Flexibility is an important but often neglected component of any fitness program. After your back workout is the perfect time to sneak in a few upper back stretches. Even if you're already flexible, stretching helps reduce after-workout soreness, maintain your range of motion and reduce your risk of injury. Your back muscles help move your arms at the shoulders, so most upper back stretches necessarily stretch your shoulders too.
Basic Technique
Always stretch your back muscles to the point of tension, not pain. This is particularly important if you have shoulder problems, which might limit your pain-free range of motion when stretching your back muscles. Hold each stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, breathing normally, and spend equal time stretching each side of your back. To get the most benefit, repeat each stretch three to five times per side.
Upper Trapezius
Your trapezius, the diamond-shaped muscle in the middle of your upper back, has several sets of muscle fibers that point in different directions. Your upper trapezius forms the upper part of the diamond, crossing from your shoulder to your neck. To stretch your upper trapezius, sit in a chair and grasp the seat with your right hand. Use this grip to keep your shoulder from elevating as you tilt your head gently to the left, turning your left ear toward the front of your left shoulder. Do the same to the right.
Middle and Lower Trapezius
The middle and lower fibers of your trapezius muscle act on your scapulae and, weakly, on your thoracic spine. The same stretch that targets your middle and lower trapezius fibers also affects your rear and lateral deltoids. Point one arm straight in front of you, then use the other arm to pull your straight arm gently across the front of your body until you feel a stretch in the middle of your upper back.
Latissimus Dorsi
Your latissimus dorsi wraps around your body from the middle of your back and attach to your upper arms. Almost anything that involves reaching directly overhead will stretch this muscle. If your lats are particularly inflexible, you might have trouble extending both arms straight up. Intensify the stretch by extending one arm at a time straight overhead, then leaning slightly to the other side. You can also grasp any sturdy vertical support, such as a weight machine, and lean your body weight straight back to stretch your lats.
Rhomboids
Your rhomboids don't get as much press as your lats and trapezius, perhaps because they sit below the trapezius and so aren't readily visible to the casual observer. They act to bring your shoulder blades down and together. One of the simplest, most effective rhomboid stretches is wrapping both arms around your body to the opposite shoulder, elbows pointing forward, as if you're giving yourself a hug.
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