Shoulders
Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch
The Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch is a stretch with no equipment 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
- Stand tall with feet hip-width and reach both hands behind your back.
- Interlace the fingers with the palms facing each other.
- Straighten the arms and draw the shoulder blades together.
- Lift the clasped hands slowly away from the back until the fronts of the shoulders stretch, then hold for 30 to 45 seconds, breathing slowly.
- Lower the hands to the hips and unclasp.
Tips
- Keep the chest up and the chin level while the hands rise.
- Only lift as high as you can with straight arms.
Common mistakes
- Folding forward at the hips to force the arms higher.
- Rolling the shoulders forward as the hands lift.
Muscles worked by the Behind the Back 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.
Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch alternatives
Different equipment
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch work?
Mainly the front delts. The upper chest and rotator cuff assist.
Is the Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch good for beginners?
Yes. The Behind the Back 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 Behind the Back Shoulder Stretch?
For example the Band Overhead Shoulder Stretch and Band Shoulder Stretch. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
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