Stick Ups
Name: Stick Ups. Also known as: Wall Slides. Main muscles used: Upper back. Other muscles used: Top tips:
- Stand with your back against a wall or any flat surface.
- Have your feet a few inches away from the wall.
- Keep your belly tight throughout.
- Have your bum, shoulder blades and back of head touching the wall.
- Keeping these 3 points of contact at all times, put your arms up, as if someone were pointing a gun at you.
- Squeeze your shoulder blades back together until your elbows touch the wall.
- If you can, try to get your wrists to touch the wall also.
- Keeping these 5 points of contact with the wall at all times, slowly slide your arms up and down to the count of 4 seconds.
- When pulling your arms down, think about squeezing your elbows in tight to your sides.
Common mistakes:
- Letting your bum/shoulder blades/head peel away from the wall.
- Failing to get your elbows back touching the wall.
- Failing to get your wrists back touching the wall.
- Relaxing your belly and letting it arch out in front in an attempt to get your elbows touching the wall.
Comments: This is a very good variation of the Scapular Retraction exercise and is particularly good for anyone who suffers from a slumped forward posture. Not only does it help mobilise the upper back and shoulders, but develops the muscles needed to pull the body back into an upright posture, and it teaches us how it actually feels to be upright. If this move feels very alien to you, it is an indication of how much your posture is off. And don’t worry if you can’t do it at first. Many people these days find it difficult/odd at first. The trick is do it “little and often”. Do this exercise as part of every warm up, and for a few seconds several times each day.