You can probably think of several lower-body stretches off the top of your head: standing quad stretch, seated hamstring stretch, figure four stretch, runner's lunge, etc. But stretching your upper-body muscles after an arm workout leaves many of us stumped.
But your chest, shoulders, arms and upper back deserves just as much TLC as your legs, especially after a grueling workout. New York-based certified personal trainer Mathew Forzaglia, CPT, wants you to make these five stretches your go-to post-arm-workout routine.
Video of the Day
Video of the Day
1. Scorpion Stretch
- Begin lying flat on the floor with your hip bones pressed against the ground, arms out to your sides in a T.
- Press your left palm into the ground, keeping your right arm stretched out.
- Keeping your right hip and leg rooted, bring your left leg off the ground, placing your left foot behind your body.
- Using your left palm for leverage, begin to open your chest up to the left until you feel a stretch along the right upper body.
- Hold here for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.
2. Couch Shoulder Stretch
- Begin on all fours in front of a couch or chair.
- Bring your elbows up onto the seat, clasping your hands behind your back.
- Keeping your eyes on the ground, press your chest toward the floor until you feel a stretch along your upper back, triceps and shoulders.
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
3. Wrist Stretch
- Begin on all fours, knees under hips and palms under shoulders.
- Keeping your weight in your knees, flip your wrists until your fingers face your body.
- Gently shift weight onto your hands, feeling a stretch along your inner wrist.
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds.
Tip
If you don't often stretch your wrists, ease into this move, as it can be taxing on these joints.
4. Thread the Needle
- Start on all fours in tabletop position, knees stacked below hips and hands stacked below shoulders.
- “Thread” your left arm underneath your right shoulder. Bring your left arm as far through as you can without feeling discomfort or pain.
- Once you reach the end of your range of motion, rest your left cheek and the back of your left shoulder on the ground.
- Hold for 15 to 30 seconds before repeating on the other side.
Tip
If this stretch feels too intense, place the palm of your non-threading arm on the floor and lift your head off the ground.
5. Biceps, Chest and Neck Stretch
- Stand against a wall with your right arm stretched out into a T, palm on the wall.
- Keeping the palm rooted, slowly open your chest to the left side and turn your head to your left shoulder.
- At the same time, begin to step slowly away from the wall until you feel a stretch along your right biceps, chest and neck.
- Hold here for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.