Stretch library
Cross Body Shoulder Stretch
Where to place your supporting arm so you stretch the rear shoulder rather than pull on the elbow, and why the shoulder blade has to stay put.
How to do it
- 01Stand or sit tall and bring one arm straight across your chest at shoulder height.
- 02Hook your other forearm behind the upper arm, above the elbow — not on the elbow joint itself.
- 03Before pulling, pull the stretching shoulder down and back so the shoulder blade stays against your ribs.
- 04Draw the arm across your body until you feel a stretch at the back of the shoulder.
- 05Hold 40 seconds, keeping the shoulder down, then switch sides.
The cross-body stretch is simple enough that the two things that go wrong with it are easy to state.
Hold above the elbow, not on it
Hooking your forearm under the elbow joint and pulling turns the elbow into the lever. It is uncomfortable, and if you have any elbow irritation it will find it.
Place your supporting forearm across the back of your upper arm, above the joint. Same movement, force applied where you actually want it.
Keep the shoulder blade home
This is why most people feel nothing.
Your shoulder blade can slide forward around your ribcage. If you simply pull your arm across, the blade travels with it, the whole complex moves as one unit, and no tissue lengthens.
Before you pull, set the shoulder down and back — as though putting it in a back pocket — and hold that. Then draw the arm across. The available range drops noticeably and the stretch appears at the back of the shoulder, which is where it was supposed to be.
Front pinch means stop
A stretch at the back of the shoulder is right. A pinch at the front is the joint being compressed at end range, and pushing through it is how people irritate a shoulder while trying to loosen it.
Back off the range until the sensation moves to the back.
Stretching is not the fix for shoulder pain
Worth saying plainly, because this stretch gets recommended for everything.
Tightness and pain are related but different. Rotator cuff related pain generally responds better to progressive loading than to stretching — the shoulder pain guide covers what actually helps, and thread the needle addresses the thoracic spine underneath, which is often the real restriction.
Common questions
What does the cross body shoulder stretch target?
The posterior deltoid and the back of the shoulder capsule, with some rhomboid involvement. It is the standard stretch for people who press a lot and whose rear shoulder has tightened relative to the front.
Where should my supporting arm go?
Behind the upper arm, above the elbow. Hooking under the elbow joint applies force through the joint rather than the shoulder, which is uncomfortable and can aggravate an irritable elbow.
Why can I not feel this stretch?
Almost always because your shoulder blade is travelling with your arm. If the whole shoulder complex slides forward, nothing lengthens. Pull the shoulder down and back first, hold it there, then draw the arm across.
How long should I hold it?
Thirty to sixty seconds a side, once or twice a day if you are trying to change range. It is a low-risk stretch that suits frequent short doses, which makes it a good desk break.
Will this fix my shoulder pain?
It may ease tightness, and tightness is not the same as pain. Rotator cuff related pain generally responds better to progressive loading than to stretching — see the shoulder pain guide.