Contraindications
Approach cautiously in case you have injuries in the shoulders and shoulder girdle, elbows, wrists. In case of pain other than that of the stretched muscle, stop performing. Check the mobility of your shoulder joints before trying deep stretching.
Muscles to stretch
Basic
- Biceps (Biceps brachii)
- Brachialis
- Brachioradialis, forearm, upper part (Brachioradialis)
Minor
- Anterior shoulder heads (Deltoid, Anterior)
- Small pectoral muscles (Pectoralis minor)
- Large pectoral muscles (Pectoralis major)
- Frist flexors
According to the position of the palms
- At waist level – allows moderate stretching.
- Above the waist – used for deep stretching, requires more mobility in the shoulder joints.
Stretching the biceps from a standing position
Preparation
- Warm up your arms, shoulders and shoulder girdle well before stretching. This is done if you proceed directly to stretching at the beginning of your workout. Several series of circular, low-intensity movements for each joint and muscle are sufficient. You do not need to warm up if you are stretching at the end of a workout for your arms and shoulders, where the stretched muscles are already warm.
Execution
- Stand with your back to a bench (smith machine or other horizontal pipe at the desired height).
- Approach the lever and place your palms a little wider than your shoulders. When gripping, the palms point to the floor.
- Slowly bulge your chest and move away from the lever with a step forward and stretch your arms at the elbows.
- Transfer the center of gravity from the back to the front leg and slowly move the pelvis forward until the desired tension is reached.
- Look forward or upward to facilitate control of the shoulder girdle.
Comments and recommendations
- Under no circumstances make sudden movements.
- Hold for at least 30 seconds, the goal is for the pain of controlled tension to disappear. If this does not happen within 30-40 seconds, remove from the tension.
Condition and recovery
A great way to increase the mobility of the elbows and shoulder joints, as well as stretch the biceps, brachialis and forearms. It is used in programs to improve posture and prevent tightening, as well as to increase flexibility and mobility.
Fitness
Allows regulation of muscle tone of the flexors of the elbows and wrists to physiological norms, improves blood circulation in the muscles in question, improves their recovery and quality growth.
Bodybuilding
Improves muscle recovery, stretches the fascia of the front shoulders, chest, brachialis biceps and forearms. Allows more local muscle growth and preserves the mobility of the involved joints.
Strength training
It is rarely used in prophylactic sprains before and after heavy force movements (turns, thrusters) to prevent cramps.
Crossfit
It is appropriate to include it in volume training, which hardens from blood filling and lactic acid shoulders, forearms and armpits, as well as before / after strength sessions (thrusts, inversions). In addition to improving recovery, stretching here also has a preventive effect against cramps.
Street Fitness
It has limited application due to the difficulty of finding a horizontal pipe with the required height. However, this type of stretching is needed after heavy long series of strength climbs or pull-ups. It can be replaced by biceps stretching from a seat, stretching with a rope from a standing position, stretching with rubber bands and less often – by stretching by pulling up and back palms with crossed fingers behind the back.
