Move · Videos · Mobility · 12 min

Upper-Body Foam Rolling: Back, Lats, Shoulders and Arms

Upper-Body Foam Rolling: Back, Lats, Shoulders and Arms — video by mobility by julia reppel Play · 11:37

Video by mobility by julia reppel on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Guided rolling for the mid-back with a cat-cow, lats, back and front of the shoulder, chest, biceps and forearms (massage ball optional). A calm session for rest days or after training.

  • 12 min
  • All levels
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • foam roller

Good forHealthy fascia

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Step by step 8

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Upper and mid back: lie on the roller, arms crossed or hands behind the head, and roll slowly; skip the lower back. 0:12
  2. Cat-cow on the roller: round the upper back as you breathe out, then open the chest as you breathe in. 1:04
  3. Lats: lie on your side with the roller below the armpit and work down rib by rib, then the other side. 2:06
  4. Back of the shoulder: roller or ball behind the armpit, turning the chest up and down, each side. 4:10
  5. Front of the shoulder and chest: roller at 45 degrees, sweeping the arm in a half circle, each side. 6:05
  6. Biceps: move the roller further down the inside of the arm and explore slowly, then switch arms. 8:19
  7. Forearm extensors: ball under the outer forearm near the elbow, pressing gently with the other hand. 9:20
  8. Forearm flexors: ball on the inner forearm near the elbow, or press the arm onto it, then switch. 10:17

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Stay in slight discomfort and out of painful ranges
  • Move slower than you think you should
  • Skip the lower back, which has no support for the spine

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses light on the joints

  • Neck moveshead held by hands, chin tuck in the cat-cow
  • Shoulders movesarm sweeps and circles while rolling lats and chest
  • Elbows movesbiceps and forearm rolling
  • Wrists & hands movesforearm rolling with a ball, hand pressing down
  • Upper back movesmid-back roll, cat-cow on roller, lat rolls
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Bend a knee for support when rolling the lats and front of the shoulder

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

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Video by mobility by julia reppel; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety