Why do I feel it in my triceps?

The long head of the triceps crosses the shoulder as well as the elbow, so raising the arm overhead with the elbow bent stretches it along with the lats. Sliding your hands toward the back of your head increases the triceps stretch, and keeping them higher above your head eases it.

How is it different from Puppy Pose or Child Pose?

In Puppy Pose and Child Pose the hands rest on the floor with the arms straight, so the stretch stays mostly in the shoulders and back. Resting the elbows on a bench lets the chest drop below the arms for a deeper overhead stretch, and the bent elbows bring in the triceps.

How long should I hold the stretch?

Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat two to four times, which adds up to about 60 seconds of stretching. Doing it at least two or three days a week is enough to build flexibility over time.

Can I do it without a bench?

Yes, a sturdy chair seat, box or coffee table at about the same height works the same way. Make sure it will not slide or tip when you lean your weight onto your elbows.

How can I stretch one side more than the other?

To favor your right lat, shift your hips slightly to the right and let your chest turn a little to the left, then swap for the other side. A study of healthy men that measured lat stretch with the arm fully raised found that turning the trunk away from that arm, alone or combined with bending away from it, put the most stretch on the lat of the trunk positions tested.

Should I do it before or after training?

Both work. A few short holds fit well into a warm-up before overhead pressing, pull-ups or overhead squats, and longer holds suit a cooldown or a separate mobility session.

Bench Kneeling Lat Stretch

What Is the Bench Kneeling Lat Stretch?

Bench Kneeling Lat Stretch is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the back, stretching the latissimus dorsi and teres major while also lengthening the long head of the triceps. It is a beginner-level movement: you kneel facing a bench with your elbows resting on it and your palms pressed together, then let your chest sink toward the floor so your arms end up fully overhead while the bench holds your elbows in place.

Its main purpose is overhead mobility. Tight lats pull the arms down and forward and make it harder to reach fully overhead without arching the lower back, so coaches use this stretch to prepare for overhead pressing, pull-ups, overhead squats and snatches, and swimmers use it for the long reach of each stroke. It also helps anyone who finds reaching to a high shelf stiff or uncomfortable. Because the upper back extends as the chest drops, it doubles as a thoracic extension drill, which is why it is often taught as a T-spine stretch.

The lats and teres major take most of the stretch, felt along the sides of the back and under the armpits. Bending the elbows on a raised arm also lengthens the long head of the triceps, and sliding the hands further toward the back of the head increases that triceps stretch. Holding a dowel or light stick with the hands about shoulder-width apart instead of pressing the palms together shifts a little more of the stretch onto the lats, while easing the hips back toward the heels deepens the whole position.

It suits almost anyone who can kneel and raise both arms overhead without pain. If the shoulders pinch or the full overhead position is too much, start with Child Pose or the Foam Roller Kneeling Lat Stretch, and if the upper back is the stiff part, the Foam Roller Thoracic Extension works on that area with the arms out of the way. A chair seat, box or sturdy coffee table can stand in for the bench at home.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Latissimus Dorsi: Primary
Teres Major: High
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): High
Pectoralis Major: Low
Rectus Abdominis: Low
Thoracolumbar Fascia: Low
Erector Spinae: Minimal
Rhomboid Major: Minimal

Instructions

Kneel facing a flat bench, knees hip-width apart and about an arm's length back from it, with a mat or towel under your knees if needed.
Lean forward and rest both elbows on the edge of the bench, about shoulder-width apart.
Bend your elbows and press your palms together, fingers pointing up.
Keep your hips roughly over your knees and brace your abs lightly so your lower back stays flat.
Exhale and let your chest sink toward the floor, letting your head drop between your arms below the bench.
As you sink, let your hands move back toward the back of your head to deepen the stretch along the backs of your arms.
Stop at a firm, comfortable stretch along the sides of your back and under your armpits, and hold for 20 to 30 seconds while breathing slowly.
Press your elbows lightly into the bench to lift your chest back up, then repeat two to four times.

Common Mistakes

Sagging through the lower back
Letting the lower back dip moves the bend away from the upper back and lats, so brace your abs lightly and let the chest sink from the upper back.
Forcing the shoulders into a pinch
Driving the chest down until the top or front of the shoulder pinches loads the joint instead of stretching the lats, so stop at a firm, comfortable stretch.
Letting the elbows slide apart
Elbows that drift wider than the shoulders take tension off the lats and triceps, so keep them about shoulder-width apart on the bench.
Bouncing at the bottom
Pulsing the chest toward the floor jerks the shoulders toward their end range, so ease in slowly and hold still.
Straining the neck
Craning the head up or pushing it hard toward the floor strains the neck, so let it hang relaxed between your arms.
Holding the breath
Holding your breath keeps the trunk tense, so breathe slowly and let each exhale help the chest sink a little further.

Injuries

Bench Kneeling Lat Stretch is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The bench supports your arms and the floor supports your knees, so the main strain points are the shoulders, which can pinch at the top or front if you force them past their comfortable overhead range, and the lower back, which can sag into an arch when the upper back is stiff.

Sink slowly and stop at a firm but comfortable stretch along the sides of your back and the backs of your arms. Brace your abs lightly so the bend comes from your upper back rather than your lower back, and keep your elbows about shoulder-width apart on the bench. Pad your knees with a mat or folded towel, and a towel over the bench edge helps if your elbows feel sore. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds at a time, two to four times, rather than bouncing at the bottom.

To make it easier, keep your hips over your knees and sink only part of the way, or use a higher surface so your arms are less overhead. Child Pose is a gentler option on the floor. To progress, ease your hips back toward your heels, slide your hands further toward the back of your head for more triceps stretch, or hold a light dowel with your hands shoulder-width apart for more lat stretch.

Stop if you feel sharp pain in the shoulder, a pinch in the lower back, or tingling or numbness in the arms or hands. Anyone with a history of shoulder dislocation, a painful shoulder when reaching overhead or recent shoulder surgery should get clearance from a physical therapist or doctor before using this position.

Overview

Primary Focus: Back
Equipment: Bench
Modality: Stretching
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Other Names for the Bench Kneeling Lat Stretch

The Bench Kneeling Lat Stretch is also known as:

Bench T-Spine Stretch

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do I feel it in my triceps?: The long head of the triceps crosses the shoulder as well as the elbow, so raising the arm overhead with the elbow bent stretches it along with the lats. Sliding your hands toward the back of your head increases the triceps stretch, and keeping them higher above your head eases it.
Q: How is it different from Puppy Pose or Child Pose?: In Puppy Pose and Child Pose the hands rest on the floor with the arms straight, so the stretch stays mostly in the shoulders and back. Resting the elbows on a bench lets the chest drop below the arms for a deeper overhead stretch, and the bent elbows bring in the triceps.
Q: How long should I hold the stretch?: Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat two to four times, which adds up to about 60 seconds of stretching. Doing it at least two or three days a week is enough to build flexibility over time.
Q: Can I do it without a bench?: Yes, a sturdy chair seat, box or coffee table at about the same height works the same way. Make sure it will not slide or tip when you lean your weight onto your elbows.
Q: How can I stretch one side more than the other?: To favor your right lat, shift your hips slightly to the right and let your chest turn a little to the left, then swap for the other side. A study of healthy men that measured lat stretch with the arm fully raised found that turning the trunk away from that arm, alone or combined with bending away from it, put the most stretch on the lat of the trunk positions tested.
Q: Should I do it before or after training?: Both work. A few short holds fit well into a warm-up before overhead pressing, pull-ups or overhead squats, and longer holds suit a cooldown or a separate mobility session.