This workout is not named properly. Though there is some dynamic stretching, it is primarily a mobility and strengthening workout. It is short and effect. The creator this workout, Marsha Hughes, suggests doing these exercises once or twice a week to avoid pain and stiffness in your shoulders and chest. She says “prehab is always better than rehab.” And she’s right! This is a great little session to do on your recovery day, which is what I did today. I used it as a sort of warm up before moving on to foam rolling with Tom Peto.
Upper Body Stretching Exercises is 9:31 minutes. Equipment: fitness mat. This workout is set to music and done voice over.
- Modified cat/cow 10x (on knees and elbows)
- Thread the needle (flow in and out of thread the needle pose 5x then repeat on other side of body)
- Neck mobility (sit cross-leg and turn head to side to look over shoulder, 10x each side)
- Tilt ear to one shoulder 10x then repeat on other side
- Chin to chest (self-traction) 10x (still sitting cross-leg with hands on mat beside hips, lower chin to chest, pulling/retracting chin into chest)
- Prone Y lifts 10x (lay on stomach, forehead resting on mat, arms extended in front of you in a Y with thumbs facing ceiling, lift and lower arms)
- Prone W lifts 10x (same position as #6, but bend elbows so they are in line with shoulders and hands are in line with head, raise and lower arms)
- Get on all 4s, lower in and out of child’s pose 10x
- Downward dog to plank 10x (flow from down dog to plank)
- Lay on back, arms are open to sides with elbows bent into goalpost, hold this position
- Supine wall slides (same starting position as #10, but slide arms up overhead then back down into goalpost 10x, try to keep backs of arms in contact with floor)
For more info on Marsha Hughes and other (free) streaming workouts I’ve sampled and reviewed, check out my Streaming page.
