Shoulder Backbend Stretch
Begin in a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise your arms overhead, bending your elbows to bring your hands behind your head.
Gently arch your back while pushing your chest forward and lifting your chin. Hold this position for a few seconds.
- Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart.
- Raise arms overhead and bend elbows.
- Arch your back and lift your chin.
- Hold the stretch, breathing deeply.
- Release and return to the starting position.
How to perform the Shoulder Backbend Stretch
- Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Shoulder Backbend Stretch using your body weight.
- Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your latissimus dorsi.
- 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 latissimus dorsi 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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