Elbows Back Stretch

Description

How to Do Elbows Back Stretch

1. 1
   Setup

   Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and maintain a tall, aligned posture with your spine neutral.

2. 2
   Setup

   Interlock your fingers and place your hands gently behind your head, cradling the base of your skull.

3. 3

   Gently draw your shoulder blades together and pull your elbows straight back, away from your face, feeling a stretch across your chest and the front of your shoulders.

4. 4

   Hold this stretched position for the prescribed duration, breathing deeply and maintaining an upright spine without excessively arching your lower back.

5. 5

   Slowly release the stretch by bringing your elbows forward and relaxing your shoulders before repeating or concluding the set.

Tips

• Actively squeeze your shoulder blades together as you pull your elbows back to maximize the stretch in your pectoral muscles.
• Maintain a neutral spine and avoid excessive arching in your lower back; keep your core gently engaged to support your torso.
• Breathe deeply throughout the stretch, exhaling as you gently deepen the position to help your muscles relax.
• Only pull your elbows back to a point of comfortable tension, never forcing the stretch into pain to prevent injury.

Common Mistakes

• ×Excessively arching the lower back reduces the stretch in the chest and shoulders; instead, keep your core engaged and focus on drawing your shoulder blades together.
• ×Forcing the stretch too aggressively can strain the neck or shoulder joints; instead, move slowly and stop at the first point of gentle tension.
• ×Shrugging your shoulders towards your ears can cause neck tension and reduce the target muscle stretch; instead, keep your shoulders relaxed and down away from your ears.