rzen
60927b5d1f
The library grows to 64 exercises: arm circles, torso twist, leg swings, hip and neck mobility, marching, calf raises, and a full stretching set (forward fold, quad, calf, chest, triceps, hip flexor, butterfly, cobra, child's pose), each with an authored motion rig and reference page. Eight new starter splits join the catalog — Upper and Lower Body Warm-Up, Morning Wake-Up, Morning Mobility, Full Body Stretch, Evening Stretch, Free Weight Basics, and Full Body Machines — regenerated deterministically at split schema v3 with fixed ULIDs. Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01HJDQQDA9QdP8zByg43H5v3
1.5 KiB
1.5 KiB
Chest Opener
Stand tall, clasp the hands behind the back, and lift the chest to peel open the front of the shoulders and pecs — the antidote to a day rounded over a desk or a phone.
- Category: Stretching
- Type: Static stretch (isometric hold)
- Targets: Chest (pectorals), front of the shoulders, biceps
- Prescription: Hold 30 s, breathing wide into the chest, then release and repeat once
- Defaults: 2 × 30 s
Setup
Stand tall with the feet hip-width and the knees soft. Reach both arms behind the low back and interlace the fingers, palms together.
Execution
- Draw the shoulder blades down and together and straighten the elbows as far as is comfortable.
- Lift the clasped hands gently away from the body until you feel the chest open.
- Raise the breastbone and let the gaze drift slightly upward.
- Hold and breathe wide into the front of the chest, then release slowly.
Cues
- Lead with the chest, not the chin — length before lift.
- Keep the shoulders drawing down away from the ears.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together to deepen the stretch instead of cranking the arms up.
Common Mistakes
- Shrugging the shoulders up toward the ears.
- Arching hard through the low back instead of opening the chest.
- Yanking the hands higher than the shoulders can comfortably allow.
Progression
Hands lower on the back with straighter elbows → clasp a strap and walk the hands closer → hinge forward with the arms rising overhead for a deeper pec and shoulder stretch.