Chest stretches are very important as part of a workout, especially for women. Chest stretches are important for the flexibility and range of motion of the chest and shoulder muscles. Good chest flexibility allows for the unrestricted and pain free movement of the shoulder, and helps to prevent rounding of the back. Here I will be showing you a great stretching routine for your chest muscles.
- The first stretch is a corner stretch. Find a corner in your house and place a hand on each corner. Stagger your feet, and bend the front knee forward pushing your head towards the wall. Try to squeeze your shoulder blades together like you are pinching them together. This will help stretch your chest. Try not to do this too severely though.
- Next, clasp your hands behind you, and push your hands downward and push your chest out. You may instead stand on your feet while lying on your upper back with you hands together holding you up from underneath while you push your chest out. Do either of these 3 times for 30 seconds.
- For the last exercise, you need to lie down on your back. Cross one leg over your body to the opposite side you want to stretch. Put your arm straight out, and take a deep breath. Your arm will lift gently off the floor when you breathe in and stretch your chest. You can also do the same stretch except have both legs lying to the left or right like shown in the image. This is effective for stretching out the chest muscles as well as helping your breathing pattern.
Always keep in mind that you should stretch your chest muscles, especially after some benching. The same goes for all muscles, doing proper pre-workout warm-ups and stretching your muscles after your workout can help prevent future cramping and pains in muscles.
