Rotator Cuff Stretches
How to do the best rotator cuff stretches to decrease shoulder pain, fast! Simple at-home mobility stretching exercises to improve flexibility and increase your bench press!
Your shoulder is the most moveable joint in the body and without proper Rotator Cuff Strength and Mobility, you will likely feel pain almost every time you work your shoulders; such as during the Bench Press and Military Press.
To fix your shoulder pain forever simply learn how to move properly and keep your rotator cuff healthy with these exercises. Working on your shoulder mobility is also essential if you enjoy sports like golf or basketball.
How To Strengthen Your Rotator Cuff Muscles!
Shoulder Flexion Stretch
Purpose:
- Improve Shoulder and Elbow Flexion
Focus:
- Shoulder Flexion (Latimus Dorsi, Triceps Brachii)
- While standing erect, grasp a stable structure or band anchored at shoulder height or higher.
- Turn away and fully extend your arm holding the object with no tension on it.
- Begin to walk away while allowing your shoulder and elbow to flex.
- Move away while maintaining a vertical torso until your shoulder is fully flexed.
- Maintain this tension and move into different positions, finding tight areas.
- To increase the stretch, move farther away, lean forward, rotate inward or extend your elbow.
Shoulder Girdle Extension Stretch
Purpose:
- Improve Shoulder Integrity
- Improve Shoulder Extension and External Rotation
Focus:
- Shoulder Extension (Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, Coracobrachialis)
- Externally rotate your arms so that your shoulders are pulled back together and your palms face forward.
- Extend both arms behind you, grabbing a stable object to stretch on; this could be a bar, handles on a rope or even a countertop.
- While standing upright and keeping your shoulders pulled back, step forward until you feel a stretch in your shoulder.
- Make sure that your shoulders are pulled back into the socket and do not roll forward as you stretch.
- Breathe deep and relax into the stretch as you try to extend your arms further while standing upright.
Triple Bully Rotator Cuff Stretch
Purpose:
- Improve Shoulder Extension
- Improve Shoulder Internal Rotation
- Improve Shoulder Integrity
Focus:
- Shoulder Internal Rotation (Infraspinatus, Teres Minor)
- Shoulder Extension (Anterior Deltoid)
- To start the Triple Bully Rotator Cuff Stretch, place your hand in the middle of your lower back with your palm facing away.
- Keep your shoulder pulled back throughout the stretch.
- In this position, grab a stable object or wrap a band around your wrist.
- Step away from your hand until you feel a stretch in your shoulder.
- From here you can rotate away, step farther from your hand, drop your hips lower or raise the band attachment to increase the stretch.
- Move around in this stretched position to find the most effective position for your needs.
- Be sure to keep your shoulder pulled back so that it does not rotate forward in the socket and improve bad positioning.
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Lat Stretches
How to do the best lat stretches to decrease back and shoulder pain, fast! Simple at-home mobility stretching exercises to improve flexibility and increase your pulling strength!
Overhand Lat Stretch
Purpose:
Focus:
- Shoulder Flexion (Latimus Dorsi)
- Grasp a stable object, near your head height, with an overhand grip (palms down).
- While maintaining a neutral spine and hips square, extend the same side leg behind you as you lean forward until you feel a stretch in your armpit or lat.
- With your arm and leg fully extended keep a forward torso lean as you attempt to push your head through, in front of your arm.
- Work through the tension in this position by internally and externally rotating your torso.
- Try to press your armpit towards your front hip.
- If you can flex your arm beyond your ear then this movement is not necessary.
Underhand Lat Stretch
Purpose:
Focus:
- Shoulder Flexion (Latimus Dorsi)
- Grasp a stable object, near your head height, with an underhand grip (palms up).
- While maintaining a neutral spine and hips square, extend the same side leg behind you as you lean forward until you feel a stretch in your lat.
- With your arm and leg fully extended keep a forward torso lean as you attempt to push your head through, in front of your arm.
