10 Minutes to Unwind Forward Rounding (Thoracic Focus)

If you’ve been following my Sunday night mobility posts on Instagram over the last 14–15 weeks, you know I’ve been sharing short, simple routines designed to help clients move better, release tension, and improve posture. Over the past 30 years in strength and conditioning, combined with 15 years of dedicated mobility work, I’ve learned a key truth: most people spend their days hunched over computers or staring at phones, and their thoracic spine and shoulders often pay the price.

This blog post offers a 10-minute, step-by-step sequence to specifically target thoracic extension. It’s a focused way to open your upper back, lengthen your lats, and naturally bring your shoulders down and back. You can use this reset anytime, but it’s particularly helpful after long periods of sitting.

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Step 1 – Light Soft Tissue / Foam Rolling (2–3 minutes)

Before stretching, it’s important to wake up the central nervous system and prepare the tissues. This isn’t about digging for knots—it’s about gentle, mindful compression.

Focus areas:

• Thoracic spine / upper back

• Lats and teres major

• Armpits

• Pec major and minor

How to do it:

• Use a foam roller or soft ball and move slowly over each area, spending about 30–45 seconds per spot

• Apply gentle pressure, just enough to feel the tissue

• Breathe deeply—inhale to lengthen, exhale to allow the tissue to soften

• Keep in mind: quality beats quantity. Even a few minutes of focused rolling primes the muscles and nervous system for the stretches to come

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Step 2 – Thoracic Extension Over Foam Roller (1.5–3 minutes)

Next, we move into a classic thoracic extension over the foam roller, which encourages upper back mobility and opens the chest.

How to do it:

1. Lie on your back with a foam roller under your mid to upper thoracic spine

2. Hands can lightly support your head or cross over your chest

3. Slowly arch over the roller, lifting the chest and extending the thoracic spine

4. Pause at the end range of motion and exhale to deepen the stretch, inhale to reset

5. Repeat for 8–10 slow arches, keeping your movements controlled and intentional

This movement helps counteract the forward rounding posture that develops from desk work and phone use, and it primes the shoulders for better positioning throughout the day.

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Step 3 – Single-Arm Horizontal Lat Stretch (90 seconds per side)

After mobilizing the thoracic spine, we focus on the lats and side body. This stretch keeps your arm roughly horizontal and emphasizes lengthening the lat without elevating the shoulder.

How to do it:

• Stand next to a doorway, rack, or wall

• Place one hand on the support waist height, with your feet about arm-length from the wall

• Shift your hips back, bringing your chest toward horizontal

• Keep shoulders down and back, tailbone neutral, and spine long

• Inhale to lengthen, exhale to sink deeper

• Hold 90 seconds per side

This movement supports thoracic extension and encourages the shoulders to settle into a more neutral, relaxed position.

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Step 4 – Doorway Pec Opener (1–2 minutes)

Finally, open the chest to complement the thoracic and lat work.

How to do it:

• Stand in a doorway, elbows at shoulder height

• Step forward slightly until you feel a gentle stretch across the chest

• Keep spine tall, shoulders relaxed, and tailbone neutral

• Hold 20–30 seconds and repeat 1–2 times

This stretch helps prevent the shoulders from creeping forward and maintains balance between the front and back of the upper body.

• This can also be used for focused, single side work, as well.

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Tips for Success

• Breathe throughout: Breathing is woven into every step—inhale to lengthen, exhale to deepen the stretch

• Move slowly and intentionally: Focus on quality over quantity; small, controlled movements are more effective than rushing through the routine

• Consistency matters: Even 10 minutes a day can make a noticeable difference in posture and shoulder comfort

Over time, this sequence can retrain your upper back, open your chest, and reset your shoulders after long periods of sitting. It’s a simple, practical routine that can be done at home or even in the office to keep your posture in check and your thoracic spine mobile.

- Shawn

If these areas feel consistently tight or restricted, hands-on work can help reinforce the progress you're making on your own. Sessions at Montana Movement & Massage are always tailored to your body, your movement patterns, and what you need most right now.