How long should a beginner hold the lat stretch?

Thirty seconds per side, two rounds, before pulling or overhead work. If tight lats are what caps your overhead reach, two or three short sessions spread through the day do more than one long one. Deepen it by sending the hips further back and away rather than by adding time to a single hold.

What can I hold onto for the lat stretch if I have no rack?

Anything solid at roughly head height works: a doorframe edge, a kitchen counter, a sturdy table, a windowsill, or a fence rail. Lower anchors are fine too, since you can hinge deeper to compensate. With nothing to grab, reach the arm overhead, hold the wrist with the other hand and side bend away, which is the standing overhead version.

What is the lat stretch used for?

It lengthens the lats, which limit overhead reach and tend to stiffen after rows, pulldowns, and pull-ups, so it works as prep for overhead pressing or as a cool-down after pulling. It is a poor answer for a stiff mid-back, where thoracic rotation is the right tool, and it is not the drill for a shoulder that complains as soon as the arm goes overhead.

Beginner

Lat Stretch

The lats are big, powerful pulling muscles that get tight from rowing, pulling, and pressing overhead. Reaching one arm overhead and leaning away opens up the side of the back from the armpit to the hip. Anchoring the hand on a rack or doorframe lets you sink your hips back and deepen the stretch.

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

How to do it

1
Stand and reach one arm overhead, or grip a rack, rail, or doorframe at head height.
2
Step back slightly and hinge at the hips so your torso lowers.
3
Let your hips drift away from the anchored hand.
4
Side bend gently away from the working arm until you feel a stretch down the side of the back.
5
Breathe and hold for 30 seconds, then switch sides.

Tips

Rotate the palm to face up or inward to bias slightly different parts of the lat.
Push the hips back and away to lengthen the muscle from both ends.
Keep the neck relaxed and let your head hang between your arms if it feels good.

Variations

Common mistakes

The grip point sits well above head height, so you end up hanging from the arm and the stretch stops at the shoulder instead of running down the side of the back.
The hips travel straight back but never out to the side, which gives a decent shoulder opener and misses the lat's attachment down on the pelvis.
The low back arches as the chest drops, so what should be a long pull along the ribs turns into compression at the lumbar spine.
A white-knuckle grip on the rail keeps the hand and forearm working the whole hold, and a limb that is gripping hard will not let its big muscles lengthen.
Thirty seconds shrinks to ten because the position is awkward to sit in; the lat is thick tissue and gives up length slowly.

Frequently asked

How long should a beginner hold the lat stretch?: Thirty seconds per side, two rounds, before pulling or overhead work. If tight lats are what caps your overhead reach, two or three short sessions spread through the day do more than one long one. Deepen it by sending the hips further back and away rather than by adding time to a single hold.
What can I hold onto for the lat stretch if I have no rack?: Anything solid at roughly head height works: a doorframe edge, a kitchen counter, a sturdy table, a windowsill, or a fence rail. Lower anchors are fine too, since you can hinge deeper to compensate. With nothing to grab, reach the arm overhead, hold the wrist with the other hand and side bend away, which is the standing overhead version.
What is the lat stretch used for?: It lengthens the lats, which limit overhead reach and tend to stiffen after rows, pulldowns, and pull-ups, so it works as prep for overhead pressing or as a cool-down after pulling. It is a poor answer for a stiff mid-back, where thoracic rotation is the right tool, and it is not the drill for a shoulder that complains as soon as the arm goes overhead.

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