Bicep Stretching

[John-Paul Potter]

Hi All,

can anyone suggest any good stretches/warm ups for the biceps especially the upper bicep adjacent to front delt?

Best Regards JPP

[Guest Ido Portal]

The short head of the biceps crosses the shoulder joint and this is why you have to stretch at the shoulder together with a straight elbow for full biceps stretch.

Any variation of the german hang, on bars, rings, floor, swedish bars will do.

[John-Paul Potter]

Hi Ido,

It was infact while doing german hangs that i believe i agrivated my bicep. Are there any exercises i could peform pre-hangs o full warm up this particular area of the bicep?

Another thought i just had is that i am fairly new to gymnastics and may lack required flexibility, i currently do 3x3 and try to fully extend at the bottom, would i be better not fully extending until i feel more comfortable with the manoeuvre?

Best Regards JPP

[Guest Ido Portal]

You can replicate the stretch on the floor in various degrees of extenstion and gradualy build up ROM.

I wouldnt extend fully until enough gradual practice is done and I feel comfortable to do so.

Ido.

[George Launchbury]

If you have rings you could lower them nearly to the floor and perform the stretches as Ido suggests, seated with your arms stretching out behind you. That would give you the best of both worlds - both increasing the flexibility to perform the ROM, and the strength to support it safely.

You could also feed a pole through the straps instead of the rings for more lateral stability (i.e. stopping your arms going wider or narrower while you're doing it).

Would that be a useful progression, Ido?

Cheers,

George.

[John-Paul Potter]

Hi Guys,

I recently bought xtreme rings so will try your suggestion George. Thanks for both your advice think it will really help.

Best regards JPP

[Guest Ido Portal]

This type of work with the rings is not exactly the progression for a german hang, but will also be beneficial.

I also like to perform this exercise in its 'closed kinetic chain' version - holding the lower bar in a swedish ladder and driving my butt forward and backwards in between my feet. I have learned this from Coach Sommer, as I believe it is part of one of his shoulder mobility/flexibility/prehab routines. Combining both dynamic reps and a static hold will be an excelent option.

For a German Hang development, gradualy lowering from an inverted pike hang to the point of control and over time taking it further down will produce faster results.

Ido.