Spinal Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Spinal Stretch
- Sit in a chair so your back is straight and your feet planted on the floor.
- Interlace your fingers behind your head, elbows out and your chin down.
- Twist your upper body to one side about 3 times as far as you can. Then lean forward and twist your torso to reach your elbow to the floor on the inside of your knee.
- Return to upright position and then repeat for your other side.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Spinal Stretch
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Chair Lower Back Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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2
Middle Back Stretch
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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3
Dynamic Back Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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4
Side-Lying Floor Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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5
Upper Back Stretch
A beginner mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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6
Latissimus Dorsi-SMR
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back, using a foam roller.
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7
One Arm Against Wall
A beginner isolation mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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8
One Handed Hang
A beginner mobility exercise that works the upper back.
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9
Rhomboids-SMR
An intermediate mobility exercise that works the upper back, using a foam roller.
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10
Overhead Lat
An advanced mobility exercise that works the upper back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do spinal stretch work?
Spinal Stretch primarily works the upper back. The lower back, neck and traps assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for spinal stretch?
The source dataset does not record equipment for spinal stretch. Check the instructions above before you set up.
Spinal Stretch: is it suitable for beginners?
Yes. Spinal Stretch is rated beginner. Movements you can learn in a session, with a low skill floor and a forgiving failure mode.
What can I do instead of spinal stretch?
Chair Lower Back Stretch, Middle Back Stretch, Dynamic Back Stretch train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
How do I log spinal stretch in Fitnit?
As time held rather than reps. Fitnit records the seconds and credits them to the upper back on your body map, so you can see which muscles you train hard and never stretch.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
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