Shoulders · Mobility

Cross-Body Shoulder Stretch

The cross-body shoulder stretch is a simple stretch where you pull one arm across the front of your chest to lengthen the back of the shoulder. It targets the rear deltoid and the small muscles behind the shoulder joint, and it is a quick way to relieve tightness after pressing, pulling or throwing.

Also known as: Cross-arm shoulder stretch, Posterior shoulder stretch, Arm across chest stretch

Muscle group: Shoulders
Movement pattern: Mobility
Type: Isolation
Equipment: Bodyweight
Difficulty: Beginner

What muscles does the cross-body shoulder stretch work?

Primary movers

Posterior deltoid

Assisting muscles

Infraspinatus
Teres minor
Middle trapezius
Rhomboids

The posterior deltoid at the back of the shoulder is the main muscle stretched. Bringing the arm across your body lengthens it, and you feel the pull at the back of the shoulder.

The rotator cuff muscles behind the shoulder blade, especially the infraspinatus and teres minor, stretch with it. These are often tight in people who do a lot of pressing, throwing or desk work.

The middle trapezius and rhomboids stretch mildly as the shoulder blade slides away from the spine. Keeping your shoulders down stops the upper traps from taking over.

Because the stretch loads the shoulder joint, hold the arm above the elbow rather than on the joint. The stretch should feel like a firm pull, not a sharp pinch at the front of the shoulder.

How to do the cross-body shoulder stretch

Setup

1
Stand or sit tall with your shoulders relaxed and down.
2
Bring one arm straight across the front of your chest.
3
Hold that arm just above the elbow with your other hand.
4
Keep your torso facing forward.

Execution

1
Gently pull the arm closer to your chest until you feel a stretch in the back of the shoulder.
2
Keep your shoulders down and your torso square.
3
Turn your head slightly away from the stretching arm for a bit more stretch.
4
Hold the position while breathing slowly.
5
Release the arm without a jerk.
6
Repeat on the other side.

Common cross-body shoulder stretch mistakes

Shrugging the shoulder up toward the ear

The upper trap tenses and the stretch moves away from the rear shoulder.

The fix: Keep your shoulders down and relaxed.

Twisting the torso to fake more range

It reduces the stretch at the shoulder.

The fix: Keep your chest facing forward.

Pulling on the elbow joint

The joint takes pressure it should not.

The fix: Hold above the elbow, on the upper arm.

Forcing the stretch into pain

The muscle guards and may be strained.

The fix: Pull until you feel a firm stretch, then stop.

How many sets and reps?

Goal	Sets	Reps	Load	Rest
Flexibility	2–3	20–30 s hold per side	Gentle stretch, no pain	15–30 s
Warm-up	1–2	15–20 s hold per side	Gentle stretch, no pain	15 s
Cool-down	2	20–30 s hold per side	Gentle stretch, no pain	15 s

Use it before or after pressing, pulling or throwing sessions, or any time your shoulders feel tight. Keep the pull gentle, and stop if you feel sharp pain at the front of the shoulder.

Running the cross-body shoulder stretch in your next block? Hercules logs every set, shows last session's numbers before you lift, and suggests when to add weight.

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