Shoulders
Band Shoulder Stretch
The Band Shoulder Stretch is a stretch with a resistance band for your shoulders. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: front delts 38%, upper chest 19% and rotator cuff 17%.
How to do it
- Hold a light band behind your back with both hands, palms facing back, hands wider than the hips.
- Stand tall, feet hip-width, and pull the band slightly apart so it stays taut.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades together and lift the straight arms back and up.
- Stop when you feel a stretch across the front of the shoulders and hold for 30 to 45 seconds, breathing slowly.
- Lower the arms back to the hips and release the band.
Tips
- Lift the chest as the arms rise so the shoulders open instead of rolling forward.
- A wider grip makes the stretch easier.
Common mistakes
- Leaning the torso forward to lift the arms higher.
- Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears.
Muscles worked by the Band Shoulder Stretch
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Hands behind or a band overhead opens the front of the shoulder. Pulling the arm across the body lengthens the rear delt; rotating it inward (sleeper) targets the posterior rotator cuff, which is then coloured as the target.
Band Shoulder Stretch alternatives
Same equipment
No equipment
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Band Shoulder Stretch work?
Mainly the front delts. The upper chest and rotator cuff assist.
Is the Band Shoulder Stretch good for beginners?
Yes. The Band Shoulder Stretch is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Band Shoulder Stretch?
For example the Band Overhead Shoulder Stretch and Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
Log your sets in Zulta
Zulta tracks your sets, weights and muscle load next to your running, riding or Hyrox training. The app opens soon.