Pectoral Stretching (large pectoral muscles)
Exercise technique:
You are next to a pole or a fixed vertical bar. Lateral elevation of your arm to about the height of your shoulder.
With your arms outstretched, secure your pelvis by simultaneously contracting your abs and buttocks ( Pelvic retroversion).
Once this is done, put down or pin your palm and take a slight step forward to the front of the leg that is opposite your outstretched arm.
Rotate the head slightly away from the arm. In theory, in this configuration, you should feel the stretch of the pectoralis major.
To do a good stretch, you will have to respect these rules:
- Remember to breathe continuously ( Deep breathing cycle of inhalation and exhalation)
- Never block your breathing when stretching.
- Do your stretching for at least 30 seconds
- Stretching will always be done gradually. So that your muscles can get used to this type of work.
Stretched muscles:
Main muscle: pectoralis major
Secondary muscles: Arm and forearm
Roles of the great pectorals:
At the shoulder level, the pectoralis major muscle allows the adduction and internal rotation of the humerus thanks to its fixed thoracic point.
Its fixed point on the humerus allows the chest to rise during deep breathing. It’s the muscle of the climber.
With a fixed point at its thoracic origins, it ensures adduction (movement of a limb that moves it away from the body) and internal rotation of the humerus.
Variant of the exercise:
Since large pectoral muscles are made up of several fibres (upper, middle and lower), depending on the position of your arms, you prefer one fibre over another.
Example in picture:
Stretching of the upper fiber of the Great Pectoral: https://youtu.be/ErMTMK7Gims
Possible pathologies:
The direct injuries that can be found on the pectoral muscles are the same as for other muscles: tendonitis, contractures, elongations, strains, strains, tears.
Pectoral muscles can also cause injuries, especially to the muscles of the shoulder girdle.
This happens in particular because of a muscular imbalance with pectoral muscles that are too strong and/or too stiff and that are not compensated by back muscles that are powerful enough to successfully stabilize the shoulder joint.
With such an imbalance, in the medium term you risk injuring yourself during your exercises, but also in everyday life by having shoulder pain or contractures in your upper back or neck.
