Reverse Shoulder Stretch
What Is the Reverse Shoulder Stretch?
Reverse Shoulder Stretch is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the shoulders, lengthening the front of the deltoid while the upper chest and the biceps feel a lighter stretch and the upper back works gently to hold the shoulder blades together. It is a beginner-level movement that needs no equipment: you clasp your hands behind your back, straighten your arms and lift your hands up and away from your body while your torso stays upright.
Taking the arms behind the body is the opposite of the reaching-forward position that pressing, typing and driving keep the shoulders in, so the stretch is a simple way to open the front of the shoulders and chest after bench presses or push-ups, in a cool-down or mobility routine, or during a break from sitting. Because nothing braces the arms, it can be done anywhere, and the depth of the stretch is set entirely by how high you lift your hands.
Most of the stretch lands on the front of the deltoid and the upper fibers of the pectoralis major. With the elbows straight, the biceps, which crosses the front of the shoulder, joins in, so a slight bend in the elbows moves the sensation off the arms and back onto the shoulders. Drawing the shoulder blades together before you lift shifts more of the stretch toward the chest, and holding a towel or strap between your hands lets the arms rise when the hands don't meet comfortably. This is a different stretch from the Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch, where one arm reaches overhead and the other up the spine to stretch the back and underside of the shoulders; here both arms stay low and straight, so the stretch sits across the front of the body.
The stretch suits beginners, older adults and anyone whose shoulders feel tight across the front. If the hands can't clasp behind the back without the shoulders rolling forward, start with the Elbows Back Chest Stretch, which keeps the palms on the lower back, or the Doorway Chest Stretch, where the door frame supports the arms. People whose shoulder has slipped or dislocated forward should keep the range small or choose a supported stretch instead.
Muscles Worked
- Deltoid
- Primary
- Pectoralis Major
- High
- Biceps Brachii
- Medium
- Rhomboid Major
- Medium
- Latissimus Dorsi
- Minimal
- Teres Major
- Minimal
Instructions
- Stand tall with your feet about hip-width apart and your knees soft.
- Reach both arms behind you and interlace your fingers, letting your clasped hands rest against your glutes.
- Roll your shoulders back and down and gently draw your shoulder blades together without shrugging.
- Straighten your arms, keeping your elbows relaxed rather than forced.
- Slowly lift your clasped hands up and away from your lower back until you feel a gentle stretch across the front of your shoulders and chest.
- Keep your torso upright, your ribs down and your chin level. Do not lean forward or arch your lower back to raise your hands higher.
- Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, breathing slowly.
- Lower your hands back to your glutes under control, release your grip and roll your shoulders.
- Repeat two or three times.
Common Mistakes
Leaning forward
Tipping the torso forward lets the hands rise higher without adding any stretch to the shoulders, so the torso should stay upright throughout.
Arching the lower back
Pushing the hips forward and arching the lower back fakes height for the hands and loads the spine instead of opening the front of the shoulders.
Shrugging the shoulders
Letting the shoulders hike toward the ears shifts tension into the neck and takes the stretch off the front of the shoulders.
Forcing the hands too high
Driving the arms to the limit of their range strains the front of the shoulder joint and the biceps tendon rather than lengthening the muscles.
Bouncing
Pulsing the arms up and down at the end of the range jerks the shoulder joint, while a steady hold is easier to control and just as effective.
Holding the breath
Bracing and holding the breath keeps the upper body tense, so breathe slowly and let the shoulders settle with each exhale.
Injuries
Reverse Shoulder Stretch is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The main strain points are the front of the shoulder joint and the biceps tendon that runs over it, since lifting straight arms behind the body levers the top of the upper arm forward at the end of the range, and the lower back if it arches to help the hands rise higher.
Set your shoulder blades back and down before you lift, keep your arms straight but relaxed, and raise your hands only until you feel a gentle stretch across the front of the shoulders and chest. Hold a steady position without bouncing, and never let a partner push or pull your arms higher, because you can't control how far they take the joint.
Take extra care, and stay well short of end range, with a history of anterior shoulder instability, a recent dislocation or subluxation, pain at the front of the shoulder from the biceps tendon, or an irritated AC joint. Stop if you feel pinching at the front or top of the shoulder, a sense of the joint slipping forward, tingling or numbness down the arm, or sharp pain, and check with a physical therapist before going back to it.
To make it easier, hold a towel or strap between your hands, bend your elbows slightly, or switch to the Elbows Back Chest Stretch. Progress by holding a little longer or letting the hands rise slightly higher over weeks while your torso stays upright, not by forcing range in a single session.
- Primary Focus
- Shoulders
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Modality
- Stretching
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Alternative Exercises
Other Names for the Reverse Shoulder Stretch
The Reverse Shoulder Stretch is also known as:
- Clasped Hands Chest Stretch
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q: What if my hands won't meet behind my back?
Hold a towel or strap between your hands and walk them closer together over the following weeks. You can also start with the Elbows Back Chest Stretch, which keeps the palms on the lower back instead of clasping them.
- Q: How long should I hold the stretch?
Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat two or three times. Daily practice is fine as long as the stretch stays gentle and no soreness carries into the next day.
- Q: Why do I feel it in my biceps?
The biceps crosses the front of the shoulder, so straight elbows with the arms behind you lengthen it along with the front of the shoulder. Bending your elbows slightly takes it out of the stretch if the arms feel it more than the shoulders.
- Q: Will this stretch fix rounded shoulders?
Not on its own. It can ease tightness across the chest and the front of the shoulders, but better posture also needs a stronger upper back, so pair it with exercises such as the Band Pull-Apart.
- Q: How is it different from the Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch?
The Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch reaches one arm overhead and the other up the spine, stretching the back and underside of the shoulders. This stretch keeps both arms low and straight with the hands clasped, so it opens the front of the shoulders and chest instead.