No, not pull-ups — these 3 simple moves will improve your posture and ease upper back stiffness
If you often find yourself slouching or feeling stiffness in your upper back, you’re not alone. A common area where tension builds is the middle part of your spine, called the thoracic spine, which runs from your shoulders down to your ribs.
Mobility coach and personal trainer Anthony Green, known as Coach Green on socials, has shared three simple moves that can help strengthen your upper back and improve flexibility in this area. These exercises are easy to do at home with no special equipment and are designed to help correct posture and reduce stiffness.
Although these exercises are low maintenance, you’ll want to use one of the best yoga mats to protect your hips and joints while you perform these floor-based moves.
Watch Coach Green’s Three Mobility Moves For Your Upper Body
The video we’ve shared above comes from Coach Green’s TikTok account, where he demonstrates each move in real time. If you can’t access the video or would prefer written cues to follow along, we’ve included step-by-step descriptions of each exercise below.
Exercise 1
- Lie face down on your mat.
- Place one hand behind your head.
- Cross your other hand across your body toward the opposite side.
- Slowly rotate the elbow of the hand behind your head upward and turn your gaze toward the raised elbow.
- Hold for a moment, then return to the starting position.
Exercise 2
For this move, grab a large towel, scarf, or a loose t-shirt to hold with both hands in front of you.
- Lie on your front and hold the towel stretched between your hands.
- Hover your feet slightly off the ground.
- Lift your upper body off the mat, extending your arms out ahead of you while keeping tension on the towel.
- Pull the towel toward your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together as you lift.
Exercise 3
- Lie face down in a starfish position with arms and legs spread.
- Hold a bottle in each hand.
- Lift your arms and lower legs off the floor, hovering just a few inches above the ground.
- Slowly lower without touching the floor, then lift again.
These three moves focus on muscles and joints in your upper back that often work quietly in the background. Strengthening these muscles and improving how the middle of your spine moves can make standing tall, breathing deeply, and feeling more comfortable in your day-to-day life easier.
You will get the most out of this routine if you pay attention to posture cues while you perform it. Keep your chin tucked slightly, shoulder blades drawing gently together, and your lower back relaxed so the movement comes from your upper back.
Progress is simple. You can increase the hold time at the top of each rep, add light weights such as small water bottles, or slow the lowering phase to make your muscles work harder. Equally, if you are brand new to strength or mobility work, you can shorten the range of motion and build it up over time.
Consistency will make the biggest difference. Think of these moves like brushing your teeth, a small habit that quietly pays off over time. If you like the feel of what these mobility moves do for your upper body, you should aim to do this sequence three or four times a week.
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