Prone Bench Scapular Retraction

Upper BackBench

Strengthen your upper back and refine posture lying face-down on a bench without straining your neck.

How to do it

1Lie face down on a bench with your arms hanging freely straight down.

2Pull your shoulders away from your ears and keep your neck aligned with your spine.

3Smoothly squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull them slightly down.

4Hold your shoulder blades pinched together for one second.

5Slowly release your shoulders and upper back to the starting position.

Common mistakes

Shrugging your shoulders up toward your ears, overworking your upper traps and neck.

Craning your head back, taking your neck out of a safe neutral alignment.

Jerking your upper body to lift, reducing engagement in the upper back.

Breathing

Inhale at the start, and exhale smoothly as you squeeze your shoulder blades.

Make it harder or easier

To make it easier, work through a smaller range of motion. To make it harder, hold the squeeze for three seconds on every rep.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.