Stretching the Top Side of the Upper Arm

The bicep muscle is located on the top side of the upper arm. Daily activities of lifting bags, brushing your teeth, holding a phone to your ear and combing your hair all make you bend at the elbow and contract the bicep muscle. You may even experience soreness in your upper arms if you use your biceps more than usual one day such as when carrying luggage through the airport. Stretch the bicep muscles to keep them flexible. You won't need any fancy equipment or a gym membership. Just set aside a few minutes of your time.

Things You'll Need

  • Mat (optional)
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Instructions

  1. Seated Bicep Stretch

    • 1

      Sit on the floor. Spread out a mat to sit on if the floor is too hard. Bend your knees to 90 degrees so that your knees are pointing up toward the ceiling.

    • 2

      Extend your arms behind you. Keep them on both sides of the body as opposed to behind your spine. Maintain a slight flex in the elbows. Place palms flat on the ground. Point your fingers backward and away from your body.

    • 3

      Maintain a flat back -- do not arch it. Align your head with the natural curvature of your spine. Balance your body weight between your arms, bottom and feet to maintain stability. Inhale.

    • 4

      Exhale slowly. Keep your palms flat against the ground as you slide your bottom forward until you feel tension in the biceps and shoulders. Stop sliding forward if you feel pain. Do not arch your back at any time during the slide. It is okay if your bottom does not touch your heels.

    • 5

      Hold your biceps stretch for 15 to 30 seconds before sliding backward to your starting position. Do two to four repetitions in one setting.

    Standing Biceps Stretch

    • 6

      Stand up straight. Extend your elbows fully and hold your arms down on both sides of your body.

    • 7

      Put your palms together behind you. This movement will naturally bend your elbows outward away from your body.

    • 8

      Straighten your elbows. Your palms will separate naturally. Turn your palms downward. To do this successfully your arms will rotate inward and downward. With your palms pronated, you will begin to feel a slight stretch in the biceps and pronounced stretch in the triceps, the muscles of the back of the upper arm.

    • 9

      Elevate the stretch. Raise your arms upward. Your arms will naturally extend outward at about 45 degrees from the body. You will feel a strong stretch in the biceps. Hold this stretch for up to half a minute before returning to the starting position.