If you’re reading this it means you’ve been challenged to do the Lat Wall Bridge stretch EVERY DAY for the next 7 days.
No skipping days either!
IF YOU SKIP YOU MUST SEND THIS TO SOMEONE WHO NEEDS IT!
In this blog you will learn:
How to perform the stretch
What the stretch is doing
Why this is important
But what if….!?
Performing the stretch
Take one step forward with the leg closest to the wall
Place the hand nearest to the wall fingers down on the wall
Reach the outside arm up
As you reach over head shuffle the feet a comfortable distance away from the wall
Try to keep your torso between the feet. Not too far forward or back, but straight to the side.
The arm reaching up does NOT have to be directly over head.
NOTE: If you are tight you’ll need to reach more so across your face rather than over head. Start at a comfortable place, but progressively move the arm up over head to increase the stretch.
After finding a good position for the upper arm begin to press.
Straightening your elbows and pushing your hips away from the wall will increase the tension.
You can hold the stretch at end range, but I recommend making the stretch more active and functional by adding in a little movement.
TIPS ON GETTING THE MOST OUT OF THIS STRETCH
After trying the movement you’ll quickly notice that the goal of this 7 day challenge is to stretch the outside (or lateral) shoulder, torso, low back and hip. You’ll notice more benefit the longer you can maintain tension and breath.
The same goes for pressing. Do not press the arms too much so that you lose all the tension of the stretch. Find the most tension and PUSH into that tension. That’s how you’ll find the most benefit.
WHAT IS THIS DOING?
Primarily this is targeting a major muscle that bridges the shoulder and the low back called the lats (or latissimus dorsi). This is rarely addressed and if you have tried stretching it’s a challenge to actually feel that the stretch is working. But in this stretch the position of splitting the legs and bending the trunk isolates the lat on that one side.
Then pressing a little bit reinforces not only the stretch, but begins to ADD STRENGTH which will be needed to maintain the benefits of the stretch.
The more elements you add to your stretch the more likely you’ll get lasting benefits.
Why you should START TODAY!
The lats (Latissimus Dorsi) are a silent killer. Some people can feel their lats are tight, but many will not realize how tight they are until they actually stretch them!
This is a massive player in how your low back and shoulder work and needs to be stretched if we are to make improvement.
But, WHAT IF…?
This stretch is very safe for a wide variety of conditions. The set up position can be easily modified to work around any old surgeries or current conditions. You can move further or closer to the wall with your feet and you can place your hands at a comfortable place.
As you long you can feel the stretch on the outside of the body you’re going it right and now you just need to do it consistently! For 7 days!
Conclusion
Buy the ticket, take the ride. Make a quick 7 day commitment to doing this stretch and watch how much you can change!
If you would like more stretches each week to challenge yourself I host a weekly class where I go over a whole series of stretches like this to help you feel better.
There are so many stretches out there to do. Which ones really matter?
Join my Patreon for weekly bodyweight stretches and exercises designed to target fundamental joint movement.
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I TRY TO MAKE THINGS SIMPLE, BUT I KNOW YOU HAVE QUESTIONS. PLEASE ASK. ILL DO BE BEST TO RESPOND.