1. Foam Roller Stretch

The elevated angle of this movement gives a greater range of motion in the shoulders and a deeper stretch in the chest. Get the most out of this relaxing stretch by adding a subtle side-to-side roll.

  1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Place the foam roller along the spine and extend both arms up over your chest with hands together.
  2. Bring both arms down to the ground and straight out to your sides to open up the chest muscles. Hold this stretch for 20 to 30 seconds. Relax the spine and feel your chest open.

Tips:

  • Press the entire length of the spine into the foam roller
  • Relax the spine and feel your chest open

2. Bent Arm Fly

The longer we stay in one position, whether sitting or standing, the more fatigued our muscle become and the more we compromise our posture. Counteract this tendency with thoughtful activation of the neck and back muscles and stretching movements of the chest.

  1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Keeping your elbows at 90 degrees, hold your upper arms parallel to the floor in line with your shoulders and in front of your chest. Your palms are facing inward and your fingers are pointing to the ceiling.
  2. Keeping your arms at 90 degrees throughout the movement, pull your elbows back until you feel a stretch in the chest muscles. Then slowly return to the start position by pulling your elbows back to the front of your body.

TIP:

  • Use the muscles around the shoulder blades to pull your arms back
  • Feel the stretch throughout your upper chest and into the front of the shoulders

3. Chest Foam Roll

Rolling the chest with the foam roller is a great way to relieve muscle soreness and tightness in this hard-to-reach area. Try this stretch before a weight-lifting workout or the day after to receive the full benefit.

  1. Lie on your stomach with your left arm extended, place the foam roller under the left pectoralis muscle.
  2. Roll up and down from the mid-torso to below the shoulder. If you feel a spot that’s tender or tight, spend more time working that particular area. Roll back and forth for 15 to 30 seconds and then repeat on the opposite side.