If there was an award for the simplest stretch, this would be it. Most people probably do the middle back stretch without knowing it’s called it. We wrote a full guide on this stretch. You will learn how to do it with proper techniques, what the benefits are, and more.
How To Do The Middle Back Stretch
A simpler stretch won’t be found. Before you attempt this stretch, make sure you are pain-free in your back.
If you are new to stretching, it is a good idea to start slowly and make sure you are doing it correctly.
Step-by-step instructions and a visual example can be found below.
The instructions for the exercise.
- Stand up straight and place your hands on your hips.
- Turn to the left as far as you comfortably can until you feel a stretch in your lats and obliques. Hold for a count of two.
- Now twist to the right and do the same thing.
- Repeat for the desired duration or number of repetitions.
Benefits
Your body will benefit from stretching your muscles. The middle back stretch is a great daily habit.
More range of motion in your lower back
Range of motion in the joints is affected by tight muscles. The joints don’t have as much movement when a muscle is in a shortened position. It’s possible to cause an injury with sudden and intense movements. The force on a muscle can be reduced by stretching.
If you are an active person then stretching shouldn’t be a problem.
Maintain a healthy posture
Good posture is important for a lot of things, from your spine health to appearance.
Feel good overall
A stretching program was found to be moderately effective for reducing levels of anxiety, bodily pain and exhaustion.
Do you ever feel relief after stretching in the morning? Our lifestyles cause the body to build up tension.
Time isn’t an issue
Two minutes out of your day is all it takes to do a few rounds of the middle back stretch.
Variations and Alternatives
The middle back stretch is a good stretch for your obliques. You can get a more pronounced stretch in these muscles with the variations and alternatives.
1. Pretzel stretch
You won’t be eating a salty snack during this exercise, but you could look like one. A common gym class technique is the pretzel stretch. It is very easy to do and will likely cause back problems.
2. Lying crossover stretch
ThisVariation stretches all of the same muscles but especially the hips and obliques. The middle back stretch is a very simple stretch that you can do even while standing in line. It is not the most intensive stretch. It is a step up.
If you want to stretch your lats and obliques, you can lean your body to the left and right by extending your arms overhead. If you get good extension you can feel it in your oblique muscles. While many will do this version with both arms extended overhead and fingers interlocked, doing it one arm at a time allows you to stretch through a larger range of motion.
You can see a video example.
How To Incorporate The Middle Back Stretch Into Your Routine
A simple daily stretch that you can do from anywhere is not a perfect routine. It doesn’t matter where you are, you don’t need a stretching routine to do the middle back stretch. It is a great way to get ready for the more intense stretches found in the variation and alternatives section.
The best way to get the best results is to combine the middle back stretch with other stretching techniques.
Sets and reps
The middle back stretch is a great addition to a pre- stretching routine, which means you don’t need to perform multiple sets. There should be two to three sets of 10 to 20 seconds.
- 2-3 rounds of 10-20 seconds per side
Do you want to know how many calories are burned during stretching? You can try our calculator.
Muscles Involved
All of the muscles involved in the middle back stretch are listed below.
- Latissimus dorsi – The latissimus dorsi or lats for short is a broad, flat muscle that spans the lower posterior thorax. It works with the teres major and pectoralis major to adduct and medially rotate the humerus, and it helps to extend the humerus with help from the teres major and the sternal head of pectoralis major. The lats are also involved in moving the trunk forward and upward when the arms are positioned overhead.
- Obliques – Obliques are muscles in your midsection located on either side of the abs (core muscles in the anterior center of the trunk also known as six pack) and are responsible for rotation, lateral flexion, and trunk stabilization. The obliques get a nice stretch during this exercise due to the rotation.
- Iliopsoas – The iliopsoas is the primary hip flexor; made up of major and minor psoas muscles and the iliacus muscle that can function separately or as a unit. They allow us to bring the thigh above hip level (e.g., drawing the knees up toward the chest like during pull-ins) assist with posture, walking and running.
It’s the simplest stretch in existence. People of all experience levels can use this technique to loosen up a tight lower back and there are some awesome variations when you are ready for more advanced versions.
Just as you would during a resistance training regime, take care to perform all stretches safely.
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