How long should you hold the seated biceps stretch, and how often?

Sink into the stretch for 30 seconds, ease back, and repeat once or twice per session. It works well as a between-set stretch on arm or push days rather than a stretch you need to schedule separately.

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

Make it easier by bending the knees more and keeping the hips closer to the hands, which shortens the lean. Make it harder by walking the hands slightly further behind you or extending the legs straight out in front while you slide the hips forward.

What is the seated biceps stretch good for, and who should be cautious with it?

It opens the biceps across both the elbow and the shoulder at once, plus the front of the chest, making it a solid finisher after curls or a pressing session. Be cautious with it if the wrists do not tolerate weight-bearing well, since the whole stretch rests on flat palms behind the body.

Beginner

Seated Biceps Stretch

Planting the hands behind you and leaning away puts the biceps on stretch across both the elbow and the shoulder at once, since the long head crosses both joints. It also opens the front of the shoulders and chest, making it a great counter to a day of curls and pressing. Keep the shoulders down to protect the front of 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
Sit on the floor with the knees bent and feet flat.
2
Place both hands on the floor behind you, fingers pointing away from your body, palms flat.
3
Keep the arms straight and the shoulders pulled down away from the ears.
4
Slide the hips forward, away from the hands, until you feel the biceps and front of the shoulders lengthen.
5
Hold 30 seconds, ease the hips back, and repeat once or twice.

Tips

Keep the elbows straight; bending them removes the stretch from the biceps.
Do not shrug; press the shoulder blades down to keep the front of the shoulder safe.
Move the hips forward gradually and stop at a firm, comfortable stretch.

Variations

Common mistakes

The fingers point back toward the body instead of away from it, twisting the wrist under the weight of the leaning torso.
The hands sit close together instead of roughly hip-width apart, which cramps the base and limits how far the hips can slide forward.
Sliding the hips forward in one big shift instead of gradually finds the sharp end of the range before the biceps has had a chance to ease into it.
The head drops back or juts forward as the chest opens, adding neck strain to a stretch that should stay in the arms and shoulders.
The knees splay wide instead of staying roughly hip-width, which takes the stability out of the base right as the arms take load.

Frequently asked

How long should you hold the seated biceps stretch, and how often?: Sink into the stretch for 30 seconds, ease back, and repeat once or twice per session. It works well as a between-set stretch on arm or push days rather than a stretch you need to schedule separately.
How do you make the seated biceps stretch easier or harder?: Make it easier by bending the knees more and keeping the hips closer to the hands, which shortens the lean. Make it harder by walking the hands slightly further behind you or extending the legs straight out in front while you slide the hips forward.
What is the seated biceps stretch good for, and who should be cautious with it?: It opens the biceps across both the elbow and the shoulder at once, plus the front of the chest, making it a solid finisher after curls or a pressing session. Be cautious with it if the wrists do not tolerate weight-bearing well, since the whole stretch rests on flat palms behind the body.

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