Cool-down stretching is when you will actually increase your long term range of motion.  It is very important during this stretching time that you focus on the areas where the muscles have been shortened during your practice.  For many musicians, this means the chest must be a focal area!  The forearms and nerve pathways also must be a priority; so if you ignored the “stretching” home page, go visit it for the most important forearm stretch!  The rest of the stretches on this page should be done when the muscles are already warm from use, these are static stretches that will lengthen the muscles long term but will weaken the muscle directly after completing the stretch.  Hold each stretch for 30 seconds, make sure to do both sides!  If one side is noticeably tighter then the other, do it twice (for example right, left, right).

Right Angle Chest Stretch:
To execute this stretch you need some type of stationary object, a wall is a great options (so is a door frame or a pole), to rest your elbow and wrist on.  Only stretch one side at a time!

  • Bring your upper arm (humerus) parallel to the ground and out to the side of your body
  • Bend your elbow at a right angle so your wrist is up top (like you’re signaling to turn left on a bike) and your palm is facing out
  • Rest your elbow and wrist (which should now be in a straight line) against your stationary object (wall) having your chest also face forward so there is no rotation in your body (your nose should be very close to the wall!)
  • Once your elbow and wrist are against the wall, engage your shoulder by rotating it down and back
  • Then slowly turn your body away from your arm, to create a stretch in your shoulder/chest/back, while keeping your elbow and wrist on the wall
  • Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, breathing and relaxing
  • Slowly turn your body back to face the wall to release the stretch

Straight Arm Chest Stretch & Forearm Bonus:
To execute this stretch you need some type of stationary object, a wall is a great options (so is a door frame or a pole), to rest your elbow and wrist on.  Only stretch one side at a time!

  • Bring your arm up straight out on the side of your body and hold it parallel to the ground with your palm facing forward
  • Rest your wrist against your stationary object (wall) having your chest also face forward so there is no rotation in your body (your nose should be very close to the wall!)
  • Once your wrist is against the wall, engage your shoulder by rotating it down and back
  • Then slowly turn your body away from your arm, to create a stretch in your shoulder/chest/back, while keeping your wrist on the wall
  • Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, breathing and relaxing
  • Forearm bonus: while staying in the stretch, take your finger tips off the wall and away from it while keeping your wrist on the wall
  • Slowly bring your finger tips back to the wall and turn your body back to face the wall to release the stretch

Straight Arm 45-degree Chest Stretch:
To execute this stretch you need some type of stationary object, a wall is a great options (so is a door frame or a pole), to rest your elbow and wrist on.  Only stretch one side at a time!

  • Bring your arm up on the side of your body and hold it at a 45-degree angle with your palm facing forward
  • Rest your wrist against your stationary object (wall) having your chest also face forward so there is no rotation in your body (your nose should be very close to the wall!)
  • Once your wrist is against the wall, engage your shoulder by rotating it down and back
  • Then slowly turn your body away from your arm, to create a stretch in your shoulder/chest/back, while keeping your wrist on the wall
  • Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, breathing and relaxing
  • Slowly turn your body back to face the wall to release the stretch

Forearm & Wrist Stretch:
Many musicians yank on one hand with the other hand to execute a forearm stretch.  I find this to be dangerous as some tendons, ligaments and muscles are getting pulled harder than others and you’re using a tired arm to pull into the stretch.  A much safer stretch for the forearm and wrist is to use a stationary object, like the ground (or a table, piano bench), to execute the stretch.   It is extremely important to only do one arm at a time because your wrists will likely have remarkably different flexibilities, so if you stretch them together one will get over stretched and the other under stretched.

  • Kneel on the ground (unless using a table, etc) with your feet together but your knees wide apart
  • Take one hand, face the palm toward the ground but have your finger facing your body (rotate your thumb to the outside to accomplish this)
  • Put your palm on the ground somewhere between your legs/knees (where will depend on your flexibility and what feels comfortable for your wrist) while leaning your body forward
  • Once your hand is on the ground, slowly lean back to enter the stretch
  • Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, breathing and relaxing
  • Press each knuckle (each finger has 3 and all will cause different activation in the forearm) into the ground like you are trying to play piano
  • Lean forward to release the stretch
  • Follow this stretch with the Nerve Pathway stretches