Wall Chest Stretch

Flexopedia > Shoulders

Wall Chest Stretch

Muscle Group(s) Stretched: Shoulders (Chest)

Type of Stretch: Passive Static

Difficulty: All Levels

Suggested Prerequisites: none

This is one of my go-to stretches for the chest, which can occasionally be a limiting factor for overhead shoulder flexibility. By adjusting our elbow placement on the wall, we can play with the angle we stretch these muscles - so pick a position that feels challenging!

How To

Step 1

Start standing with your right side next to a wall. Place your right forearm on the wall, with your elbow at shoulder height, forearm pointing up towards the ceiling.

Step 2

Step your right foot forwards and lean your chest forwards until you feel a stretch through the right side of your chest, or the front of your shoulder. Hold for 15-30 seconds.

Note: if you get tingling in your hands, don’t push through the tingling! This is likely a sign that you’re pinching a nerve in your shoulder (no good!), so come out of the stretch, and try it again with a smaller/gentler range of motion. You may also want to check if you have nerve tension in one of the muscles that passes through your shoulder and try some nerve glides before attempting this stretch (here’s how).

Step 3 [Optional]

Repeat the stretch again, but this time with the elbow an inch or two higher than shoulder height (this will make the stretch a bit more challenging for your pec minor).

Step 4 [Optional]

Repeat the stretch again, but this time with the elbow an inch or two lower than shoulder height.

Modifications

Make it easier:

Use a smaller range of motion - keep the sensations gentle!

Make it harder:

Externally rotate your shoulder before you lean into the stretch by rotating your upper arm backwards (so your hand will be slightly behind your elbow on the will, with your forearm at a slight diagonal instead of being completely vertical

Related Content

• Flexopedia: Alligator Arms Hug

• Flexopedia: Arm Across the Chest Stretch

• Blog Post: Beginner-Friendly Chest Stretches for Tight Pecs

• Blog Post: Beginner-Friendly Shoulder Conditioning

• Blog Post: Quick and Easy Shoulder Warm Up