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An often overlooked factor of a healthy workout routine is stretching, which can help to lengthen your muscles and allow for increased flexibility while ultimately helping you feel better within your exercises. While stretches are not the primary moves that build up and tone your muscles, they can help to improve your range of motion and increase mobility which will allow you to target your muscles more effectively as you workout. Failing to stretch can cause injury and muscle tears, setting back your fitness journey, so trainers often recommend stretching two to three times a week or even daily in order to reach your best shape.
If you’ve been feeling tight and uncomfortable while working out your upper body, in particular your arms and back muscles, Tonal Coach and Postural Specialist, Nicolette Amarillas rounded up her top four stretches for increasing mobility in that area for a stronger, safer workout.
Pec Minor Stretch
Aside from working out, your upper body and shoulders can often get sore simply from sitting at a desk all day. However, following a difficult arm workout the pec minor stretch can be great for releasing neck and shoulder pain while improving your posture. This will ultimately help you create a stronger, more balanced workout that allows for a better range of motion in your upper body and can help you push heavier weights.
How to do it: “Stand to the side of a wall or door frame and bring your arm up so the elbow is in line with the shoulder. Create a 90 degree angle with the elbow. Place the forearm on the wall or door frame and then turn away from the wall to stretch the front of the shoulder and the bicep,” explains Amarillas.
Reach & Rotate Opener
When your back is feeling tight you may notice that your entire body is affected, so it’s important to stretch out this muscle with a rotational move to help open you up and feel less restricted in your movement. “If we lack mobility in the spine, our limbs will not function optimally, so this stretch allows the spine to move more freely,” says Amarillas.
How to do it: “Get into a kneeling position. Bend one elbow and place the hand behind your ear and place your other hand on the floor in front of you. Sweep the elbow out and back by opening up at the shoulder to create a rotation in the torso. Come back to start by bringing the elbow back down in front of you and repeat,” she explains.
Cat Cow
Cat cow is an excellent stretch for loosening up your back muscles while also hitting your core as well. In the cow pose you will notice a stretch in your abdominal muscles, and in the cat position, your back will lengthen for increased mobility.
How to do it: “Get into a 4 point position on your hands and knees facing the floor. Start by inhaling through the nose as you arch the back to allow the ribcage to drop toward the floor and bring your gaze up to the ceiling. Exhale and round the spine to bring the back toward the ceiling, peeling the shoulder blades apart, while chin tucks into your chest and belly draws away from the floor,” Amarillas says.
Kneeling Shoulder and Lat Stretch
For stretching out your shoulders and side body, this kneeling stretch will feel great and boost flexibility in both your core and arms. “This stretch is great for opening up the shoulder girdle, stretching the lats and creating length in the triceps,” explains Amarillas. “When we stretch and improve our range of motion, we can use that new range to tone and strengthen the muscles and improve performance.”
How to do it: “Start kneeling facing a bench or chair. Place your elbows on the bench or chair in front of you so your triceps face the floor. Make sure the elbows are about shoulder width and then clasp the hands together. Keeping weight evenly distributed between your elbows and knees, drop your chest and head through your arms toward the floor to feel a deep stretch in the triceps, shoulders and lats. Don't force the stretch but simply allow gravity to pull you down,” she says.
