What is a Pec Stretch?

A pec stretch is any stretch that elongates the pectoral muscles (your chest) to improve elasticity, flexibility, and range of motion. These muscles help you move your shoulders and pull your arms across your body. Tense chest muscles, like you’d get from sitting hunched over at a desk are common in lifestyles with a lot of sitting. They can negatively impact your posture and even cause shoulder or back pain. Because of this, it's a good idea to stretch your pectoral muscles out.

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How-to

Stand perpendicular beside a wall or doorway.
Bend your arm upwards 90 degrees and place your elbow and hand against the wall.
Turn your body away from the side being stretched.
Hold and breathe for 30 seconds. Switch arms and repeat.

Muscle Worked

Primary Muscle Groups

Chest

Your chest helps you move your arms across your body and up and down while stabilizing the shoulders

Secondary Muscle Groups

Shoulders

Your shoulders are ball-and-socket joints which connect your arms to your torso

Pro Tips

Control Your Breath: Inhale before your stretch, then exhale slowly as you lean into it. This helps you relax deeper into the position.
Engage Your Core Muscles: In upright standing stretches, keep your core slightly engaged to avoid arching your back. This helps isolate the stretch to your chest and shoulders.
Adjust Your Arms: Experiment with different arm heights to find the best angle to hit different areas of your chest. If you struggle with bad chest genetics or tend to perform more inner chest exercises or outer chest exercises, your arm position can make a difference in where you’re feeling the stretch in your chest.

Benefits

Posture: If you’ve got sloped shoulders or tend to round out your upper back too much, pec muscle stretches open up your chest and lengthen tight muscles.
Chest Flexibility: Pec stretches increase the range of motion in your shoulders and chest so daily movements feel smoother and easier.
Tension Relief: If you’ve got tightness from sitting or bad posture, a pec stretch can reduce discomfort and ward off muscle imbalances.

FAQ

Yes, stretching tight pecs can help you reduce shoulder rounding. This can help ease tension in your neck and upper back. In general, the muscles in your upper body work in an interconnected fashion. So, for example, if your chest is tight, your neck feels it. You can even experience tension in the upper back. Stretching pec muscles is a great way to make sure that all the muscles in surrounding areas as just as healthy as your chest!

What is a Pec Stretch?

How-to

Muscle Worked

Primary Muscle Groups

Chest

Secondary Muscle Groups

Shoulders

Pro Tips

Benefits

FAQ

How long should I hold a pec stretch?

How often should I stretch my pecs?

Can pec stretches help relieve neck tension?

Should I warm up before pec stretches?

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