How to do the Kneeling Lat Stretch
- Begin on hands and knees, hands under shoulders, knees under hips.
- Walk both hands forward, arms straight, palms flat on the floor.
- Keep hips over knees and let your chest sink toward the floor.
- Hold and breathe, then walk your hands back to kneeling.
Full technique — 6 steps
- Start on your hands and knees with knees under hips and hands under shoulders.
- Walk both hands forward on the floor, keeping your palms flat and your arms straight.
- Keep your hips over your knees as your hands move forward.
- Let your chest and head sink toward the floor until you feel a stretch along your sides.
- Relax your neck and breathe slowly, letting your chest sink a little further on each exhale.
- Hold the position for time, then walk your hands back and return to kneeling.
Common mistakes
- Sitting hips back toward heels
- Bending elbows to shorten the reach
- Shrugging shoulders toward ears
- Holding tension through the neck
Form cues
- Reach long through fingertips
- Hips stay over knees
- Breathe into your back
- Relax your neck
Where to start and where to go next
Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.
- This exercise Kneeling Lat Stretch
- Harder Side Lying Stability Ball Lat Stretch
Quick answers
What muscles does the Kneeling Lat Stretch work?
Primary: Lats 8/10. Also works: Teres major 6/10, Upper back 4/10, Triceps 3/10.
When should I do the Kneeling Lat 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 Kneeling Lat Stretch?
Strength: 2–3 sets of 20–30 reps, rest 20 s, 6 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 2–3 sets of 30–45 reps, rest 20 s, 5–6 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 30–60 reps, rest 15 s, 6 reps in reserve.
What is a harder version of the Kneeling Lat Stretch?
Side Lying Stability Ball Lat Stretch (Beginner).
