I love having sore muscles post workout. Yet as my muscles lay down new, stronger fibers I want to make sure those fibers are flexible. After doing sets upon sets of push-ups, my triceps can get more than a little sore. Here is my favorite triceps* stretch. It is easy and you can do it anywhere...I just did it at my desk and no one looked at me funny (however they are used to me dropping to the floor to test out new moves, and this stretch is much less extreme than many Pilates moves).

Here's the stretch (I don't mean to be pushy, but you should really try it right now - it feels so great):

  • Reach your right arm straight up and close to your right ear.
  • Bend your right elbow keeping your upper arm as close to your head as possible. Actively reach your fingers down your back.
  • Use your left hand to pull your right elbow to the left.
  • Look up and use your head to push your arm back - this should increase the stretch.

Hold Stretch for 20 seconds
Repeat on the other side

* The triceps is the muscle group on the back of your upper arm and its primary action is to straighten your elbow. It performs the opposite action of the bicep which bends the elbow, so the biceps and the triceps are antagonists.


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