Pec Minor Stretch (7 Effective Ways!)

This blog post contains the 7 best ways to perform an effective Pec Minor Stretch.

(The Pec Minor muscle is commonly tight in the vast majority of people and will generally benefit from a good stretch… especially if you strained your chest muscle!)

---

How to release a tight Pec Minor:

Before performing a Pec Minor stretch, it is important to release the tight muscle first.

---

Pec Minor release

Instructions:

• Lie down on your stomach.
• Place a massage ball underneath the chest.
• Apply an appropriate amount of pressure on top of the ball.
• Make sure to cover the entire length of the muscle.
• Continue for 1-2 minutes.

---

How to Stretch the Pec Minor

When performing a Pec Minor stretch, is it essential that you specifically position your body so that you can FEEL the stretch in the desired area.

---

KEY POINTS:

• Keep the shoulder blades retracted (pulled back) and tilted backwards at all times.
• Aim to direct the stretch specifically to the chest (and not the shoulders).
• Exercise caution if you have a history of shoulder issues. (eg. Dislocations)
• Keep lower ribs lowered to prevent lower back from arching.

---

1. Wall stretch

Instructions:

• Place your palm and forearm high up onto a wall.
• Tilt your shoulder backwards throughout this stretch.
• Keep your lower ribs down to prevent the lower back from arching.
• Lunge forwards.
• Aim to feel a stretch in the chest region.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

2. Supine Pec Minor Stretch

Instructions:

• Lie down on your back.
• Place a foam roller in the center of the spine.
  • (You can keep your knees bent for support.)
• Keep your lower ribs down to prevent the lower back from arching.
• Place your arms out in the out stretched position.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

3. 4 point kneel

Instructions:

• Assume the 4 point kneel position.
• Place your forearm onto a chair.
• Tilt your shoulder blade backwards.
• Lean your torso towards the floor.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

4. Floor Pec Stretch

Instructions:

• Assume a kneeling position.
• Place your forearm and palm on the floor in front of you.
• Lean your torso closer to the floor.
• Relax your arm.
• Tilt your shoulder blade backwards.
• Lean a comfortable amount of your body weight through your forearm/hand.
• Turn your torso away.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

5. Stretch with Foam Roller

Instructions:

• Lie down on your stomach.
• Assume the push up position.
• Place a small block/foam roller underneath your hand.
• Tilt your shoulder blade backwards.
• Lower your torso towards the ground.
• Turn your torso away from the hand that is on the block.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

6. Forward Lean Dip

Instructions:

• Place your hands on 2 surface tops.
• Lean your torso forwards.
• Tilt your shoulder blades backwards.
• Lower your torso.
• Hold for 30 seconds.

7. Fascial glide with arm lift

Instructions:

• Place your finger tips on the Coracoid Process.
  • (Use Google to locate if you are not sure where it is located.)
• Apply a firm downwards pressure.
• Start to slowly lift your arm as you slide your fingers down the chest.
• Perform 5 repetitions.

---

Common questions:

a) How do I know if my Pec Minor is tight?

Instructions:

• Lie down on the floor.
• Take note of the back of your shoulder.
• Is it in contact with the floor?

Results: If the back of your shoulder is not in contact with the floor, it is likely that you have a tight Pec Minor.

b) What happens when Pec Minor is tight?

A tight Pec Minor will pull the shoulders into the rounded forward position.

This type of posture can lead to a range of issues.

For more information: Rounded Shoulders Exercises.

c) How long does it take to stretch a Pec Minor?

I recommend holding each stretch for at least 30-45 seconds.

If tolerated: You can maintain the stretch for up to 2 minutes.

Conclusion:

• It is very common to have a tight Pec Minor muscle.
• It can lead to issues such as Rounded Shoulders and sub-optimal shoulder mechanics.
• The best way to loosen up this muscle is to perform the suggested Pec Minor stretches.
• It is advisable to try each of the stretches to determine which one is the most effective for you.

---

---

Disclaimer: The content presented on this blog post is not medical advice and should not be treated as such. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Use of the content provided on this blog post is at your sole risk. For more information: Medical disclaimer.