Many of the things we do every day, like sitting at a desk and using our smartphones, lead to chest tightness. Loosening up your chest goes a long way towards maintaining good posture and health. Here’s what to do.
Why pay attention to the chest? Tightness in one muscle group can affect the functionality of another muscle group, so tending to your chest tightness may unlock potential in the rest of your body.
You can get this tightness from spending long hours at a desk, carrying heavy boxes, staring down at your cellphone, or doing too many front-of-body exercises. These activities can lead to muscular imbalance in your upper body and chest muscles that are tight enough to pull your shoulders and posture forward.
Understanding Your Chest Muscles
The main muscles here are the pectoralis major and minor. When these muscles tighten, the shoulders are often pulled forward, resulting in a “rounded shoulder” or “hunched shoulder” look. This is exacerbated if your upper back is weak, or if your shoulder mobility is inhibited.
We recommend doing dedicated chest stretches two to three times a week. Adding in a yoga class will help you achieve better results since many yoga stretches are designed to open up the chest area (we’ve included our favorites below).
Tips for Maximizing Your Stretches
Remember to always consult a physician or physical therapist before beginning a new exercise regime if you have any health concerns. Then, follow these tips to get the most out of your stretching routine:
- Warm up first: Don’t just jump into stretching those tight muscles. Ideally, you can set aside some stretching time after your regular cardio workout. If not, then allow 10 minutes to do some low-intensity cardio to warm up your muscles.
- Take deep breaths: Make sure to use your breath while moving in and out of poses. Never hold your breath; this will only make your chest muscles tighten more!
- Repeat every exercise: Sometimes everything is so tight you can’t sink into a pose. Always take a break, then try it again. Aim to do each stretch or pose three to five times. This allows your body enough time to relax and open up.
Cat-Cow Stretch
This classic yoga move has many benefits. It’ll help loosen up the back and chest muscles, preparing you for the more intense stretches to come.
Position yourself on your hands and knees, as if you’re in a crawling position. Hands should be shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart. Take a deep inhale and push your back up to the ceiling, dropping your head down to look at the ground (cat position). Then exhale slowly, pushing your belly to the ground and lifting your head toward the ceiling (cow position). Repeat five times.
Elbow Stretch
Stand tall, with your legs hip distance apart. Interlace your fingers behind your head, with your elbows pointing out to the sides. Slowly squeeze your shoulder blades back, pushing your elbows out and back, with your chest pushing forward. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds, continuing to breathe. Release, wait about 10 seconds, then repeat two to three more times.
Behind the Back Stretch
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Source : Use These Chest Stretches to Loosen Tight Chest Muscles
