Chest Expander

Benefits:

• Stretches shoulders and chest

• Strengthens spine

• Strengthens arms (triceps)

Steps:

• Begin standing with your feet hip width apart and parallel

• Bring your hands behind your back, interlace fingers (hold a strap if you can’t reach your hands together)

• Check your posture.  Keep hips neutral.

• Inhale, roll your shoulders back, opening chest

• With fingers interlaced (or holding strap) raise hands away from tailbone

• Press your shoulders down, squeeze shoulder blades together

• Take 3-6 slow breaths in this position

• Lower your hands back to tailbone, keep fingers interlaced (or holding strap)

• Bend your knees, press your tailbone back and fold forward, bringing your head towards your knees

• Lift hands away from your tailbone, keeping your back straight (bend your knees if needed)

• Take 4-6 slow long breaths in this position

• Release your hands back down to your tailbone

Use strength of legs to rise back up to standing.