# Bar Shoulder Stretch

A standing stretch holding a lat pulldown bar overhead with the elbows bent to about 90 degrees. Stretches the front of the shoulders and the chest.

- Beginner · Mobility
- Equipment: Wide Bar
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/front-shoulder-stretch-with-bar/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/bar-shoulder-stretch/

## Muscles worked

- Front delts: 7/10
- Chest: 5/10
- Side delts: 4/10
- Lats: 3/10
- Rotator Cuff: 3/10

## How to do the Bar Shoulder Stretch

1. Hold the bar at your hips, hands wide, palms down.
2. Raise it overhead, then bend your elbows to about 90 degrees.
3. Draw your elbows back until you feel the stretch.
4. Hold, breathing normally, then lower the bar.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Stand tall with feet about hip width apart, holding a lat pulldown bar across the front of your hips.
2. Take an overhand grip with your hands well outside your hips.
3. Raise the bar in front of you and up over your head with straight arms.
4. Bend your elbows to about 90 degrees so the bar settles just behind your head, forearms nearly vertical.
5. Draw your elbows back gently until you feel a stretch across the front of your shoulders and chest.
6. Keep your torso upright and your ribs down without arching your lower back.
7. Hold the position steadily while breathing normally, then raise the bar and lower it back to your hips.

## Common mistakes

- Overarching the lower back
- Shrugging shoulders toward ears
- Jutting chin forward
- Forcing painful range

## Form cues

- Keep ribs down
- Forearms nearly vertical
- Stretch front of shoulders
- Stop below pain

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps · rest 30 s · 5 reps in reserve
- **Muscle growth**: 2–3 sets of 30–45 reps · rest 30 s · 4–5 reps in reserve
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 30–60 reps · rest 30 s · 5 reps in reserve

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Bar Shoulder Stretch work?

Primary: Front delts 7/10. Also works: Chest 5/10, Side delts 4/10, Lats 3/10, Rotator Cuff 3/10.

### When should I do the Bar Shoulder Stretch in a workout?

Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 3 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Bar Shoulder Stretch?

Strength: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 30 s, 5 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 2–3 sets of 30–45 reps, rest 30 s, 4–5 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 30–60 reps, rest 30 s, 5 reps in reserve.

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

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