Lengthening back extension

The purpose of this stretch is to bring circulation to the muscles along your spine. If you have poor posture, or you’ve been sitting for an extended period of time, you probably have been rounding your back and slouching, which zaps your body of energy. This stretch straightens and lengthens your spine, which is great for improving mobility of your back.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your belly with your palms on the floor next to your chest with your elbows bent and your legs straight and together. Make sure to keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine (see Figure a).
2. Inhale and as you exhale, lengthen your spine, lift your chest, and begin to straighten your elbows as you push up with your arms (see Figure b). Keep your elbows close to your sides and squeeze your buttocks tightly to prevent undo compression of your spine. Imagine the space between each vertebra increasing, lengthening your spine.
3. Hold the stretch for a few seconds (or as long as it’s comfortable) and then slowly lower your body down to the starting position.
4. Repeat two or three more times.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do keep your neck long and in line with the rest of your spine.
• Do keep your shoulder blades down.
• Do pull your belly in toward your spine.
• Do squeeze your buttocks tightly to prevent pressure in your lower back.
• Don’t compress your lower back.