Exercise guide
Lat Stretch Against Wall
- Beginner
- Compound
- Timed hold
- Back
- Shoulders
- Upper arms
- Waist
This stretch targets the latissimus dorsi and thoracic spine, helping to improve overhead mobility and relieve shoulder tightness by using a hip hinge to create length through the torso.
Reviewed by the Crucible Fit team · Updated June 2026
Muscles worked
Setup
- Stand facing a wall with your feet hip-width apart.
- Place both palms flat against the wall at roughly shoulder height.
- Step back away from the wall until your arms are fully extended and your torso is beginning to hinge forward.
How to do it
- Hinge at your hips and slowly lower your chest toward the floor while keeping your arms fixed on the wall.
- Exhale deeply as you sink into the stretch, allowing your head to drop between your biceps until your torso is parallel to the floor.
- Maintain a slight bend in the knees to ensure the focus remains on the upper body rather than the hamstrings.
- Hold the position for 30-60 seconds, focusing on expanding your ribcage with each breath.
Form checklist
- Keep your spine neutral and avoid excessive arching in the lower back.
- Ensure your ears stay aligned with your upper arms throughout the hold.
- Keep your palms firmly pressed into the wall to maintain active tension in the lats.
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders toward your ears; keep the shoulder blades retracted and depressed.
Pro tips
- Rotate your thumbs outward away from the wall to encourage external shoulder rotation, which creates a deeper stretch in the lat insertion.
- Gently tuck your tailbone (posterior pelvic tilt) to prevent the lower back from compensating, which isolates the stretch to the lats and thoracic spine.
Make it harder
- Perform the stretch one arm at a time to address bilateral imbalances and increase the stretch intensity on the target side.
- Place your elbows on the wall instead of your palms and bend your hands back toward your shoulder blades to incorporate a triceps stretch.
Frequently asked
- What muscles does the lat stretch against wall work?
- The lat stretch against wall primarily targets the lats, and also works the abs, deltoids, obliques, and trapezius as secondary muscles.
- What equipment do you need for the lat stretch against wall?
- The lat stretch against wall requires no equipment — just your body weight.
- Is the lat stretch against wall good for beginners?
- Yes. The lat stretch against wall is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.