Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 2: Stretch one side at a time
• Method 2 of 2: Stretch your pecs behind your desk
• Warnings
• Necessities

Chest stretching exercises should be a part of your daily routine if you are doing strength training, sitting at a desk every day, or have poor posture. The large pectoral muscle runs from your arm through your collarbone to your ribs and the sternum. You need this muscle when turning the shoulders, when throwing, and when breathing. Because it is a very thick muscle, it quickly becomes stiff if your shoulders hang forward a lot or if you have put too much strain on the muscle during exercise. If you find it difficult to sit up properly, your chest muscles may be stiff without hurting. Fortunately, there are stretches for the chest muscles that take no more than 5 minutes and do not require any special equipment. In this article you can read how to stretch your chest muscles.

To step

1. Warm up your muscles before stretching them. You reduce the chance of an injury if you first improve the blood flow to your muscles. You can walk and swing your arms, turn your shoulders in circles, hug yourself, or just do the exercises you always do for your upper body.
2. Find a doorway. It should be a doorway that is not too wide as you should be able to stretch both elbows outside the doorway.
3. Keep your elbows lower than your shoulders. Keep your forearms at a 90 degree angle to your upper arms and put your hands firmly against the door frame.
4. Step forward with your right leg, but hold on tight to the door frame. You will now feel your chest muscles stretch between your shoulders and chest.
5. Hold for 30 to 90 seconds, depending on how stiff your chest muscles are.
6. Step back so that you are back in the starting position. Now keep your elbows at shoulder height.
7. Step forward again to stretch the middle muscle fibers of the chest muscles.
8. Hold this for 30 to 90 seconds.
9. Step back and put your hands slightly higher than your shoulders.
10. Step forward a third time. Hold this for 30 to 90 seconds.

Method 1 of 2: Stretch one side at a time

1. Keep your arms at your sides and take two steps past the doorway.
   • You can also do this stretching exercise on a pole.
2. Reach your arm back so you can grasp the door frame with your fingers. Keep your arm straight and just above or slightly below shoulder height.
3. Turn your body to the left until you feel a stretch in your pecs. Hold this for 15 to 30 seconds.
4. Repeat on the left, holding the left side of the door frame and turning to the right.

Method 2 of 2: Stretch your pecs behind your desk

1. Put your hands behind your head while sitting at your desk. Don't interlock your fingers.
2. Draw your shoulder blades together and bring your elbows back as far as possible.
3. Stay in this position for 30 seconds.
4. Relax your arms and let them hang at your sides again.
5. Wait 10 seconds and then repeat this stretch.

Warnings

• Be careful when you stretch your chest muscles to avoid hurting. Stretching may feel a little uncomfortable, but it should never cause acute pain.

Necessities

• Doorway
• Pole (optional)