Walking Up the Wall Arm Stretches

Whether you’re recovering from surgery, training for an athletic event or simply trying to increase your flexibility, simple arm stretches can help maximize mobility and lengthen muscles. You don’t even need fancy equipment or a gym membership to master these moves. In fact, all you’ll need is a flat wall, which you can probably find in the room you’re sitting in right now. A little wall walking gently stretches the shoulders, arms and lower back.

  1. Wall Crawl

    • In its most basic form, the wall crawl exercise improves shoulder mobility and stretches the entire arm. Begin in a standing position facing the wall. Position your feet about 8 to 10 inches from the wall. Place your palms on the wall in front of you at roughly shoulder height. Initiate the stretch by climbing your fingers slowly up the wall. Continue climbing as high as you can -- you should feel a stretch around your shoulders and along your arms. When you think you’ve gone as far as you can, take just a few moments to allow your body to adjust to the position. You might find that you can walk your fingers a bit higher after the brief rest. Hold the position for 5 to 10 seconds before returning to the starting position.

    Shoulder Rolls

    • Shoulder rolls stretch the muscles around the shoulder. Over time, this exercise can help you develop better posture because it allows you to keep your shoulders lifted instead of rounded forward.

      Stand with your back against the wall. Extend your arms along the wall at shoulder height. Now, drop your forearms toward the ground, forming a 90-degree angle. Your upper arms and elbows should still be touching the wall, while your forearms and hands dangle toward the ground.

      Roll your shoulders back toward the wall and bring your arms up so your forearms and hands are now pointed toward the ceiling. If your shoulders aren’t very flexible, you might not be able to bring your forearms all the way to the wall -- just stop when you feel an adequate stretch. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds.

      Now, roll your shoulders away from the wall so your forearms and hands go back to their original dangling position. Hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Repeat the sequence three to five times.

    Biceps Stretch

    • Standing perpendicular to the wall allows you to switch the focus from your shoulders to your biceps. The right side of your body should be grazing the surface of the wall and your fingers should point down to the floor. When you’re ready to begin, turn your palm so that it faces the wall. Slowly lift your right arm behind you, allowing your right palm to slide along the wall. Lift as close to shoulder-level as possible without causing pain. Once you’ve reached maximum lift, turn your torso gently to the left -- you should feel a nice, gentle stretch that reaches from your chest to your upper arms. Hold for a few seconds before lowering back to the starting position. Turn around and stretch the left side.

    Wall Crawl Variation

    • Although the wall crawl is a simple and effective stretch for the shoulders and arms, a slight variation allows you to stretch the lower back as well. Face the wall and sit cross-legged a few inches away. Put your palms on the wall in front of you. Slowly walk your fingers up the wall -- just like you did with the arm stretch. If you don’t feel a stretch in your lower back, scoot your seat a few inches further away from the wall. Again, perform the stretch slowly. Take short breaks to let your body adjust. This often allows you to crawl your fingers a bit higher.