Seated Overhead Stretch on a Chair

Body WeightBeginner

Perform the seated overhead stretch to improve flexibility in your shoulders and upper back.

  1. Sit upright in a chair with your feet flat on the ground.
  2. Raise both arms overhead, keeping your elbows straight.
  3. Gently lean to one side, feeling the stretch along your side.
  4. Hold for a few seconds, then return to the center and repeat on the other side.

How to perform the Seated Overhead Stretch on a Chair

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Seated Overhead Stretch on a Chair using your body weight.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your primary working muscles.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your working muscles rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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