Welcome back to our Move With Us series! Today we’re going to be doing an upper body release using a spikey ball.

Spikey balls are great for muscle and myofascial release and can help target those hard to stretch areas. Today’s video works through the muscles of the upper body and would be great for anyone feeling tense through their upper back or those wanting to release muscles after a workout.

Grab your spikey ball and let’s move!

Spikey Ball Pec Minor and Major Release

• Our aim is to release through the muscles at the front of your chest (pecs) which will allow you to open up through the chest

• Coming towards the wall, place your right arm up against the wall and place the spikey ball on your right pec muscles

• Leaning into the wall, step your outside foot forwards and place as much pressure through the chest as comfortable

• You should feel a release and stretch through the front of your chest, hold for at least 20 seconds

• Now, bring your right arm higher up the wall to swap from your pec major to pec minor muscle

• Repeat both sides, move the spikey ball as necessary to target areas of tension

Spikey Ball Deltoid Release

• Targeting the deltoid muscle down the side of your arm, this will help reduce tension in the area

• Place the ball against your deltoid muscle wherever it feels tense

• Lean against the wall, placing as much body weight against the ball as you desire

• Either hold here or make small circles with your shoulder to do an active release

• Hold for at least 20 seconds and repeat on the other side

Seated Spikey Ball Angel Arms

• Our aim is to release the upper back and decrease tension through our postural muscles

• Sitting however comfortable and leaning against the wall, with the spikey ball placed between your spine and your right shoulder blade in the middle of your back

• Place your arms out towards the side in a T shape, slowly glide your arms up towards the ceiling and then return to the starting position

• Perform 4 times slowly and continuously, you can move the ball up or down to other areas of tension and repeat if desired

• Swap the spikey ball to the left side and repeat

Spikey Ball Lats Release

• Your lats (or Latissimus Dorsi) are a major muscle through your back and wrap around your shoulder. When tight they can impact on your upper body mobility as well as your shoulder range of motion

• Lying on your side, place the ball underneath the arm you’re lying on

• You can place the other arm in front of you as a support

• Working through the active movement of rotating your forearm up to the ceiling and back to the mat 4 times, keeping your elbow on the mat throughout

• Move the spikey ball as needed to target areas of tension, then repeat on the other side

We hope you found this helpful! Feel free to repeat this series multiple times through out the week and keep Moving With Us. If you have any questions or need any advice on any of these exercises, please don't hesitate to reach out and chat to us.

Remember that you shouldn’t feel pain during any of these exercises. If they are painful for you, consider avoiding that exercise or decreasing the intensity. We are always here to help if needed.

If you’re after some more advice or are in need of some hands on help, we’d love to see you at Collective Motion! Collective Motion offers Osteopathy and Pilates and is conveniently located to service our Bentleigh community as well as its surrounding suburbs including Bentleigh East, McKinnon, Ormond, Glenhuntly, Murrumbeena, Carnegie, Oakleigh, Gardenvale, Brighton East and Hampton East. Click below to book an appointment and let us help you get moving again.