How to Increase Shoulder Flexibility With Isolated Stretches

While each part of the body plays an important part in overall functioning, shoulders are particularly crucial because they allow you to perform everyday tasks. The flexibility of your shoulders has an impact on your ability to reach for objects, as well as the range of motions you are capable of. Believe it or not, if you find yourself aching and sore after a day of heavy lifting, this is likely to be an indicator of a lack of shoulder flexibility too. Not to worry--there are many ways to increase your shoulder flexibility. Using isolated stretches to increase shoulder flexibility is a technique that anyone can try; it’s easy, can be done virtually anywhere and won’t take up too much of your time. Follow the steps below to learn a few basic isolated stretches that will increase your shoulder flexibility.

Instructions

  1. Increase Shoulder Flexibility With Isolated Stretches

    • 1

      Standing straight, swing your arms across your chest, then back out to your sides. Both arms should be moving together, crossing each other as they come across your torso. Keep your torso as still as you can while you swing your arms. The exercise will lose its effectiveness it your body is moving with your arms. Be careful that the force with which you swing your arms away from your body is not strong enough to overextend your muscles and strain them.

    • 2

      Bring one arm across your chest, and pull it to your chest until you feel the stretch. Continue to hold this position for ten seconds, inhaling and exhaling evenly as you count. Repeat a minimum of three times, alternating arms, so each shoulder has been isolated through this stretch at least twice.

    • 3

      Raise one arm, lifting it up and bringing it behind your head, bending at the elbow. Next, reach behind your back with your other arm, bending it at the elbow, reaching up toward the other hand. Switch arms and repeat. Ideally your hands should be able to touch behind your back as your shoulder flexibility increases. It is normal for one shoulder to be slightly more flexible than the other. If this is the case, simply increase the time which you hold the position from ten to fifteen seconds. You may also want to do use this stretch more frequently than the others, to further isolate the muscle.

    • 4

      Sit on the floor with your legs together. Bend your knees at a comfortable angle, place you palms behind your body. Support yourself with your hands and lean back keeping your arms straight. Let your hands slide across the floor until you feel the stretch in your shoulders. Hold this position for 20 seconds then gently release. You have now completed the basic stretches necessary to isolate your shoulders and increase their flexibility.