- Work through the tension in this position by internally and externally rotating your torso.
- Try to press your armpit towards your front hip.
- If you can flex your arm beyond your ear then this movement is not necessary.
Get Our Mobility Warm-Up Guide for more!
Learn how to decrease pain, improve performance and prevent injury with mobility exercises specific to your workout!
Be ready for any workout in 15 minutes or less!
Learn How To Use A Foam Roller!
All Mobility Exercises >>
Chest Stretches
How to do the best chest stretches to decrease pec and shoulder pain, fast! Simple at-home mobility stretching exercises to improve flexibility! Plus, keep your shoulders working properly and increase your Bench Press.
Do one stretch before and after your upper body workouts, but NOT during, as this can decrease strength.
Basic Chest Stretch
Purpose:
- Improve Shoulder Horizontal Abduction
- Open Chest Cavity
Focus:
- Shoulder Horizontal Abduction (Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoids)
- With your arms extended out horizontally, grasp a stable object with each hand.
- Pull your shoulder blades back and down as you push your chest forward until you feel a slight stretch in your chest.
- Breathe calmly as you relax into the stretch before starting to move through the tension under control.
- Maintain tension in your back as you pull your shoulders back actively.
Doorway Stretch
Purpose:
- Open Anterior Chest
- Free Breathing Muscles of Tension
- Increase Scapular Elevation/ Depression Function
- Increase Shoulder External Rotation
Focus:
- Scapular Elevation/ Depression Function (Pectoralis Minor)
- Stand in front of a doorway with your arms raised so that your elbows form a 90-degree angle out to your sides with your palms facing forward.
- Place your forearms and palms against the sides of the doorway as you step halfway through the structure.
- Pull your shoulder blades together, back and down as you push your torso forward until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- To increase the stretch, lean forward while turning from one side to the other.
- Take deep, relaxing breathes throughout this stretch as it will open your breathing pathways and improve deep breathing function.
Single Arm Doorway Stretch
Purpose:
- Open Anterior Chest
- Free Breathing Muscles of Tension
- Increase Scapular Elevation/ Depression Function
- Increase Shoulder External Rotation
Focus:
- Shoulder External Rotation (Subscapularis)
- Shoulder Horizontal Abduction (Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid)
- Stand in front of a doorway with one arm raised so that your elbow forms a 90-degree angle out to your side with your palm facing forward.
- Place your forearm and palm against one side of the doorway as you step halfway through the structure.
- Pull your shoulder blades together, back and down as you push your torso forward until you feel a stretch in your chest.
- To increase the stretch, lean forward while turning away from your stretched shoulder.
- Take deep, relaxing breathes throughout this stretch as it will open your breathing pathways and improve deep breathing function.
Get our Mobility Warm-Up Guide for more!
Learn how to decrease pain, improve performance and prevent injury with mobility exercises specific to your workout!
Be ready for any workout in 15 minutes or less!
Learn How To Use A Foam Roller!
All Mobility Exercises >>
Rear Delt Shoulder Stretch
How to do the best back of the shoulder, rear delt stretch to decrease shoulder pain, fast! Simple at-home mobility stretching exercise to improve flexibility!
Purpose:
- Improve Scapular Function
- Increase Shoulder Range of Motion
Focus:
- Scapular Protraction (Rhomboids, Trapezius)
- To start the rear delt shoulder stretch, grab a band, or stable object, anchored at shoulder height with one hand.
- Turn inward so that your arm begins to wrap around your body and walk sideways away from the place of pull until your scapula begins to be pulled forward.
- Move through different ranges while maintaining tension to find different tight spots.
- To increase the shoulder stretch, move farther away from the anchor point or reach your opposite hand across the front side of your body.
Get our Mobility Warm-Up Guide for more!
Learn how to decrease pain, improve performance and prevent injury with mobility exercises specific to your workout!
Be ready for any workout in 15 minutes or less!
Learn How To Use A Foam Roller!
All Mobility Exercises >>
