Setup:
*Place a stability ball in front of you. Hold light dumbbells (or no weight to start).
* Lie prone with your sternum on the ball (ball under mid-chest).
* Feet wide for stability, toes on floor. Glutes gently on, ribs down (avoid lumbar over-arch).
* Let arms hang toward the floor, palms facing in (neutral grip). Neck long—eyes down.

Execution
* Set the shoulder blades: draw them down and back (retraction + depression).
* With thumbs rotating slightly up/out (external rotation), raise arms out to the sides * into a “M” (about shoulder height).

At the top, create a gentle thoracic extension (“cobra”)—think: lift the chest through the collarbones, not by cranking the low back.

Pause 1–2 seconds, then lower slowly to start while keeping the neck long.

Key Coaching Cues

“Shoulders away from ears.”

“Squeeze shoulder blades into back pockets.”

“Lift from the upper back, not the low back.”

“Chin tucked, long neck.”

“Slow up, slower down.”