Elbows Back Chest Stretch
What Is the Elbows Back Chest Stretch?
Elbows Back Chest Stretch is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the chest, lengthening the pectoralis major and the front of the shoulders while the upper back works gently to draw the shoulder blades together. It is a beginner-level movement that needs no equipment: you rest your hands on your lower back and draw your elbows back to open up the front of the body.
It is a quick way to open the chest after pressing work, as part of a cool-down, or as a break from long periods of sitting at a desk, when the shoulders tend to round forward. Because the hands stay low and nothing braces the arms, it can be done anywhere, standing or seated, and the depth of the stretch is set by how far you draw your elbows back.
Drawing the elbows back takes the upper arms behind the body and squeezes the shoulder blades together, which lengthens the chest, especially its upper fibers, along with the front of the shoulders. With the hands resting on the back, the upper arms stay turned slightly inward and low by your sides, so the stretch is gentler than versions that take the arm out to the side and turn it outward. For a deeper stretch, the Reverse Shoulder Stretch clasps the hands behind the back and lifts the arms, and the Doorway Chest Stretch lets you lean into a frame.
The stretch suits almost anyone, including beginners and older adults, and it is a good choice when raising the arms overhead for the Behind the Head Chest Stretch is uncomfortable. A tight chest is only one part of rounded shoulders, so the stretch works best alongside upper back work such as the Band Pull-Apart.
Muscles Worked
- Pectoralis Major
- Primary
- Deltoid
- High
- Rhomboid Major
- Medium
- Upper Trapezius
- Medium
- Erector Spinae
- Minimal
- Rectus Abdominis
- Minimal
Instructions
- Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart, your knees soft and your arms relaxed at your sides.
- Place your palms on your lower back just above your hips, fingers pointing down, with your elbows bent and pointing out behind you.
- Brace your abs lightly and keep your ribs down so your lower back stays neutral.
- Draw your elbows back toward each other and gently squeeze your shoulder blades together and down until you feel a stretch across your chest and the front of your shoulders.
- Lift your chest and let your chin rise slightly, keeping the back of your neck long and your hips stacked under your shoulders.
- Hold for 20 to 30 seconds while breathing slowly, without bouncing.
- Release by letting your elbows come forward, then lower your arms.
- Repeat 2 to 4 times.
Common Mistakes
Arching the lower back
Flaring the ribs and leaning back to get the elbows further behind you moves the stretch out of the chest and into the lower back.
Pushing the hips forward
Letting the hips drift forward past the feet bends you back through the lower back instead of opening the chest.
Throwing the head back
Dropping the head back to look at the ceiling strains the neck, so let the chin rise only slightly and keep the back of the neck long.
Shrugging the shoulders
Letting the shoulders creep up toward the ears tenses the neck and makes it harder to draw the shoulder blades back and down.
Forcing the elbows together
Pulling the elbows toward each other past mild tension stresses the front of the shoulder without stretching the chest any further.
Bouncing at the end of range
Pulsing the elbows back and forth instead of holding still makes the stretch harder to control and can irritate the shoulder.
Injuries
Elbows Back Chest Stretch is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. There is no load and you set the range yourself, so most problems come from forcing the elbows back or letting other joints make up the range. The main strain points are the front of the shoulder, the lower back if the ribs flare and the hips push forward, and the neck if the head is thrown back.
Draw the elbows back only until you feel mild tension across the chest, keep the ribs down and the hips stacked under the shoulders, and let the chin rise only slightly while the back of the neck stays long. Hold still rather than bouncing. Resting the hands behind the back turns the shoulders inward, a position that a painful or stiff shoulder may not tolerate, so if the front or top of the shoulder pinches, slide your hands around to the sides of your hips and draw the elbows back less.
To progress, the Reverse Shoulder Stretch clasps the hands and lifts the arms for a stronger stretch, and the Doorway Chest Stretch lets you lean into a frame. Stop if you feel sharp or pinching pain in the shoulder, a pinch in the lower back, or numbness or tingling down the arms, and have a recent shoulder injury or ongoing shoulder pain checked by a physical therapist before stretching into it.
- Primary Focus
- Chest
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Stretching
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Alternative Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: How long should I hold the Elbows Back Chest Stretch?
Hold it for about 20 to 30 seconds and repeat it 2 to 4 times, which fits standard static stretching guidance for most adults. Older adults often do better with holds of 30 to 60 seconds.
- Q: Why does it feel gentler than other chest stretches?
With your hands on your lower back, your upper arms stay low and turned slightly inward, and the chest muscle stretches most when the arm is out to the side and turned outward. For a stronger stretch, try the Reverse Shoulder Stretch or the Doorway Chest Stretch.
- Q: Should I feel it in my lower back?
No. If your lower back feels pinched, your ribs have likely flared or your hips have pushed forward, so stand tall with your hips under your shoulders and draw the elbows back less.
- Q: Can I do it sitting down?
Yes. Sit tall near the front of a chair without leaning on the backrest, place your hands on your lower back and draw your elbows back the same way, which makes it an easy break from desk work.
- Q: Will stretching my chest regularly improve my range?
It can with enough practice. In a study of 38 active adults, those who did static chest stretches for 15 minutes three times a week for 7 weeks could take the arm about 6% further back behind the body, while a control group did not change. A few holds of this stretch is a much smaller dose, so treat it as a regular mobility break rather than a quick fix.
- Q: Will this stretch fix rounded shoulders?
Not on its own. It can ease a tight chest, but rounded shoulders also need a stronger upper back, so pair it with exercises such as the Band Pull-Apart or Band Face Pull.