Beginner

Behind-the-Back Shoulder Stretch

Clasping the hands behind you and lifting them draws the shoulders back and opens the front of the chest and delts, the tissue that rounds forward from pressing and screen time. It pairs well with rows and pulls to balance out a pushing-heavy program. Hold a strap between the hands if your shoulders are too tight to clasp.

Equipment
Band, Body Weight
Body part
Chest, Shoulder
Type
Stretching
Muscles worked
Target
Deltoid Anterior, Pectoralis Major Clavicular
Secondary
Biceps Brachii Long Head, Pectoralis Major Sternocostal

How to do it

  1. 1

    Stand tall and clasp your hands together behind your lower back, or hold a strap between them.

  2. 2

    Straighten your elbows and draw your shoulder blades down and together.

  3. 3

    Lift your clasped hands up and away from your body as your chest opens.

  4. 4

    Keep your chest tall and avoid shrugging as you raise the arms.

  5. 5

    Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing slowly, then release.

Tips

  • Pull the shoulder blades down first so you do not shrug into the stretch.
  • Keep the ribs from flaring by bracing the abs lightly.
  • Use a strap and widen the grip if clasping the hands strains the shoulders.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • The elbows bend as the hands rise, so the arms travel but the shoulders stay put and the front of the chest never opens.
  • Lifting the hands as high as they will go on the first breath is what makes this one hurt; raise them to the first firm resistance and stay there.
  • The chest drops toward the floor to let the arms go higher, which turns the position into a hinge rather than a shoulder stretch.
  • The clasped hands drift toward one hip, so one shoulder extends more than the other; keep the clasp centered behind the tailbone.
  • The breath gets held because the front of the ribs is closing, and a locked ribcage makes the position feel harder than the stretch actually is.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold the behind-the-back shoulder stretch?
Two or three holds of 20 to 30 seconds, once or twice a day, works well, and it pairs naturally with rows or pulls to balance a pressing-heavy program. Progress by bringing the hands closer together over several weeks rather than by lifting them higher in any one session.
How do I make the behind-the-back shoulder stretch easier or harder?
To make it easier, keep the arms low and only draw the shoulder blades down and together, so the chest opens without much shoulder extension. To make it harder, rest the clasped hands on a bench or counter behind you and let the hips sink, or keep the chest tall and hinge forward a few degrees as the arms lift, both of which push the shoulders further into extension than your arms manage alone.
What is the behind-the-back shoulder stretch for?
It opens the front of the shoulders and the upper chest, the tissue that shortens from pressing volume and hours at a keyboard, and it is a useful counterweight in a program heavy on pushing. It is a poor choice if the front of the shoulder is what already bothers you, because the position loads exactly that area; the cross-body stretch or a light doorway hold is gentler.

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