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# I’m a Cyclist and a Physical Therapist, and These are my 5 Best Cycling Upper Back Muscle Exercises
  Chris Schwenker
# Follow this cycling physical therapist's approach to maximize performance and prevent injury by working neglected muscles—the Thoracic Spine.
When talk of back pain comes up during the local group ride cafe stop or at the water cooler at work, we assume that low back pain is the culprit, and for a good reason. On average, nearly 30 percent of the US population over 18 reports experiencing low back pain yearly. Cyclists are not immune.
An  study published in The Physician and Sports Medicine asked almost 63,000 recreational riders about their cycling-related pain history over five years. The researchers found low back pain was the fourth most common recreational cycling injury.
#### Also Read:
However, a cyclist’s mid-back, or thoracic spine, is subjected to significant repetitive strain while cycling. In addition, extended seated and sedentary positioning while at work or home contribute to the problem.
## Why are the mid-back muscles significant to cyclists?
A traditional cycling pose puts the mid-back in a precarious position. As a rider slumps forward on the saddle and reaches for the handlebars, the shoulders become rounded, and an arch forms in the middle of the back.
The cyclist’s shoulder blades move away from the spine, causing the mid-back muscles to become overstretched and weakened. The chest (pectoral) and other muscles in the front of the cyclist’s body lose flexibility and shorten. The situation worsens, and a seated lifestyle hastens the postural deterioration.
## What is the function of the mid-back muscles when cycling?
The mid-back, or thoracic spine, comprises twelve vertebrae (spinal column bones). The thoracic vertebrae run from the base of the neck down to about the waistline. A cyclist’s shoulder blades, rib cage, and upper body connect to the thoracic spine, making it a base of support for the core.
Long rides with rounded shoulders and an arched spine challenge the mid-back muscles. The muscles that stabilize the shoulder blade (scapula), like the rhomboids and middle trapezius, lose effectiveness and weaken as they become overstretched. A similar situation occurs in the muscles surrounding the thoracic spine, called the paraspinal muscles.
Improper positioning and prolonged saddle time tire our spinal muscles, and they can’t support our trunk. When our legs get tired, our posture deteriorates. A cyclist’s poor posture will progress, causing gradual onset injury of the low back, arms, and up and down the line.
## Proper Postural Position and Mid-Back Muscle Bike Fit Tips
##### Correct Mid-Back Muscle Cycling Position
**Proper postural position while riding is essential, and here are a few tips to follow.**
* Relax your neck by ensuring you aren’t looking too far up or down.
* Relax your shoulders by bringing them down and away from your ears.
* Bend your elbows and keep them tucked to your sides to reduce strain on your shoulders and produce less pressure on your hands.
* Avoid bending your wrist by maintaining a straight line from your elbow through your fingers.
* Maintain a neutral spine by relaxing your lower back and aligning your shoulders and hips.
* Keep your knee over the ball of your foot while pedaling.
##### Mid-Back Muscle Bike Fit
Check your bike fit and decrease the strain upon your back by ensuring you are not too stretched out. Adjust your stem height and length, move your saddle forward, and raise your handlebars to maintain a relaxed and flattened lower spine.
Conscious awareness of on-bike positioning and a bike fit by a certified professional is always a good idea. You can take matters into your own hands and be proactive by adding mid-back muscle exercises to your routine.
***Here are the five best mid-back cycling stretching and strengthening exercises.***
## The 5 Best Cycling Mid-Back Muscle Exercises—Stretching
!
**Foam Roll the Thoracic Spine**
Begin by lying on your back with a foam roll positioned at shoulder level. Place your hands on your waist and slowly roll forward and back across your spine using your legs for support.
***Relax the scapular stabilizer and spinal muscles with a foam roller to optimize flexibility and stretching exercise.***
**90/90 Foam Roll Chest Stretch**
Lie down on a roll allowing your arms to drop to the floor with your elbows bent and 90 degrees away from your side. Shoulders should be in external rotation so that the back of your wrists move towards the floor. Hold for a gentle stretch across your chest and shoulders.
