Upper back

Prone T: Scapular Retraction

Strengthens the muscles between your shoulder blades that keep your shoulder stable during arm movements, improving your posture and reducing shoulder strain.

How to do it

1. 1

   Lie face down with your forehead resting

   Forehead on the mat or on a folded towel, legs long, whole front of the body settled on the floor.

2. 2

   Take your arms out to the sides at shoulder height

   Straight arms forming a T with your body, palms down or thumbs turned up, whichever is more comfortable.

3. 3

   Draw the shoulder blades together, then lift

   Start by sliding the shoulder blades towards each other, and let that small squeeze float the arms off the floor. The blades do the work and the hands simply follow.

4. 4

   Keep the neck and lower back quiet

   Your forehead stays down or very close, and your ribs stay on the floor. Only the arms and the area between the shoulder blades move.

5. 5

   Hold or repeat for 30 to 60 seconds

   Either hold the lift and breathe, or lift and lower slowly again and again. Lower the arm height, or turn the thumbs up, to make it easier.

What to watch for

Lifting with a shrug so the shoulders ride up towards the ears, or raising the chest instead of the arms. Height is not the goal here, the squeeze between the shoulder blades is.

Ways to adjust it

• Reduce arm height
• Thumbs up position

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.