Take 5 to Innergize

Chest Opener

Benefits

Stretches and opens the chest, relieves tension and tightness in the back muscles, stretches the throat, jaw and facial muscles, facilitates deeper breathing, can reduce severity of headaches, relieves overall stress and tension.

Instructions

• Step 1: Sit slightly forward on your chair, legs at a 90° angle, feet flat on the floor.
• Step 2:  Reach behind you and grab onto the back of your chair with both hands, near the bottom of the chair backing.  Your hands should wrap around to the back of the chair.
• Step 3:  Contract your abdominal muscles slightly, then take a deep breath in and lengthen your spine, allowing your shoulders to roll back and down.  As you exhale, press your chest forward and upward, allowing your arms to straighten and stretch.  Look upward if it’s okay for your neck.  Close your eyes.  Press forward as much as you can without straining.
• Step 4:  Breathe in and out 3-5 times, then return to starting position.  Repeat if desired.  Sit quietly for a moment with eyes closed, then return to work.