Shoulders · Bodyweight
Across Chest Shoulder Stretch
How to do the across chest shoulder stretch, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- time
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Stand tall and bring one arm straight across your chest. Use your opposite hand or forearm to gently pull the arm closer to your body until you feel a stretch through the back of your shoulder, then hold and switch sides.
- 1A stretch along the back and outside of your shoulder
- 2The stretching arm staying straight and relaxed
- 3Your shoulders down away from your ears
Common mistakes
- Twisting your torso to increase the range
- Yanking the arm into sharp front-of-joint pain
- Shrugging the shoulder up while you hold
Muscles worked
The across chest shoulder stretch mainly works the rear delts.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Mid TrapsMinor
- Side DeltsMinor
Kovo programs the across chest shoulder stretch for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.