13 Upper-Body Stretches to Do After Your Next Strength Training Session

If you’re not already doing upper-body stretches after your arm, chest, or back workouts, we get it. When you wrap up a challenging strength training session, the last thing you probably want to do is move more. But you’ll get even more out of that routine if you set aside just a few minutes afterward to cool down and show your muscles some extra TLC.

Just like a warm-up sets you up for a great workout, a cooldown preps you for a solid recovery. Static stretching, which is when you sink into a stretch and hold it for a period of time, is especially helpful post-workout: It can help your body and brain slow back down, while also loosening up the muscles you just worked.

While static stretching after a workout won’t cure muscle soreness, it can help change your perception of pain, Dan Giordano, PT, DPT, CSCS, cofounder of Bespoke Treatments Physical Therapy in New York City and Seattle, tells SELF. Because stretching after exercise feels so damn good, it may cause a placebo-effect of sorts when it comes to soreness.

But the benefits of stretching are more long-term, Giordano adds. Stretching regularly can help you relieve tightness and improve your flexibility and mobility over time. This can allow you to move your muscles through a wider range of motion, which, ultimately, can really help you do more exercises with proper form. It also can let you move easier and more comfortably through daily activities.

Lots of us tend to focus on our lower bodies when we think about loosening up—who hasn’t dealt with tight hips or hamstrings?—but giving your upper half some love can be just as important. Here’s everything you need to know about adding in some upper-body stretches into your fitness routine.

Which muscles should you stretch after an upper-body workout?

It all depends on what muscles you targeted during your routine. For instance, if you did a lot of pushing or pressing moves—think: chest exercises like bench presses, or shoulder exercises like overhead presses—it’s important to stretch the big muscles in the front of your body, like your pectorals (chest muscles) and your deltoids (shoulders). Because your triceps (the muscles on the backs of your upper arms) assist in these pushing movements, you’d also want to do some arm stretches to loosen up those.

If your workout included a lot of pulling work—like pull-ups or chin-ups, rows, or curls—you’d want to stretch out your lats, the large muscles on your back, as well as your lower traps with upper-back stretches. Because your biceps (the muscles on the front of your upper arms) assist in pulling exercises, you may also want to stretch them.

You may also just want to do moves that target a particularly tight area, or ones that simply feel amazing for your body. For example, neck stretches are great after most upper-body workouts, as are mobility stretches that loosen up your wrists—especially if you’ve been working with dumbbells or doing exercises like push-ups where you’re in a high-plank position.

How long should you stretch for?

Stretching after your session—whether we’re talking about a full-body routine, one filled with upper-body strength exercises, or even a quick arms workout—doesn’t have to be complicated, and it doesn’t need to take a whole lot of time either.

If you’re just getting started, begin by holding each stretch for about 30 seconds, working up to a minute as your body gets used to the moves. Your entire stretching routine post-workout doesn’t need to be long, either. Shoot for roughly the same duration as your warm-up, or 5 to 10 minutes.

As you stretch it out, keep some of these key things in mind: “Slowly move into the stretch, then hold; don’t bounce, as it can sometimes lead to injury; and don’t stretch into pain—only stretch until you feel tension,” Giordano says. “If you feel pain, stop and contact your doctor or physical therapist,” he says.

Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best stretches to do after an upper-body routine. From chest stretches to triceps stretches to upper-back moves that loosen up your traps, you’ll be sure to find some new ones to slot into your cooldown.