Stretching the biceps brachii muscle, or biceps for short, involves lengthening the muscle by either abducting or extending your shoulders while your elbows are fully extended. Choose from a variety of stretches and stick with those that you like the best, or cycle through them daily. Consult a personal trainer to develop a comprehensive stretching program.
Benefits
Executing regular biceps stretches helps you achieve and maintain an optimal level of flexibility, which plays a role in enhancing your movement performance, according to Roger Earle and Thomas Baechle, authors of "NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training." Additionally, Earle and Baechle suggest that achieving the appropriate amount of flexibility can help prevent injuries.
Static Stretches
A variety of static-stretching exercises target the biceps. One involves sitting upright on the floor, placing your hands on the floor behind your back and sliding them backward until you feel a stretch through the muscle. Another involves clasping your hands together behind your back from a standing position and raising your arms. You can also place one arm at a time against a wall at shoulder height with your palm facing downward and rotate your torso in the opposite direction to stretch the biceps. Hold each of these for 10 to 30 seconds, deepening the stretch slightly with each breath.
Dynamic Stretches
Dynamic stretches, which involve repetitive movements, simulate functional movements more closely than static stretches. You can perform the second and third static stretches dynamically by executing the stretch and returning to the starting position repeatedly for 10 to 30 seconds. The scissor stretch, which involves crossing your arms in front of your torso and spreading them out repeatedly, is another dynamic stretch that targets the biceps. Progressively increase the range of motion for each stretch with each repetition.
PNF Stretches
The proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation, or PNF, biceps stretch is arguably the most effective exercise for increasing your flexibility if the muscle is too tight. The exercise consists of three phases. First, perform the seated static stretch for 10 seconds. Second, contract your biceps for five seconds by pressing your hands into the floor, like you're trying to pull the floor toward your buttocks. Finally, relax your muscles and slide your hands farther away from your body, deepening the static stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.
Considerations
Perform an aerobic exercise, such as jogging or walking, for at least five minutes to increase your core body temperature before stretching. Stretch every day to achieve maximal results. Avoid overstretching to prevent a muscle-strain injury. Consult your doctor if any exercise causes pain.
References
- "Basic Biomechanics"; Susan J. Hall; 2007
- "NSCA's Essentials of Personal Training"; Roger Earle and Thomas Baechle; 2004
- ExRx.net: Upper-Arm Exercise Menu
- "Relax Into Stretch"; Pavel Tsatsouline; 2001
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