How long should you hold the biceps wall stretch, and how many times?

Hold 20 to 30 seconds per arm for two rounds, and do this daily if the front of the shoulder feels tight from curling or pressing work. There is no real load to progress; longer holds near 45 seconds are fine once the stretch feels mild rather than sharp.

How do you make the biceps wall stretch easier or harder?

Make it easier by placing the hand lower on the wall, closer to hip height, which reduces the angle at the shoulder. Make it harder by raising the hand slightly above shoulder height or by rotating the torso a few more degrees away from the wall.

What is the biceps wall stretch good for, and when should you skip it?

It targets a muscle group most routines never stretch directly, which helps offset the shortening that comes from regular curling and pressing. Skip it, or keep the reach shallow, with any shoulder instability or a recent biceps strain, since locking the elbow and pulling the shoulder back loads the front of the joint.

Beginner

Biceps Wall Stretch

The biceps rarely get stretched, yet they shorten from constant curling and desk work. Pinning the palm to a wall behind you and turning your body away puts a clean line of tension through the biceps and into the front of the shoulder. Keep the elbow straight so the stretch stays on the muscle, not the joint.

Equipment: Body Weight
Body part: Biceps
Type: Stretching
Browse by muscle: Biceps Brachii Long Head, Biceps Brachii Short Head

How to do it

1
Stand an arm's length from a wall, turned so your right side faces it.
2
Place your right palm flat on the wall behind you at shoulder height, arm straight and fingers pointing back.
3
Keep the elbow locked out and slowly rotate your chest and body away from the wall.
4
Turn until you feel a stretch along the front of the upper arm and shoulder.
5
Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing easily, then switch arms.

Tips

Keep the elbow fully straight so the biceps takes the stretch.
Rotate the torso gradually rather than yanking the shoulder open.
Lower or raise the hand on the wall to shift the pull between the biceps and the shoulder.

Variations

Common mistakes

The hand lands well above or below shoulder height on the wall, which shifts the pull into the chest or the wrist instead of the biceps.
Standing too close to the wall bends the elbow before the turn even starts, and standing too far forces the shoulder into an awkward angle.
The shoulder hikes up toward the ear as the body rotates away, adding neck tension on top of the intended biceps stretch.
The wrist rolls so the fingers no longer point back along the wall, which twists the forearm and pulls the stretch off the biceps.
Turning fast in short jerks instead of one slow rotation makes the stretch feel sharper at the elbow than it should.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold the biceps wall stretch, and how many times?: Hold 20 to 30 seconds per arm for two rounds, and do this daily if the front of the shoulder feels tight from curling or pressing work. There is no real load to progress; longer holds near 45 seconds are fine once the stretch feels mild rather than sharp.
How do you make the biceps wall stretch easier or harder?: Make it easier by placing the hand lower on the wall, closer to hip height, which reduces the angle at the shoulder. Make it harder by raising the hand slightly above shoulder height or by rotating the torso a few more degrees away from the wall.
What is the biceps wall stretch good for, and when should you skip it?: It targets a muscle group most routines never stretch directly, which helps offset the shortening that comes from regular curling and pressing. Skip it, or keep the reach shallow, with any shoulder instability or a recent biceps strain, since locking the elbow and pulling the shoulder back loads the front of the joint.

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