Chest Opening Warm Up and Stretch

Who should do this: Anyone who uses their arms daily, for anything. If you are injured please seek the advice of a qualified health care professional. This is not meant to replace medical care.

Most of the activities we engage in from working on computers, to doing laundry, exercising, yard work, even driving our cars closes our chest muscles creating tightness. Or worse pain, tingling and numbness in the shoulders, arms, and hands.

I do this warm up and stretch daily to release my front neck muscles and the muscles in my chest. As a result I always feel loose and strong for surfing and whatever the Ocean pulls out of her hat.

Begin with a simple warm up exercise. NEVER stretch cold muscles. Push fists together for 6 seconds, start with 10% strength and work up to 70% strength within the six seconds. Do this three times, and in front of a mirror to make sure your body posture is correct. Make sure to breathe.

If you use a physio ball make sure your head and neck are supported. The arms go straight out from the chest, palms of hands face up towards heaven. Take four deep breaths. Breathe in one, two, three, four. Pause one, two. Exhale one, two, three, four.

My BFF who teaches yoga taught me this one recently and I love it. Each arm makes a letter El (L) and the palms face up toward the sky. Again make sure you're neck and head are supported by the ball. Repeat the breathing four times.

If you don't have access to a physio ball, the corner of your bed, or even an ottoman will work fine, given there is enough room to stretch out your arms. As with the ball, the head and neck should always be supported by the bed.