band - think about reaching your knuckles away then reach them towards the wall behind you as far as you can without allowing your chest to round forward 3️⃣ & 4️⃣ Prone shoulder external rotations - think about rotating your bicep towards the ceiling (you'll feel this in the back of your shoulder) 5️⃣ Seated partial swimmer hovers • - this exercise helps to develop coordination of the shoulder blad

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Spine Mobility

Back Stretches For Pain

Spine Health

Post Surgery

Stiff upper back? Try these 4 standing t-spine mobility exercises

Upper back feeling stiff? Try this simple standing thoracic spine ("T-spine") mobility routine: 1️⃣ T-spine rotations with dowel (x10 reps/side) 2️⃣ T-spine flexion using wall (x 10 reps) 3️⃣ T-spine extension using wall (x 10 reps) 4️⃣ Lateral flexion using wall (x 60 sec/side) What exercises do you like to do if your upper spine feels stiff? #mobility #spinehealth #spinemobility #stiffness #stiffback #fitover40 #fitnessjourney #fitnessgoals #tspinemobility #thoracicmobility #thoracicrotation #ThoracicSpine

Wind down for a great nights' sleep with these 6 stretches

Good night... don't sleep tight 😉 I always sleep better when I've taken time to wind down my body...are you the same? These are my 6 favorite night time stretches for a good night's sleep 😴 1️⃣ Neck CARs (x 3-5/direction) • 2️⃣ T spine extensions (x 4-5 reps) • 3️⃣ Open book stretch (x 4-5/side) • 4️⃣ L-spine rotation (x 5-6/side) • 5️⃣ Supine shin boxes (x 8-10/side) • 6️⃣ Sciatic nerve floss (x 10-15/leg) I love to go slow and take my time, always avoiding areas of pain. Have a good sleep 😴 #stretchesforsleep #stretchesforbeginners #easystretches #relaxingstretching

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Pilates For Shoulders

Stretches For Rounded Shoulders

Rounded Shoulders Correction

Strengthening Workouts

Shoulder Strengthening

Rotator Cuff Exercises

Shoulders feel tight? Try these 3 standing shoulder mobility exercises

Shoulders feel a little tight and cranky? Our shoulders love movement and getting the muscles that help stabilize the shoulder itself will help relieve feelings of tightness. Try these 3 exercises to help your shoulders feel amazing again 👇 1️⃣ Shoulder circles at wall (x 10 reps/direction/arm) * stand far enough away from the wall that you don't have to struggle to make a full circle • * avoid moving into areas of pinching or pain 2️⃣ Scapular retractions (x 15 reps) * focus on pinching the shoulder blades together • * avoid shrugging; you shouldn't feel this in your neck (yes, it appears like I'm using my neck/upper traps...they just like to show off for the camera 😜) 3️⃣ Shoulder external rotations (x 10 reps/arm) * keep your elbow on the wall and think about rotating you

5 Gentle Stretches For Back Stiffness

Sundays are for...some spinal love 💕 My spine was feeling a little stiff after packing, moving, and unpacking in my new home over this past week. Here are my 5 favorite exercises to alleviate back stiffness: 1️⃣ Lat stretch in Child's pose (5 reps/side) I like to hold the stretch on each side for 3-5 breaths. 2️⃣ Segmented cat-cow (5 reps) Really focusing on getting my lumbar spine (lower back) to flex by pulling my belly button towards my spine. 3️⃣ Thoracic rotations with foam roller (5 reps) Ok, so i did 10 reps because i REALLY love these 😜 4️⃣ Clock stretch (5 reps) These are amazing for getting the spine rotating and opening up the chest. 5️⃣ Supine figure 4 rocks (10 reps/side) Focus on keeping the upper body stationary, while allowing the foot to lower towards the

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Back Roller Stretches

Foam Roller Upper Back

Foam Roller Stretches For Back

Upper Back Stretch

Flat Back Syndrome Exercises

Thread The Needle Exercise

Upper Back Stretches Bad Posture

Stretches For Trapezius Muscle

Stretches For Upper Back And Shoulders

Upper back tight? Try these 3 stretches with a foam roller

Definitely been loving the foam roller to assist in opening up my upper back lately💖 If you're feeling tight in your upper back also, try these three stretches: 1️⃣ Thoracic extensions at 8-10 different places on the upper spine (make sure your're only doing this on the part of the spine that has ribs attached; avoid doing this in the lower/lumbar spine) 2️⃣ Thread the needle (5-10 reps/side) 3️⃣ Clock stretch (5-10 reps/side) Which stretch is your favourite? #thoracicmobility #foamroller #tspinemobility #upperbackstretch #fitover40 #fitness #stretching #mobility #flexibility #mobilitywod #posture #posturecorrection #postureexercises

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Hunch Back

Posture Correction Exercises

Neck Hump

Sarah Connor

Better Posture

Are you getting a neck hump and hunch back? Incorporate these 3 exercises throughout your day

Is your posture becoming worse? But you're at work and don't want to get on the floor to do exercises? Try incorporating these 3 exercises throughout your day to start improving your posture: • 1️⃣ Wall T-spine extensions x 5 reps • 2️⃣ Seated T-spine rotations x 5 reps/side • 3️⃣ Swimmer hovers x 5 reps Incorporating movement snacks throughout your day will add up over the long term👌 #posturecorrection #posture #postureexercises #thoracicmobility #fitnessmotivation #homeworkout #fitover40 #deskstretches