A short sequence for lower-back tissue preparation and trunk control, followed by scapular preparation, tendon comfort, gentle neural mobility, shoulder extension, and elevation.
Updated August 15, 2026 · Review whenever the clinician-prescribed tendon dosage changes
Before you start
Duration:About 15–20 min
Equipment:Foam roller, mat, ball, cable, towel, band, wall and empty bar
Placement:Before upper-body training or any session that needs lower-back preparation
Stop if:Sharp or spreading pain, weakness, numbness or lasting nerve symptoms
Order: Complete in orderAdjust: Reduce load or range as neededStop: Sharp or spreading pain, weakness, or lasting nerve symptoms
Step 01 · Lower-back tissue preparation
Wall-supported lower-back foam roll
Use light, controllable pressure on the muscular tissue beside the lower spine. This is for short-term comfort and movement preparation, not strengthening.
Equipment:Soft foam roller and wall
Dose:30–45 sec per side
Setup: Stand with the roller lengthwise between the wall and the muscular area on one side of the lower back. Keep both feet planted and support most of your weight through your legs.
Movement: Use small knee bends and body shifts to move the roller slowly over a short, comfortable area.
Key cue: Use mild pressure and relaxed breathing; more pressure is not the goal.
Avoid: Do not center the roller on the lumbar bones, roll across the flank or kidney area, or lie on the floor with full bodyweight pressing into the lumbar curve.
Stop if: Pain is sharp, travels into the leg, or produces numbness, tingling, or weakness.
Step 02 · Trunk control
Controlled bird dog
Use a small, controlled reach to activate the abdominals, back extensors, and glutes without turning the warm-up into a fatiguing strength set.
Equipment:Exercise mat
Dose:1 × 5 per side, 5-sec holds
Setup: Start on hands and knees with hands beneath shoulders, knees beneath hips, and the spine in a comfortable neutral position.
Movement: Brace gently, reach one arm forward and the opposite leg back, hold, then return slowly and switch sides.
Key cue: Reach long rather than high and keep both hip points facing the floor.
Adjust: Move only one limb, or keep the toes touching the floor, if the trunk shifts or the lower back arches.
Stop if: The exercise increases back pain or sends symptoms into the buttock or leg.
Step 03 · Scapular soft-tissue preparation
Massage ball around the scapula
Use the wall to control pressure around the muscular border of the shoulder blade before moving into the active warm-up.
Equipment:Massage or lacrosse ball
Dose:Comfortable duration
Setup: Place the ball between the wall and the muscular area beside the shoulder blade. Lean into it gently while keeping the neck and breathing relaxed.
Key cue: Use small body shifts to explore the muscle above, beside, and below the scapula.
Avoid: Stay off the spine, the bony edge of the shoulder blade, and the shoulder joint itself.
Stop if: Pressure feels sharp, electrical, numbing, or tingling.
Step 04 · Scapular control
Single-arm cable serratus reach
Use a light pulley load to practice the shoulder blade gliding back and then wrapping forward around the ribcage without shrugging or rotating the torso.
Equipment:Cable machine
Dose:2 × 8–12 per side
Setup: Set the pulley around chest-to-shoulder height. Stand facing away from the machine in a comfortable staggered stance and hold the handle in one hand with the arm long but not rigid.
Movement: Begin with the reaching arm slightly behind you, extend forward, and finish by letting the shoulder blade wrap smoothly around the ribs.
Key cue: Keep the shoulder relaxed away from the ear and return without forcefully pinching the blade toward the spine.
Avoid: Do not create range by arching, shrugging, or rotating the torso.
Adjust: Use a lighter load or shorter reach if the shoulder blade lifts farther away from the ribcage.
Step 05 · Tendon preparation
Behind-the-back towel assistance
This is the towel position currently used to make the tendon movement more comfortable. The towel assists the range; it does not force it.
Equipment:Long towel or strap
Dose:Current prescribed scheme
Setup: Hold the towel behind the back in the exact hand position already prescribed. Stand tall with the ribs stacked and both shoulders relaxed.
