Keep your Shoulders Back and Down!
Have trouble keeping your shoulders back and down when you ride?
It can be quite challenging to keep your shoulders in the correct position when riding, especially as our modern lifestyles tend to encourage a rounded position from cars, desks and smartphones! It is easy to find your shoulders coming forwards, or arching your lower back too much to compensate!
Try this exercise to strengthen and activate the muscles that keep our shoulder blades back and down and chest open.
Band Pull-aparts
Start by holding an elastic band in your hands with palms facing up.
Keep your elbows against your sides and set your shoulders down, as if you are tucking your shoulder-blades into your back pocket. Rotate your arms outwards and away from each other.
Rotate as far as you can, and then pull your shoulders back, feeling an activation between your shoulderblades and behind your shoulder.
Once you have activated these muscles, you can try using the mid-back activation to keep your elbows by your sides and attain an open chest, without pulling on the reins!