Move · Videos · Mobility · 20 min

Gentle Upper-Back Posture Workout for Seniors and Beginners

Gentle Upper-Back Posture Workout for Seniors and Beginners — video by SeniorShape Fitness Play · 19:42

Video by SeniorShape Fitness on YouTube · Open on YouTube

A senior-and-beginner follow-along for the upper back: cat-cow, thoracic rotations on all fours, side-lying rotator work and floor arm slides, then standing sword draws and halos with one light dumbbell, wall push-ups and a cooldown.

  • 20 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • mat, dumbbells, wall

Good forBetter postureHealthy ageing

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Step by step 10

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  1. Cat-cow on all fours: lift the chin and send the hips back, then round with the belly drawn in; 10 slow reps. 1:00
  2. Thoracic rotation on all fours: hand behind the head, turn the elbow up, 10 a side; sit back if the low back aches. 2:36
  3. Side-lying rotator work: elbow on the hip, lift a light weight from the mat up to the ceiling; 10 each side. 4:56
  4. On your back, low back pressed down and belly in: slide the arms from your sides up overhead, palms up, and back. 7:26
  5. Y to W: from overhead, widen the arms into a Y, bend the elbows down into a W, then reach back up. 9:21
  6. Sword draws: one hand on the hip, draw a light weight up and across into a V with a straight arm; 10 each side. 11:47
  7. Halos: hold the weight in both hands and circle it around your head, 10 one way and 10 the other. 13:40
  8. Wall push-ups: hands a little wider than the shoulders, body straight, elbows out as the chest lowers; 10. 15:22
  9. Half wall hang: heels down, arms straight on the wall, hips back and chest low; breathe into the stretch. 16:38
  10. Cool-down: shoulder rolls back, chin dropped as you gently shake the head, then look over each shoulder. 17:35

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

Form cues from the coach

  • Press the spine into the mat and tuck the belly in during the floor arm work
  • Use a very light weight; this is about range of motion and control, not lifting
  • Roll the shoulders down and back before each standing move

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 1 take load

  • Shoulders takes loadside-lying rotator work, arm slides, sword draws, halos
  • Neck movesneck turns and tilts in the cooldown
  • Elbows moveswall push-ups, W and Y arm slides
  • Wrists & hands movesall fours, wall push-ups, holding the weight
  • Upper back movesthread the needle, cat-cow, side-lying rotations
  • Lower back movescat-cow, pelvic tuck on the floor
  • Knees movesall fours and kneeling, cat-cow
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Sit back to the heels in thread the needle; drop the weight any time

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 SeniorShape Fitness; 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