If you often experience tenderness or inflammation in the front of your shoulder, especially after exercises like the bench press, your long head bicep might be under strain.
In today’s world, many of us spend significant time working at desks, typing on keyboards, or handling objects in front of our bodies. This often leads to a hunched posture and shortened pectoral muscles, which contribute to forward-rounded shoulders. Over time, this posture increases your susceptibility to issues like long head bicep strains.
To counteract these effects, try this targeted resistance band stretch to relieve tension and improve mobility:
How to Perform the Stretch
1. Setup: Anchor a resistance band high behind you.
2. Stretch: Hold the band in one hand and extend your arm back behind your body, focusing on opening-up the chest and stretching the pectoral muscles.
3. Rotation: Rotate your arm internally to target the long head bicep, or externally for more pectoral engagement. This dynamic approach ensures you address multiple aspects of shoulder mobility while improving your shoulder posture.
Consistency Is Key
To see real improvements in your shoulder posture and mobility, this stretch should be done frequently—ideally multiple times per day. The good news is, you don’t need to hold the stretch for long. Instead of a prolonged static hold, work through the movement for about 30 seconds per session, focusing on controlled motion and gradual range improvement.
When done consistently over a few weeks, this approach helps retrain your muscles and joints, reducing tension and promoting long-term postural correction. The key is frequency over duration—small, frequent sessions will yield better results than an occasional long stretch.
By making this a regular part of your routine, you can improve shoulder function, reduce strain from poor posture, and keep your shoulders feeling strong and mobile.