8 Stretches You Should be Doing Every Day

Upward Stretch

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Upward Stretch

Next, we move on to the upper body, and to a stretch which should feel quite familiar. It involves a motion that most of us do, in some form, each morning as we rise from our beds.

The upward stretch acts upon the shoulder muscles, and doing this regularly will lead to increased comfort at your desk as you gain a wider range of motion in your upper body.

To Perform the Upward Stretch

1. Extend your arms straight above your head, with your hands touching.

2. Slowly push your hands up and back, holding for 10-20 seconds.

Again, do not jerk or bounce as you stretch; make sure that you use only smooth, slow motions so that you do not injure yourself. Remember—this isn’t a race. Take your time as you stretch.

For video and pictures of this stretch, visit Bodybuilding.com's page on the upward stretch.