Perfect Your Posture With One Do-​​Anywhere Move

Everyone knows about push-​​ups, their convenience and effectiveness.… but what about the opposing muscle group?

Working your upper back, trapezius and rhomboids, usually requires machines, correct body alignment, free weights or tubing and a personal trainer forcing you to do them. Everyone from military men, to desk job devotees, to new moms tend to get the back slump that comes from either overdoing the push-​​ups without working the upper back, over-​​stretching the upper back in a computer or car slump position, or holding a baby all day.

The wheel push-​​up (from my Fit Travel Workout DVD) is my favorite upper back move because it requires no equipment and I always feel the muscles getting sore and stronger afterward. If you’ve done the regular wheel in yoga class, this will feel familiar. If you have never done a wheel, I will walk you through it.

1– Lay on the floor on your back, looking up at the sky. Bend your knees and place your feet on the ground. Flip your hands so that they are on the ground next to your ears, fingertips pointing to your feet. Try to lift yourself up with your arms gently onto the crown of your head. Hold there without putting pressure on the head or neck, and then slowly lower down and counter-​​stretch your back by hugging the knees to your chest for 10 seconds.

2– If you feel strong enough, perform the move again, and this time lift off the head and straighten the arms and legs as much as you can, as if someone tied a string around your waist and is pulling our belly to the sky. Hold this arch (the wheel) for 2–10 seconds, and repeat the counter-​​stretch above.

3– If you are ready for the wheel push-​​up, go back through the first 2 progressions, and once in the wheel position with arms and legs straightening into the arch formation, start bending the elbows to just barely tap the head to the floor and then straighten the arms again. That is one push-​​up. Work up to doing 15 at a time and always counter-​​stretch between sets.

No equipment needed and just as effective as a pectoral push-​​up. If you still need a trainer forcing you to do it, print this article post it in your workout area!

Fitness — fit it in. Nikki

Tags: back Pushups stretching toning