Here are two excellent movements to increase thoracic spine mobility into rotation and extension! When it comes to movement at the spine, it is all dictated by up-gliding and down-gliding of the zygapophyseal joints with RESPECT to joint movement. Up-gliding bilaterally is flexion, versus unilateral up-glide and contralateral down glide is associated with rotation and side-bending, depending on what side you're referencing. Bilateral down-gliding is associated with extension. What does all of this anatomical lingo mean? Regardless of the direction of joint glides, it increases mobility at those functional spinal units and helps you move more in your spine! The first exercise is focused on increasing thoracic rotation to the left. The next movement focuses on overhead shoulder flexion to drive thoracic extension. Did you know end-range shoulder flexion to 180 degrees is dependent on some thoracic extension?! Performing these movements in quadruped helps to decrease movement from the low back. Notice how the second movement I sit further back to really isolate the movement at the thoracic spine and limit movement from my lumbar spine. Be sure to try this out before your workouts or sports!
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