This routine is for rolling your mid – upper back. The key points here are to go SLOW -Take your time with this. Allow 25-20 minutes from start to end. Its really worth while investing in a long roller,
as you can do more with a long roller then you can with a short one.
1st Exercise: Snowman
Doing this will promote ideal shoulder blade movement, or what we practitioners like to say scapula tracking. If your scapula is tracking well, it tells us your postural muscles are doing their job; that there are no over active muscles or under active ones.
Lay down length ways on the roller.
Your head and tailbone should be on the roller. This will promote a passive extension in your spine, this stretching the intricate muscles in between your vertebrae. These muscles often are overlooked.
Relax into the positioning for a few minutes,
allow gravity to do its thing
With your elbows bent, do some snowman movements.
bringing your hands all the way up,
keeping arms inline with your shoulders
Repeat 5 – 6 times (though the more the better)
2nd Exercise – Scissor arms.
This exercise is another version of promoting ideal scapula tracking.
Laying length ways on your roller and keeping arms straight, elbows unlocked
alternate your movements up and down. Aim to touch the floor each time.
Do slow delibrate movements. Do 5- 6 movements each side.
3rd Exercise – Gravity Pectoral Stretch
While laying length way long your roller. Rest arms back onto the floor,
hands above your head. Stay in this position for 2- 3 minutes
4th Exercise – Rolling your back
Start from ther middle of your back, lay on the roller cross ways. Support your head by holding your head in your hands.
Slowly roll segment by segment by lifting you hips and roll towards your head. Stop at each segment, place hips back on the floor and extend your head back.
Go slow, take your time with this. Spend time where its tender
With head supported, gently roll onto one side, bit by bit, segment by segment.
Be delibrate with your movemt
When you find a tender spot, these are the ‘trigger points you will want to release. Hold it there until the tenderness goes down. This may take from 10 seconds to a minute
WHile holding it there, you are Activating the trigger points to ideally around 6-7/10 (if 10 is the worst pain)
Stay there untill it does down to a 2- 3 /10
Do some more extension mobilisations, rolling back twoards the middle of the spine, segment by segment, entnedning at each segment
5th Exercise – Arm pit drape
Lay on the roller with your armpit draping over it. Lean back to find your tender ‘aaahhh’ spots.
Pin down the trigger point with your body weight / gravity. Apply gentle slow movements with your arm. Apply the same process as above.
