This next technique is called chest expansion, and chest expansion is really related to our shoulders. So most people, as their life goes on, shoulders start to round forward. The back of the body gets broader and more round, and the front of the body caves in and closes, and I’m exaggerating to make my point.

So what we’re going to do with chest expansion is learn how to feel that opening of the chest wall and a little bit of closing of the space between the shoulder blades. So we’re going to start by stepping the feet apart about, I call it, double hips width. Lifting the toes is always a good idea because it keeps your weight in your heels.

Bending your knees so you feel springy, and then for lack of better words, sticking out your bottom. You’re going to clasp your hands behind your back. Remember when you fold forward to suck in your tummy.

Absolutely critical to making this safe. Knees are bent, your bottoms out behind you, and you’re going to allow your head to come down. Then, slowly and gently with your breath, begin to straighten the arms.

Just that might take a while, like six months or two years. You have to be patient. Let your head hang loose, and very slowly and gently with the breaths, begin to move the arms away.

I learned a lot from this yoga pose about not forcing, so you’re not pushing the arms down. You’re taking a slow breath in, and you’re using your exhale to relax deeper. Tuck the chin and look at the ceiling through your legs.

Inhale one more time, and exhale and relax even deeper than that. If you’re here, and it feels safe and good, gently turn your head to the right and stretch your arms to the left. Then, gently go to the other side and just explore.

If this is too extreme for you, I’ve got some modifications coming up. When you come out of it, bring your hands to your knees, bend your knees even deeper, lift your toes if you can remember, and lift your chin and come up nice and slow with a nice strong back. A modification for that, which is just a first step, would be to do it standing and not bend over.

So your hands would be here, and you’re just going to bring those arms to straight. In this moment, you could either stand still and hold for like a whole minute, or you could practice bringing your chin down and up. You can integrate some neck mobility right into this, bringing your chin towards your opposite shoulder.

You do want to push your chest up, so it’s not natural posture. You’re overemphasizing that lift in the chest. It’s also excellent to stretch your chest in a doorway.

Just place your hands in that door and lean in. Anything you can do to open up your collarbones, open up your sternum and your chest and pec muscles.