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Exercise 1346 · REF f38OEuO

Kneeling Lat Stretch exercise animation

Kneeling Lat Stretch

Category
Back
Equipment
Body Weight
Target
Lats

This is a static stretch that opens up the lats and the sides of the torso by sinking the hips back while the arms stay extended overhead on a support. It's commonly used before or after pulling work since tight lats can quietly limit overhead shoulder position on presses and pull-ups. Hold it rather than bounce — the lats respond better to sustained tension than pulsing.

How to Do the Kneeling Lat Stretch

  1. Kneel on the ground with your knees hip-width apart and your toes pointing back.
  2. Extend your arms overhead and interlace your fingers.
  3. Keeping your back straight, slowly lean to the right side, feeling a stretch in your left lat muscle.
  4. Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds, then return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat the stretch on the left side, leaning to the left and feeling a stretch in your right lat muscle.
  6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

Muscles Worked

The Kneeling Lat Stretch primarily targets the Lats, with Shoulders as the primary synergist muscle group, along with the Triceps.

More Back Exercises

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Archer Pull Up Archer Pull Up Body Weight · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Pull-Up Assisted Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Chin-Up Assisted Standing Chin-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Assisted Standing Pull-Up Assisted Standing Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats

More Lats Exercises

Back Pec Stretch Back Pec Stretch Body Weight · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band Close-Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band Fixed Back Close Grip Pulldown Band · Lats Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band Fixed Back Underhand Pulldown Band · Lats Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band Kneeling One Arm Pulldown Band · Lats

Equipment Alternatives

Don't have body weight? These target the same lats with different equipment.

Alternate Lateral Pulldown Alternate Lateral Pulldown Cable · Lats Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Assisted Parallel Close Grip Pull-Up Leverage Machine · Lats Band Assisted Pull-Up Band Assisted Pull-Up Band · Lats Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell Bent Arm Pullover Barbell · Lats

FAQ

What muscles does the Kneeling Lat Stretch work?
The Kneeling Lat Stretch primarily targets the lats, with the shoulders and triceps assisting.
What equipment do I need for the Kneeling Lat Stretch?
The Kneeling Lat Stretch is done with no equipment — just body weight.
What's a good alternative to the Kneeling Lat Stretch?
If you don't have access to the space or setup it needs, the Alternate Lateral Pulldown targets the same lats using cable instead.