How long should you hold the bench lat stretch?

Two or three rounds of 30 to 45 seconds, before a pulling or overhead session, or afterward as a way to unload the upper back. Because your body weight sets the depth, progress by walking the knees back a little further or moving to a slightly higher surface, not by holding past a minute.

What can I use instead of a bench for the bench lat stretch?

A chair seat, a couch cushion edge, a coffee table, the edge of a bed, or the second step of a staircase all work. Height is what changes the intensity: a higher surface lets the chest sink further below the elbows and stretches harder, so start low, around knee height, and work up from there.

Who is the bench lat stretch best for?

It is the passive option in the lat family, letting body weight do the work while you breathe, which suits people who struggle to hold a standing rack version still. It is a poor pick if your knees dislike kneeling, unless you pad them, and it is not ideal in the minutes before heavy pulling, when a long passive hold leaves the upper back feeling loose; keep it short beforehand and save the long holds for after.

Beginner

Bench Lat Stretch

Anchoring the elbows on a bench lets you settle your body weight into the stretch and reach the lats through a long lever. Use it before pulling work to unlock overhead reach and after training to decompress the upper back. It also lightly opens the shoulders and lower traps.

Equipment: Bench
Body part: Lats
Type: Stretching
Browse by muscle: Latissimus Dorsi

How to do it

1
Kneel in front of a bench and place both elbows on it, roughly shoulder-width apart.
2
Keep the arms bent so the hands point up behind your head.
3
Walk the knees back until the torso is roughly parallel to the floor.
4
Sink the chest and armpits toward the floor while keeping a long spine.
5
Hold 30 to 45 seconds, breathing into the sides of the back, then ease up.

Tips

Push the armpits down rather than collapsing the low back into an arch.
Keep the head neutral, in line with the spine, not hanging.
Turn the palms slightly inward to deepen the stretch along the lats.

Variations

Common mistakes

The knees stay tucked in under the bench, so the torso is too upright to load the lats and the drill becomes a shoulder stretch with the hips in the way.
The elbows slide wide during the sink, letting the chest drop between them with tension nowhere; keep them about shoulder-width and heavy on the bench.
The hips creep forward toward the bench as the chest lowers, which shortens the distance the lat has to span and quietly ends the stretch.
Sinking hard on the first breath is what leaves the armpits sore the next day; let the chest drop a little further on each exhale across the full 30 to 45 seconds.
Shoulders that pinch at the bottom get pushed through anyway; use a lower surface or stop short of that point rather than sinking past it.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold the bench lat stretch?: Two or three rounds of 30 to 45 seconds, before a pulling or overhead session, or afterward as a way to unload the upper back. Because your body weight sets the depth, progress by walking the knees back a little further or moving to a slightly higher surface, not by holding past a minute.
What can I use instead of a bench for the bench lat stretch?: A chair seat, a couch cushion edge, a coffee table, the edge of a bed, or the second step of a staircase all work. Height is what changes the intensity: a higher surface lets the chest sink further below the elbows and stretches harder, so start low, around knee height, and work up from there.
Who is the bench lat stretch best for?: It is the passive option in the lat family, letting body weight do the work while you breathe, which suits people who struggle to hold a standing rack version still. It is a poor pick if your knees dislike kneeling, unless you pad them, and it is not ideal in the minutes before heavy pulling, when a long passive hold leaves the upper back feeling loose; keep it short beforehand and save the long holds for after.

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