Posture

How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent.
2. Place your hands by your sides with the palms facing up.

This exercise relieves compression on your spine, aligns your spine and relaxes your back muscles.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your lower back in a neutral position (slightly arched).
2. Exhale slowly, then pull in your stomach as if you are trying to touch your belly button to your spine.
3. Hold this position while you take three long breaths.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back on a bed with your chin tucked in and your arms at your sides.
2. Bend your knees to relax your back.
3. Pull your shoulders back so they are flat on the bed. Walk your fingers down your legs to pull your shoulders down.
4. Place your hands slightly away from your sides with your palms facing up.
5. Check your position. Your hips, shoulders and head should rest against the bed.

Modify this exercise

If your hips, shoulder blades and head do not rest against the bed, you may need to use props (especially if you have forward head posture).

Use a folded towel (or multiple towels) to position your head and neck in a neutral position. You can reduce the number of towels over time so you can lay flatter on the bed.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back with your head on a pillow.
2. Bring your arms out to your sides so they are 90 degrees from your body.
3. Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Modify this exercise

To stretch through other areas of your chest muscles, you can change the angle of your arms. Over time, you can remove the pillow beneath your head. 

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back with your head on a pillow.
2. Bring your arms out and up to your side so they are in a 45-degree upward angle from your body.
3. Hold the position for 30 seconds.

Modify this exercise

You can remove the pillow over time as you are able. 

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back. You can place a pillow under your head if needed.
2. Tuck your chin so the back of your head presses against the surface.
3. Pull your body taller as if there is a rope pulling from the top of your head.
4. Hold this position for five seconds.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your arms 30 degrees from your sides.
2. Pull your shoulder blades toward your spine and away from your ears.
3. Holding this position, push the backs of your shoulders and arms into the floor and hold this position for five seconds. Do not allow your rib cage to lift.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back, with your head on a pillow if needed.
2. Bring your hands behind your head and let your elbows fall toward the ground on each side.
3. Press your upper arms and elbows down into the floor or bed.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back with one leg bent and the other extended.
2. On the straight leg, pull your toes toward your shin.
3. Tighten your buttock on the side of the straight leg to push the whole leg into the bed or floor. Try not to raise your pelvis.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and arms at your sides.
2. Straighten one leg. On this leg, pull your toes up toward your shin.
3. Lengthen the straight leg by pushing your heel along the floor.
4. Gently lengthen the space between your pelvis and ribs.
5. Keep your lower back one hand-width from the floor.
6. Hold this position for five seconds and then relax.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your back in a neutral position (slightly arched).
2. Keeping your knees bent, stretch one arm overhead. Lengthen the arm along the floor as if you are trying to grasp an object just out of reach. You can progress to doing this with both arms at the same time.
3. Straighten the leg on the same side as the stretched arm for a deeper stretch.
4. Hold the stretch for five seconds and then relax.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your back.
2. Stretch your arms up overhead and stretch your legs down as far as you can.
3. Engage your abdominal muscles to keep your spine in a neutral position without arching your back.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lay on your front with your forehead resting on your palms and a pillow under your belly.
2. Lift your forehead away from your hands and keep your nose pointing toward the ground. Your chin should be tucked.
3. Hold this position for five seconds while breathing from your stomach.

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How to do this exercise

1. Lie on your belly with your arms at your sides, palms facing down. Have a pillow under your belly.
2. Engage your abdominal muscles and glutes as you lift your upper body off the ground. Focus on lengthening more than lifting your upper body, becoming longer with each breath.
3. Reach forward through the crown of your head while keeping your chin tucked.

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