Move · Videos · Stretching · 11 min

10-Minute Complete Upper Body Stretch

10-Minute Complete Upper Body Stretch — video by Alex Crockford Play · 10:56

Video by Alex Crockford on YouTube · Open on YouTube

Alex Crockford leads 30-second stretches from standing to the floor: neck turns and shoulder rolls, elbow openers, triceps and cross-body shoulder stretches, cat-cow, child's pose, thread-the-needle, cobra, wrist and forearm stretches, a lying twist and a seated side bend.

  • 11 min
  • Beginner
  • Low impact (no jumping)
  • mat
Open in VideosLog it in Train

Step by step 10

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Standing neck turns with shoulders down and relaxed, then big backward shoulder rolls. 0:16
  2. Elbow openers: fingers behind your head, open your elbows wide, then close them in, moving with your breath. 1:19
  3. Triceps stretch: reach one hand down your back and press the elbow down with the other hand; each side. 1:50
  4. Cross-body shoulder stretch: pull one arm across, holding above or below the elbow, shoulder down; each side. 2:55
  5. Cat-cow on all fours, then sit back into child's pose with your arms reaching forward. 4:01
  6. Thread-the-needle: reach one arm under your body, then rotate open towards the ceiling; each side. 5:01
  7. Cobra: hips down, arms long, lift your chest and squeeze your glutes; drop to a half cobra if your back complains. 6:03
  8. Wrist and forearm stretches: fingers towards you with palms down, then the backs of the hands down, gently. 6:37
  9. Lying twist: knees in, arms out in a T, drop both knees to one side with shoulders down; then the other side. 7:39
  10. Prone arm circles: hands behind your head, sweep round to your lower back; then a seated side bend each way. 8:42

The steps are a summary in our words, checked against the video — the coach shows every move.

Form cues from the coach

  • Keep your shoulders down and relaxed in the neck and shoulder stretches
  • Hold the arm above or below the elbow in the cross-body stretch
  • Lower to a half cobra if the full version bothers your lower back

What it works

Tap an area for more videos that work it.

Joints it uses 1 take load

  • Wrists & hands takes loadpalms-on-floor wrist stretches, all fours
  • Neck movesneck turns, head lifted in cobra
  • Shoulders movesshoulder rolls, cross-body stretch, prone arm circles
  • Elbows movestriceps stretch, palms-down forearm stretch
  • Upper back movescat-cow, thread the needle, lying twist
  • Lower back movescat-cow, cobra, lying twist
  • Hips moveschild's pose, cross-legged side bend
  • Knees movesall fours, child's pose
  • Kneeling. Pressure on the kneecaps — a folded towel or cushion under the knees helps.
  • Weight on your hands. The wrists bend back under load. Fists, push-up handles or your forearms ease it.
  • Down on the floor. You get down to the floor and back up again.

Easier option from the coach: Half cobra if the lower back complains; wrist stretch one hand at a time

A guide to the joints this video’s moves load, from what the coach does — not medical advice. Some ache is normal; stop if a joint hurts sharply. How joints are rated

More like this

Browse all 764 videos

Video by Alex Crockford; the summary, steps, cues, body areas and joint notes are Notbroken’s, written from what the coach actually does in the video and checked a second time. Warm up first, take the easier options until a move feels easy, and stop if you feel sharp pain, chest pain or dizziness. General instruction, not advice for your body. About & safety