7 Stretches and Exercises to Pull Your Shoulders Back and Down

While you’re performing these shoulder exercises, and periodically throughout the day, draw your abdominals in and up, as if you had a small zipper starting at your pelvic floor and rising up your spine. This will help stabilize your torso and give your shoulders a solid platform. Your abdominals and upper back muscles work together to create a healthy, upright spine.

Try integrating several of these shoulder exercises into your regular shoulder or back workouts, working up to three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.

1. Rear Deltoid Row

The rear deltoid row uses your posterior deltoids primarily, as well as your rhomboids and upper and middle trapezius for assistance.

Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row

Chest-Supported Dumbbell Row
Activity: Dumbbell Workout

Body Part
Back and Shoulders

1. Lie prone (on your stomach) on a workout bench inclined to 45 degrees.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and allow your arms to hang down toward the floor.
3. Pull your elbows back, in line with your shoulders, as you squeeze your upper back and rear shoulders together.
4. Lower the weights back down to complete one rep.

Barbell Bent-Over Row

Barbell Bent-Over Row
Activity: Barbell Workout

Body Part
Back and Shoulders

1. Hold the barbell with a wide overhand grip.
2. Lean forward from your hips until your back is parallel to the floor.
3. Bend your elbows to pull the barbell up toward your upper chest — elbows flaring out to the sides of the room.
4. Extend your elbows and lower the weight back down for a complete rep

2. Reverse Fly

A dumbbell or cable machine helps you execute the reverse fly exercise. It trains your shoulders to remain retracted so you stand taller and straighter.

Dumbbell Reverse Fly
Activity: Dumbbell Workout

Body Part
Back and Shoulders

1. Lean forward from your hips until your back is parallel to the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and with your palms facing each other.
3. With a slight bend in your elbows, squeeze the shoulder blades together, then open your arms wide.
4. Draw the arms back together to complete one rep.

Step back slightly to feel tension in the cables. Open your arms to squeeze your shoulder blades together. Maintain straight arms with a slight softness in the elbows. Pause, and release to start.

3. Y Raise

The Y raise is also known by its formal name: prone scapular stabilization. It's simple to perform with or without light dumbbells. This move can be done daily as it focuses on functional strength and won't overly tax your muscles.

Y Raise
Activity: Body-Weight Workout

Body Part
Back and Shoulders

1. Lie on your belly on a mat.
2. Stretch your legs behind you as your arms extend wide and above your head so you look like the letter "Y."
3. Keep your legs and the tops of your feet connected to the floor as you slowly raise your arms, head, chest, and fronts of the shoulders. Try to maintain the arms at the same height as the head by squeezing your shoulder blades together.
4. Keep your shoulder blades squeezed together and reach them toward your feet.
5. Pause for a count or two and lower back down for one rep.

4. Chest Stretch

Tight chest muscles can limit your ability to keep your shoulders back. Opening up and stretching the front side of your chest helps counteract a forward, rounded posture and trains your shoulders to stay more integrated down your back. Do these moves multiple times per day for lasting benefits.

Activity: Flexibility

Body Part
Chest

1. Lie back on a rounded pillow, stability ball, or workout bench.
2. Reach your arms out to the sides of the room and let them hang open to release the muscles of your chest.
3. Hold light weights in each hand to increase the stretch, as long as it doesn't create too intense of a sensation.
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.

5. Shoulder Roll

Activity: Mobility Workout

Body Part
Shoulders

1. Stand or sit up straight with your arms resting at your sides.
2. Shrug your shoulders up as far as possible toward your ears. Hold for three to five seconds, then relax. Repeat 10 times.
3. Next, roll your shoulders: Shrug them up toward your ears, then slowly roll them back and down.
4. Continue to make a circle by bringing your shoulders forward and back up. Circle backward 10 times, then forward 10 times.

6. Cobra Pose

The cobra pose stretches tight abdominal muscles that can limit your ability to keep your shoulders back.

Cobra Pose
Activity: Yoga

Body Part
Chest

1. Lie on your belly on the floor, legs extended behind you.
2. Align your hands under the creases of your armpits and squeeze your elbows in against your ribs.
3. Lift up your face, chest, and fronts of the shoulders. Keep little weight in your hands — let the squeeze of your shoulders do the lifting work.
4. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.

7. Standing Lat Stretch

Type: Flexibility

Body Part
Back

1. Find a ledge that is approximately chest-height, such as a fireplace mantle. You can also perform this stretch by placing your hands on a wall at the same height.
2. Grasp the ledge with your hands shoulder-width apart and keep your back flat.
3. Keeping your arms still and straight, slowly hinge forward at your hips. Allow your head to drop toward your chest.
4. Sink down until you feel a stretch on the sides of your upper and mid-back.

The Takeaway

• You can improve your shoulder posture by focusing on exercises to stretch and strengthen your upper back, shoulders, and chest.
• Strengthening exercises for your shoulders include deltoid rows, the reverse fly, and Y raises.
• Stretching exercises for shoulder posture include the chest stretch, shoulder rolls, and the standing lat stretch.