Yoga as Therapeutic Exercise: A Practical Guide for Manual Therapists

3. Basic exercises for the thoracic spine 3. Basic exercises for the thoracic spine 3. Basic exercises for the thoracic spine 3. Basic exercises for the thoracic spine

a. 3–5 times in a slow rhythmic movement

coming back to the floor with inhalation

b. hold lifted for 3–5 breaths; lower your

shoulders and head to the floor while inhaling

c. repeat a and b with the arms interchanged.

9. Release your hands; rest your arms at the
   sides of your body; lie on your back for a few
   breaths.

Exercise 3.5: Baby back-bends

Aims: mobilizing the thoracic spine into back-

bending and strengthening the back of the thoracic

area.

1. Lie on your stomach; use a folded blanket to
   give sufficient support for the hip bones and
   the knees; support your forehead so that the
   nose is free and the neck relaxed.


2. Your arms are lying at the sides of your body,
   palms facing the ceiling (Figure 6.61).


3. Slightly pulling your lower abdomen away from
   the floor, lift your arms and shoulders as you
   inhale, keeping the forehead on the support;
   lower the arms and shoulders as you exhale and
   relax your back and abdomen; if needed, stay
   calm for 1–2 breaths.


4. Perform point 3 3–5 times.


5. Slightly pulling your lower abdomen away from
   the floor, lift your arms and shoulders as you
   inhale, keeping your forehead on the support;
   hold the position for 3–5 breaths breathing
   naturally, and lower as you exhale; stay there
   for a few breaths and feel the softness between
   your shoulder blades.


6. As long as your neck and head are completely
   comfortable, you can perform points 3–5 lifting
   your head as well (Figure 6.62).
   7. To finish stretch your right arm beside your head
   in line with your right trunk side; with the help
   of your left hand, turn on your right side; stay
   calm for a few breaths with your knees bent and
   your pelvis in the neutral position, then come up
   to sitting; if you prefer getting up from the left
   side, stretch your left arm beside the head first.

Refined work

The exercise can be performed with different rota-

tions for the arms: palms facing the body, facing

each other, facing the floor, and the ceiling. Start

the way that feels most natural to you, then gradu-

ally try the other variations.

Variations for the arms

Variation a

Stretch your arms to the sides in line with your

shoulder girdle and follow points 3–7 (Figure 6.63).

Refine this variation by rotating your arms in dif-

ferent ways, such as palms to the floor and palms

facing the ceiling.

Figure 6.61

Figure 6.62

Figure 6.63