How, and why to stretch your shoulder blade muscles


Something that surprised me when I started doing some serious chest training is how sore my upper back muscles (between my shoulder blades) would feel the day after, and especially the next-next day, and it's only recently I figured out why, and what to do about it.

The reason for it is that I finally learned proper pressing technique, which is to squeeze your shoulder blades together while you press. And while you're concentrating on your pecs, because they're moving, the muscles of your upper back are getting quite a workout just holding the flex.

And luckily, there's an easy solution to that tightness, which is to find something like the railing that I'm holding onto (I do this at about 6am during my rides) and feel the distance between your hand and your backbone expand. I like to think of "opening it up", although all that's really happening is a mild stretch. Feels good.

Hold the stretch for about 15 seconds, then repeat on the other side. There's really no need to hold it any longer than that, and if you only do a few seconds it's not really helpful, either.

Of course, if you're not sore between your shoulder blades it either means that you're stronger there than I am, or you're using very poor pressing technique, and you're probably sore in the front of your shoulders, and probably lower back. The correct technique for pressing is: chest up, shoulder blades squeezed together. Yes, it'll make your chest, and your upper back, sore so go stretch them.

I hope this helps.



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