Seated Open Wings
Seated Open Wings Exercise Description
Seated Open Wings is a bodyweight upper‑back and shoulder girdle movement emphasizing scapular retraction with shoulder external rotation. Performed seated, it teaches you to “open” the arms while keeping a neutral spine and stable ribcage. Primary muscles include the middle trapezius and rhomboids (scapular retraction), posterior deltoid (horizontal abduction), and the infraspinatus and teres minor (external rotation), with the lower trapezius assisting in scapular depression. The goal is controlled shoulder motion around a steady thorax and neck—no shrugging, arching, or jutting the chin. Use a smooth range that allows the shoulder blades to glide toward the spine and slightly downward without discomfort.
- Muscle Groups: Back, Delts, Rotator Cuff, Shoulders, Traps
- Target Muscles: Deltoid - Posterior, Infraspinatus, Rhomboid Major, Rhomboid Minor, Teres Minor, Trapezius - Middle Fibers
- Assisting Muscles: Trapezius - Lower Fibers
- Stabilizing Muscles: Multifidus, Serratus Anterior, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Back, Mid Back, Shoulders, Upper Back
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Rotator Cuff Stabilizers, Scapular Retractors, Shoulder Extensors, Shoulder External Rotators
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Mid Traps, Rear Rotator Cuff, Rear Shoulder, Upper Back
- Movement Direction: Rotational
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Female
How To Do The Seated Open Wings Exercise
‘- Sit tall on a sturdy chair or bench, feet flat, knees and hips roughly 90°, ribs stacked over pelvis.
– Lengthen the spine, tuck the chin slightly, and let shoulders rest away from ears.
– Set your start: elbows bent about 90° at your sides, forearms forward, wrists neutral, thumbs pointing up/out.
– Lightly draw the shoulder blades down and back to create space at the front of the shoulders.
– Exhale as you rotate the shoulders outward and open the arms, allowing slight horizontal abduction; keep elbows near torso and wrists straight.
– Gently bring the shoulder blades toward each other and slightly down—avoid shrugging or flaring the ribs.
– Stop when you feel a firm but comfortable “open” position; neck stays long, lower back neutral.
– Inhale and return with control to the start, allowing only a small, controlled protraction of the shoulder blades.
– Move smoothly; prioritize alignment (neutral spine, level shoulders) over how far the arms travel.
– If you feel pinching or strain at the front of the shoulder, reduce range and maintain the down‑and‑back scapular set.
Seated Open Wings Tips
‘- Sit tall with feet flat, hips and knees around 90°, and ribs stacked over your pelvis.
– Keep your spine long, chin slightly tucked, and shoulders resting away from your ears.
– Start with elbows bent about 90° at your sides, forearms forward, wrists neutral, and thumbs pointing up/out.
– Before moving, lightly draw your shoulder blades down and back to create space at the front of the shoulders.
– As you exhale, rotate the shoulders outward to open the arms, allowing only slight horizontal abduction.
– Keep elbows close to your torso and wrists straight as the arms open.
– Gently bring the shoulder blades toward each other and slightly down, avoiding shrugging or rib flare.
– Stop in a firm but comfortable “open” position with a long neck and neutral lower back.
– Inhale and return to the start with control, allowing only a small, controlled protraction of the shoulder blades.
– Move smoothly and prioritize a neutral spine and level shoulders over how far the arms travel.
– If you feel pinching or strain in the front of the shoulder, reduce the range and maintain the down-and-back scapular set.
Seated Open Wings Beginner Introduction
Seated Open Wings is a seated, bodyweight movement for the upper back and shoulders that highlights precise control of the shoulder blades and arm rotation. Performed on a sturdy chair or bench, the exercise centers on opening the arms from a bent-elbow position while the torso and neck stay steady and upright. The shoulder blades glide closer together and settle slightly downward as the arms rotate outward, creating a broad, open feeling across the chest without lifting the shoulders toward the ears or pushing the head forward.
This controlled pattern mainly engages the upper back, rear shoulders, and the small stabilizing muscles of the rotator cuff. The motion encourages smooth coordination between the shoulder blades and the arms, with the ribs, spine, and head staying quiet in the background. The emphasis is on gentle, pain-free range rather than chasing a big stretch, so the shoulders learn to move freely while the rest of the trunk remains calm and organized.