Overhead Stretch

What it is

This standing stretch lengthens your entire torso, from your waist to your fingertips, helping to improve spinal mobility. It primarily targets your abdominal muscles while also engaging your chest, forearms, latissimus dorsi, and triceps. This static hold requires no equipment and effectively alleviates upper body tension.

Technique tips

• Interlace your fingers and turn palms to face the ceiling.
• Actively depress your shoulders away from your ears.
• Gently tuck your tailbone and brace your core.
• Visualize lengthening your spine with each breath.
• Breathe deeply into your chest and abdomen.
• Avoid hyperextending your lower back during the stretch.

How to track your progress

Log the hold time of each set. Straddly keeps your best hold for this exercise and tells you when you beat it, so a two-second gain does not go unnoticed.