Breast Stroke Prep using resistance band

My first posting is the Exercise of the month for February: Breast Stroke Prep using resistance band.
The main benefit of this exercise is to increase strength in the upper back muscles (trapezius and rhomboids) and stretch the chest muscles (pectorals).

Breast Stroke Prep (Prone)


Start Position:

Lying prone on the floor, legs long and placed either together or slightly apart.
Take the arms overhead with the resistance band between thumb and first finger. Keep resistance band slightly lose at this stage.
Pull the abdominals a little way from the floor and draw the pelvic floor muscles to support the pelvis from below. This should feel like you are drawing your sit bones, tail bone and pubic bone together with a gentle lift into the pelvic cavity.

Pull the arms gently out to the side (no lower than shoulder level) to tighten the band. Feel like your breast bone is lifting gentle up and over the band.

Be careful to keep the lower ribs on the floor and feel the shoulder blades draw slightly together with the shoulders relaxed away from your ears.
Keep your eye line towards the floor approximately 6” above the band rather than straight down or the front. This will keep the back of your neck nice and long.

If you prefer, bend your arms as you pull the arms out to the side.

This exercise targets the upper back muscles and you should feel the work within the shoulder blade area.
By keeping the abdominals drawn in a little, you may also feel some tension through the front of the abdominal area.
Warning: If you feel this in your lower back, either part the legs slightly or place a rolled up towel or a pillow underneath your navel and repeat the exercise keeping the lower ribs in contact with the ground.

Breast Stroke Prep (Sitting)
If you would prefer you can do the same exercise either sitting cross-legged or on a chair and pull the band out to the side whilst lifting the chest up and forward. The eye line also needs to come up a 4-5” to follow the line of the upper back.


Start the exercise sitting tall and then pull the band gently out to the side as you lift the chest up and forward, gently allowing the eye line to lift.


If the straight arm version is too difficult, bend the elbows back keeping the band tight to maintain the same extended shape.

Warning: This should be felt in the upper back and not the lower back. If this is felt in the lower back, try pulling in the abdominal muscles a little more and lifting the pelvic floor muscles away from the floor into the pelvic cavity.