Seated Thoracic Extension (Chest Opener)
A seated upper-back extension over a chair backrest, with the hands behind the head, to open the chest.
How to do it
- Sit back on a sturdy chair so the upper back can rest against the top of the backrest.
- Plant both feet and interlace the hands behind the head with the elbows open.
- Keep the hips down on the seat so the chair, not the lower back, is the fulcrum.
- Lean the chest open over the backrest, looking slightly up without cranking the neck.
- Pause in the open position, then return to the upright sit.
- Repeat the extension, staying slow and stopping if the motion dumps into the lumbar spine.
Key technique cue
Open the chest over the top of the chair, not through the low back.
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.
Benefits
- ✓ Opens the chest and upper back after long periods of sitting.
- ✓ Uses a chair as a fulcrum so the motion stays in the thoracic spine.
- ✓ Needs no floor space, so it fits desk-break programming.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 You are here - Seated Thoracic Extension (Chest Opener)
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Step 2
About the exercise
Seated thoracic extension uses the chair backrest as a fulcrum. Sit back so the mid-back contacts the top of the rest, interlace the hands behind the head, and lean the chest open over that contact while the hips stay down. The goal is extension through the upper back, not a big lumbar dump or a neck hinge. The spinal erectors control the arch; the mid trapezius helps set the shoulder blades as the chest opens.
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