***Open up your chest to relax the pectoral muscles and optimize the stretch of the anterior trunk.***
**Cat and Camel**
While on your hands and knees in a crawl position, raise up your back and arch it towards the ceiling like an angry cat. Then, return to a lowered position, arch your back in the opposite direction like a camel, and repeat.
***Regain lost spinal and pelvic mobility with this simple movement.***
**Prayer Stretch**
While in a crawl position with your arms extended overhead, slowly lower your buttocks towards your feet until a stretch is felt in your mid back and shoulders.
***Regain mid-back extension and prevent progression of thoracic curvature.***
**3-Way Doorway Chest Stretch**
Begin with your hands high on the doorway frame, place one foot in front of your body, and lean in and hold. Then position your hands on the middle of the door frame and hold. Place your hands on the lower part of the frame for the final position and lean in for the stretch.
***Eliminate shortened pectoral and anterior chest wall muscles and allow mid-back and thoracic spine mobility.***
***For more tips, tricks, and the science behind stretching, read “******”***
## The 5 Best Cycling Mid-Back Muscle Exercises—Strengthening
**Elastic Band Pull Downs with Shoulder Blade Pinch**
Grasp the elastic band with your arms outstretched above your shoulders. Pull the band downward, bend your elbows, and pull your shoulder blades together.
***Activate the scapular stabilizer muscles and train your shoulder blade to the proper down and back position.***
**Elastic Band Bilateral Shoulder External Rotation**
Start by standing up straight with palms facing each other and elbows bent to 90 degrees. Extend your elbows against the resistance of the elastic band as you move your hands behind your hips and squeeze your shoulder blades down and back.
***Strengthen the scapular stabilizers, and open the chest to prevent rounding of the shoulders.***
**Bilateral Prone T**
Begin by lying face down with your arms extended out to the side. Contract the muscles of your shoulder blades and bring them in and back while slowly raising your arms toward the ceiling.
***Isolate the middle trapezius and rhomboid muscles to effectively and efficiently strengthen and stabilize your shoulder blades.***
**Bilateral Prone Y**
While lying face down with arms outstretched upwards, slowly raise your arms toward the ceiling as you squeeze your shoulder blades down and toward your spine.
***Strengthen the scapular stabilizer and posterior shoulder muscles to give your mid-back the support it needs for long rides.***
#### Complete your cycling mid-back exercise program with a Bird Dog Series of core strengthening essentials.
The Bird Dog is a popular core and spinal stabilization exercise because it effectively reinforces proper spinal alignment and core muscle recruitment.  The demands of cycling place stress on our spines in many ways, and therefore it is important to vary the exercises we perform to strengthen the core. The Bird Dog series targets the core and engages the scapular stabilizers and spinal extensor muscles—the mid-back cycling muscles.
For step-by-step instructions and tips for correct form, check out “” or watch this great video by Coach Joy Murphy.
Don’t neglect your mid-back and reverse the adverse postural effect of sitting at a desk and pedaling in the saddle. Follow these 5 best cycling mid-back exercises to get you out of that position and make it easier to stay out of it while riding.
**To subscribe to the Zommunique and receive more informative and entertaining articles like this one sent directly to your inbox, !**
Semi-retired after more than 20 years as the owner and director of a private Orthopedic Physical Therapy practice, Chris now enjoys the freedom to dedicate himself to his passions—virtual cycling and writing.
Driven to give back to the sport that has enriched his life with countless experiences and relationships, he founded a non-profit organization, TheDIRTDadFund. In the summer of 2022, he rode 3,900 miles from San Francisco to his “Gain Cave” on Long Island, New York, raising support for his charity.
His passion for cycling shines through in his writing, which has been featured in prominent publications like , , , , , and Bicycling. In 2024, he was on-site in Abu Dhabi, covering the first live, in-person UCI Cycling Esports World Championship.
His contributions to cycling esports have not gone unnoticed, with his work cited in multiple research papers exploring this evolving discipline. He sits alongside esteemed esports scientists as a member of the  and contributes to groundbreaking research exploring the new frontier of virtual physical sport. Chris co-hosts , too.
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