Upper Back Stretch | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Upper back
Secondary muscles: Shoulders, middle back
Equipment: No equipment

UPPER BACK STRETCH INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together with the thumbs pointing down.
2. Straighten your arms and round your shoulders as you reach forward.
3. Hold the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds.

PROPER FORM AND BREATHING PATTERN

Keep your back straight, your shoulders relaxed and breathe in deeply. Deepen your stretch slowly as you exhale. Don’t lean forward, don’t bounce and, if you feel any pain or discomfort, do not continue to stretch.

EXERCISE BENEFITS

The upper back stretch is a great exercise for improving the posture, easing stiffness and removing tension. If you spend a lot of hours sitting in front of a computer, it’s important to add a couple of back stretches to your daily routine. This way you can help ease back pain and prevent injuries.

INTENSITY AND DURATION

As with any other stretch it’s crucial that you don’t overdo it. You should extend the stretch as far as you can without feeling any pain and maintain that position for 10 to 20 seconds. A good balance between back stretches and back exercises is the key to a healthy back and a great posture.

CALORIES BURNED

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the upper back stretch, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

RELATED STATIC STRETCHES

Try these other static stretches to help your body relax and reduce stress and tension in your muscles:
Biceps stretch
Neck stretch
Shoulder stretch
Chest stretch