Patriot Health Digest
You use your biceps for more than just curling. Whether you’re lifting up furniture or a child, these muscles get used all day. With all that work, your biceps could use a break. By adding in some much-needed stretches, you will keep your biceps healthy and get the most out of any workout.
Dynamic and static stretching are perfect to build mobility at your joints and protect against possible overuse syndromes.
So give the flexing a break, and try these good-feeling stretches a try.
Your Move:
- Standing arms behind back. Interlace your fingers behind your waist and slowly bring them up behind you as you lean and bring your upper body forward. Your arms should stay straight and your palms should be face down. Hold this for 30 seconds.
- Seated biceps. Sit on the floor with your knees bent, your feet flat, and palms on the ground behind you. Move your hips forward but keep your hands where they are. You will feel a stretch in your shoulders and arms. Hold this for 30 seconds.
- Wall stretch. Press one hand against the wall level with your shoulder. Slowly rotate your body away from the wall, creating a stretch through your shoulder and upper arm. Hold this for 30.
- Doorway. Put your forearms on either side of a doorway with your elbows right below shoulder height. Lean forward through the doorway until you feel a stretch in your shoulders and chest—make sure you don’t go further to avoid injury. Hold for 30 seconds.
- Wrist-rotation: Stick your arms out to your side with palms facing forward, like you are making a cross. Slowly twist your forearms with your thumbs facing up then backwards so your palms face behind you (as far as you can go). Hold this for 30 seconds.
Dynamic Stretches
If you are about to workout, dynamic stretches are a great pre-workout routine.
Circles: Start with your arms out to your sides and make small circles keeping your arms straight. Then increase the radius. Try around 30 forward, then 30 backward circles.
Swings: Start by swinging your arms forward and then up and back down behind you. Use momentum up and back, then back behind you, opening up your shoulders and chest and swinging them through the front while crossing your arms in front of your chest. Do 10 to 20 forward swings and back swings then 10 to 20 open-close swings.
