Spine Stretch Forward

Begin seated with your legs extended in front of you, feet together. Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed.

  1. Inhale deeply, lengthening your spine.
  2. Exhale as you hinge at your hips, reaching your hands toward your feet.
  3. Hold the stretch for a few breaths, feeling the stretch in your lower back and hamstrings.

How to perform the Spine Stretch Forward

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Spine Stretch Forward using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your latissimus dorsi.
  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 latissimus dorsi 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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