![]() ![]() Stand next to the machine and grab the bar, holding it close to your body (as if at the top of a pull up). If you do not have adequate strength to perform this exercise on the pull up bar, I recommend using a lat pull down machine. This lower should take no less than 5 seconds to fully extended your arms. With an underhand grip on a pull up bar (an externally rotated position to place a stretch on the lats) jump up to the top position and slowly lower yourself back to the ground. This is the opposite of what happens when a muscle shortens as it contracts (called a concentric contraction) like when you perform a bicep curl.Ī way to eccentrically lengthen stiff lat muscles is with an eccentric curl up. 2,3Īn eccentric contraction describes the action of a muscle lengthening under tension. 1 In fact, some studies have shown that eccentric training can lead to significant improvements in flexibility in as little as 6 weeks. While a large majority of research and practical understanding of how to improve flexibility of a stiff/short muscle rests with stretching and soft tissue mobilizations, there is a growing amount of science that supports the use of eccentric exercises to help lengthen a muscle. Recommended sets/reps: 3-5 repetitions Eccentric Curl Ups Hold this end range stretch for 5 deep breaths in and out before returning to the starting position. ![]() You should not feel this in your shoulder joint. If you’re doing this correctly, you should feel a stretch along the lateral part of your back and into the lateral armpit region (where these muscles attach to your arm). You’ll notice this box stretch is performed slightly different than if trying to increase thoracic spine mobility.īecause the lats run the length of your spine, rounding the back as you sit your butt on your heels puts this muscle on stretch. Next, sit your hips back on your heels and simultaneously round your upper back and pull your hips under your body as your arms are elevated over your head. From this position, you can again pin the tender area down and move your arm up and down slowly over your head. ![]() Slowly move around until you find some stiff and tender areas. Stand next to a wall and trap a ball between your body and the wall. The smaller surface area of the ball allows you to focus your treatment on a more specific area and create more change in the underlying tissues compared to the foam roller. You can also perform soft tissue mobilization on these two muscles with a small ball (lacrosse or tennis ball). Make sure to move slowly on the foam roller as going quickly will have little effect on improving flexibility. You can also take this mobilization one step further by pausing on the tender area you find and then moving your arm over your head and back for a few repetitions. Pause on this spot for a few seconds before moving on. Move up and down this muscle until you find an area that is tender. To accomplish this, place your palm of your extended arm upward toward the sky as you lie on the foam roller. Because these muscles are strong internal rotators of the shoulder, we want to mobilize these tissues in the position of desired change (external rotation). 5 Start by lying on your side with one arm raise over your head and a foam roller pinned under the outside of your armpit (this is where these two muscles run from the back and attach to the arm bone or humerus). Soft tissue mobilizations with a foam roller can be a great way to improve the flexibility of stiff lats/teres major muscles. Today I want to start by sharing with you three simple exercises to help you efficiently improve your flexibility in the lats and teres major muscles.
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