Banded Shoulder Stretch

The banded shoulder stretch holds a resistance band behind the back with both hands and draws it gently away from the body, which takes the shoulders into extension and opens the chest. Using a band rather than simply clasping the hands has a practical benefit: it lets you set the exact distance between your hands, so people with tight shoulders can start wide and narrow the grip as range improves, instead of failing to reach the position at all. The stretch reaches the pectorals, the front deltoids and the biceps, all of which shorten from pressing work and from hours spent at a desk. Keep the arms straight and the ribs down rather than arching the lower back to create the illusion of range, and pull only to a firm stretch. Do it between sets of pressing work as much as at the end of a session, since the shoulders respond better to short, frequent exposure than to one long hold.