Chest stretch - hands behind head

Benefits:
  • Increases shoulder mobility
  • Strengthens the neck and core
  • Improves posture
  • Opens through the front of the body
Cues:
  • Start in mountain pose
  • Inhale and bring the arms up overhead
  • Interlace the fingers and bring your hands behind your head
  • On an exhale press your head into your hands and your hands into your head lengthening your neck
  • Keeping the spine in a neutral position and the core slightly engaged start to bring the elbows back stretching through the chest and the inside of the shoulders
Common Errors:
  • The spine is arched
  • The neck is shortened
  • The traps are tense
Modifications:
  • How far you draw the elbows back
  • Fingers at the ears rather than interlaced
Cautions:
  • Injuries
    • ​Shoulder
    • Neck
Alternative Poses:

Anatomy

Lengthening:
Strengthening: