How long should a beginner do the lacrosse ball pec release for?

30 to 45 seconds per side, once daily or before upper-body pressing days, is enough to start. Increase how long you hold a single tender spot rather than adding more sides or rounds.

What if you don't have a lacrosse ball for the chest?

A tennis ball is gentler and a reasonable stand-in, especially at first, though it won't dig in quite as precisely. With no ball at all, a doorway pec stretch, arm on the frame while stepping through, opens the same area passively instead.

What does the lacrosse ball pec release help with, and when should you skip it?

It loosens tight chest muscles that pull the shoulders forward in people who press often or sit hunched, and pairs well with rolling the upper back. Skip it if you have an active shoulder impingement or recent shoulder injury, since pressure this close to the joint can aggravate it rather than help.

Beginner

Lacrosse Ball Pec Release

Tight chest muscles pull the shoulders forward and can limit overhead reach, especially in people who press often or sit hunched. Pinning a lacrosse ball against a wall lets you release the upper and mid chest near the shoulder without heavy pressure on the joint. It pairs well with upper-back rolling to help restore a tall, open posture.

Equipment: Massage Ball
Body part: Chest
Type: Recovery, Stretching
Browse by muscle: Pectoralis Major Clavicular, Pectoralis Major Sternocostal

How to do it

1
Place a lacrosse ball between your chest and a wall, just inside the front of the shoulder.
2
Lean into the wall to set a comfortable amount of pressure on the ball.
3
Slowly shift your body to roll the ball across the upper and mid chest.
4
Pause on a tender spot and gently raise and lower that arm to floss the tissue.
5
Work each side for 30 to 45 seconds, keeping the pressure tolerable.

Tips

Stay just off the shoulder joint and out of the armpit, working the muscle belly of the chest.
Moving the same-side arm while you hold a spot helps the tissue release faster.
Control the pressure by how hard you lean into the wall.

Variations

Common mistakes

The ball drifts into the armpit or right onto the front of the shoulder joint, an area with nerves and tendons that has no business under this kind of pressure.
The body stays perfectly still against the ball the whole time, skipping the arm raises that actually help the tissue floss free.
Full body weight presses in from the first second, before the chest has had any chance to soften into lighter pressure.
The ball travels in one straight line up and down instead of covering the width of the chest from the collarbone down toward the ribs.

Frequently asked

How long should a beginner do the lacrosse ball pec release for?: 30 to 45 seconds per side, once daily or before upper-body pressing days, is enough to start. Increase how long you hold a single tender spot rather than adding more sides or rounds.
What if you don't have a lacrosse ball for the chest?: A tennis ball is gentler and a reasonable stand-in, especially at first, though it won't dig in quite as precisely. With no ball at all, a doorway pec stretch, arm on the frame while stepping through, opens the same area passively instead.
What does the lacrosse ball pec release help with, and when should you skip it?: It loosens tight chest muscles that pull the shoulders forward in people who press often or sit hunched, and pairs well with rolling the upper back. Skip it if you have an active shoulder impingement or recent shoulder injury, since pressure this close to the joint can aggravate it rather than help.

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