Key cue: Use the opposite hand only to take up slack and guide the affected side.
Avoid: Do not yank the towel or chase a deeper shoulder stretch.
Stop if: The movement produces sharp tendon or joint pain.
Step 06 · Neural mobility
Three upper-limb nerve glides
Move between an easier and a slightly tensioned position, then return. Stay relaxed and never hold a nerve glide at a strong endpoint.
01 · Palm-forward pattern
Median nerve glide
Keep the shoulder down. Open the palm and slowly lengthen the elbow as the wrist extends, then soften the elbow and wrist to return.
Key cue: Think smooth “out and back,” not a sustained stretch.
Adjust: Reduce wrist or elbow range first if symptoms increase.
02 · Hand-to-face pattern
Ulnar nerve glide
Begin with the arm out and palm down. Extend the wrist gently, then bend the elbow so the hand travels toward the side of the face; reverse to return.
Key cue: Keep the shoulder relaxed instead of hiking it up.
Stop if: Symptoms become painful or continue worsening.
03 · Thumb-in pattern
Radial nerve glide
Drop the shoulder gently, turn the arm inward with the wrist flexed, and move the straight arm slightly behind and away; reverse the sequence to return.
Key cue: Use a small range and keep the neck relaxed.
Avoid: Do not force the wrist or pull the shoulder aggressively downward.
Step 07 · Rotator-cuff control
Towel-supported band external rotation
Use the towel as feedback to keep the elbow fixed while the shoulder rotates. This is shoulder-strengthening work, not a nerve glide.
Equipment:Light band and small towel
Dose:1–2 × 8–12 per side
Setup: Anchor the band at elbow height. Bend the working elbow 90 degrees and place a folded towel between the elbow and the side of the ribs, just above the hip.
Movement: Gently pinch the towel in place and rotate the hand outward against the band, then return slowly.
Key cue: Keep the elbow completely still and the wrist straight.
Avoid: Do not rotate the torso, flare the ribs, shrug, or pull so far that the elbow leaves the towel.
Stop if: The movement increases neck-to-arm symptoms or causes sharp shoulder pain, numbness, or weakness.
Step 08 · Scapular upward rotation
Scapular wall slides
Use the wall as feedback while the shoulder blades rotate and glide upward with the arms.
Equipment:Wall
Dose:1 × 10 controlled reps
Setup: Face the wall with both forearms against it and palms facing each other. Stand tall with the ribs stacked and shoulders relaxed.
Movement: Press the forearms lightly into the wall and slide them upward toward a comfortable Y position.
Key cue: Let the shoulder blades wrap outward and rotate upward without shrugging.
Avoid: Keep the lower ribs from flaring and the low back from arching to create false range.
Return: Move slowly to the start while maintaining light wall pressure.
Step 09 · Shoulder extension
Tall-kneeling banded shoulder extensions
This is the established daily shoulder-extension prescription from the training plan.
Equipment:Light resistance band
Dose:2 × 8–10 + 1 × 15–20 sec
Setup: Anchor a light band in front at chest height. Kneel tall facing the anchor, hold the band with straight elbows, and brace the glutes and abdomen.
Movement: Pull the straight arms behind the torso for 2 sec.
Hold: Pause at the comfortable end range for 2 sec.
Return: Come forward under control for 3 sec.
Finish: Complete one comfortable 15–20 sec end-range hold.
Step 10 · Scapular elevation
Behind-the-back Olympic-bar shrugs
Finish with the empty bar behind the body to practice a controlled up-and-slightly-back shrug.
Equipment:Empty Olympic bar
Dose:Current prescribed sets and reps
Setup: Stand tall with the bar behind the thighs, hands just outside the hips, elbows straight, and ribs stacked.
Movement: Lift the shoulders up and slightly back without bending the elbows or leaning forward.
Key cue: Pause briefly, then lower the shoulders slowly instead of dropping the bar.
Avoid: Do not force the shoulders into an uncomfortable behind-the-back position.
Progression: Do not add plates unless that progression has been cleared.