Seated Thoracic Extension (Chest Opener)

How to do it

1. Sit back on a sturdy chair so the upper back can rest against the top of the backrest.
2. Plant both feet and interlace the hands behind the head with the elbows open.
3. Keep the hips down on the seat so the chair, not the lower back, is the fulcrum.
4. Lean the chest open over the backrest, looking slightly up without cranking the neck.
5. Pause in the open position, then return to the upright sit.
6. Repeat the extension, staying slow and stopping if the motion dumps into the lumbar spine.

Common mistakes

• Arching the lower back off the seat instead of extending over the chair contact.
• Pulling the head forward with the hands instead of supporting it.
• Sitting too far forward so the backrest never becomes a fulcrum.
• Bouncing at the end range rather than pausing in a controlled open position.