Roll Upper Back

Perform the Roll Upper Back to enhance flexibility and relieve tension in the upper back area.

  1. Start by sitting on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
  2. Place a foam roller or a soft surface behind your upper back.
  3. Lean back onto the roller, allowing it to support your upper back.
  4. Gently roll back and forth, focusing on areas of tightness.
  5. Engage your core to maintain stability while rolling.

How to perform the Roll Upper Back

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Roll Upper Back using your roller.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your trapezius.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your trapezius rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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Variations of Roll Upper Back

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