15-Minute Cool Down Stretches for Weight Lifters

Maybe you started weight lifting because you heard of its many benefits—healthy aging, better mobility, and even improved mental function. Or perhaps it makes you feel strong and empowers you to tackle everyday activities that once felt difficult—whether lifting, carrying, or climbing—with a newfound ease.

As helpful as it is to strengthen your body, it’s equally important to stretch. When you’re focused on weight lifting, however, it’s easy to shortchange this crucial element your body needs for balance. Incorporating a cool down routine after weight lifting can help with that.

How to Approach a Cool Down for Weight Lifting

Stretching releases muscle tension you accumulate during strength training, and borrowing from yoga by paying attention to your breath and mental state takes those benefits even further.

“There have been times I’ve focused almost exclusively on resistance training, and I felt extra tight and tense,” says Kat Heagberg, weight lifter, yoga teacher, and co-author of Yoga Where You Are. “Then I took a chill, stretchy yoga class, and it truly did feel like magic. I was able to slow down, relax, and breathe, and I felt safe to go into deeper ranges of motion than I had in a while,” she says.

Heagberg incorporates elements of yoga into her clients’ post-workout stretch routines. “I encourage people to find the ‘sweet spot,’ where a stretch feels great, and they can breathe well in it, as opposed to going as deep as possible but gritting your teeth and holding your breath,” says Heagberg. That’s the difference between post-workout stretching and post-workout yoga—the latter addresses the body, but the former takes care of the body and mind.

Although the most effective stretches for a cool down depend on which areas of your body you’re exercising during weight lifting, Heagberg says she routinely includes stretches for the neck, shoulders, upper back, glutes, and hips. She also mentions that hand stretches can feel “heavenly” for those who have been grasping barbells. So heavenly that even her “die-hard gym bro” clients ask if they can spend more time stretching.

The cool down below is inspired by those same stretches.

15-Minute Cool Down for Weight Lifters

Practice these stretches as a sequence after weight lifting or pick a couple of your favorites for a shorter cool down. Don’t push yourself. Instead, stay within a feel-good range as you breathe deeply in each stretch.

You’ll need a block or stack of books as props. You may also want to grab a strap or belt and a blanket. The first four exercises can be practiced standing or seated.

1. Standing Side Bend 

Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart in Mountain Pose. Lift both arms overhead, actively reaching toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch. Take a few breaths here. Then step your right foot behing and to the side of your left, place your left hand against your left outer thigh, and reach your right arm overhead and toward the left until you feel a comfortable stretch in your right side body. Look up at your right hand or down toward the floor. Take a few deep breaths here, then uncross your feet and lower your arms. Repeat on the opposite side.

2. Wrist Stretch

Reach your arms straight in front of you. Point the fingers of your right hand toward the floor so your palm is facing you. Use your left hand to gently press your right hand toward you. Take several breaths, then repeat on the opposite side.

3. Standing Backbend with Clasped Hands

Interlace your hands behind you (or hold a strap or belt between them), draw your shoulder blades toward each other and down your back, and lift your chest. Either tuck your chin or lift it slightly. Take several breaths here.

4. Neck Stretch with Clasped Hands 

Change the interlacing of your hands so your opposite thumb is on top. Bend your elbows and move your hands toward the right side of your waist. Lower your right ear toward your right shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch along the left side of your neck. Take a breath here. Then tuck your chin and gently turn your head to look down toward your outer right foot until you feel a stretch. Take a few breaths here, then slowly lift your head and switch to the opposite side.

5. Chest and Shoulder Stretch at Wall

Stand with a wall on your right side. Place your right hand on the wall at about head-height. Walk forward until your right arm is reaching behind you and you feel a shoulder stretch. (Your right arm doesn’t need to fully straighten.) Stay here, or for more intensity, place your left hand on your right ribs and gently draw your right ribs away from the wall. For less intensity, inch further away from the wall. For more intensity, inch closer to the wall. Take several breaths here, then release, roll your shoulders, and turn to face the opposite direction so you can stretch the opposite side.

6. Criss-Cross Arms at Wall

Face the wall, cross your right elbow over your left as if you are about to give yourself a hug, and press your elbows against the wall until you feel a comfortable stretch. Take several breaths here, then step back, change the crossing of your arms, and repeat with the left arm on top.

7. Squat Variation

Stand with your feet hip-width apart and angled slightly outward. Bend your knees and crouch down onto the balls of your feet. Bring your palms to the floor, blocks, or stacks of books just in front of your feet and your arms outside of your legs. Press your arms against your outer thighs as you squeeze your knees together. Tuck your chin toward your chest and round your back toward the ceiling. Take several breaths here, then lower to a seated position.

8. Windshield Wiper to Z Sit 

Sit with both knees bent and your feet planted on the floor about shoulder-width apart in front of you. Place your hands on the floor behind you with your fingers pointing forward. Lower your knees to the right. Stay here or, for more intensity, place your right foot on top of your left thigh. Stay here or lean your chest forward over your right knee for a few breaths. Take a few breaths here, then repeat on the opposite side.

9. Seated Wide-Angle Pose 

Sit on the floor or a blanket with your legs apart in a comfortable V shape. Point your toes toward the ceiling. Hinge forward from your hips, lowering your hands to blocks or the floor in between your legs. Round your spine and take several breaths here, then walk your hands back in to an upright position.

10. Reclining Eagle Spinal Twist

Lie on your back with your arms extended straight out in a T position and cross your right leg over your left. Lower your legs to the left. For a less intense stretch, place blocks underneath your knees for more support. Press your left arm into the floor to help keep your chest facing the ceiling. Take several breaths here, then return to center. Cross your left leg over your right and repeat on the opposite side.

11. Supported Bridge Pose

Lie on your back, bend your knees, and plant your feet on the floor. Press your feet into the floor and lift your hips. Slide a block on its shortest setting underneath your sacrum in Supported Bridge Pose (you may need to play with the position of the block until you feel steady and comfortable). Draw your right knee toward your chest and clasp it with both hands. Stay here for several breaths. Then lower your right foot to the floor and switch to the opposite side.

12. Legs Up the Wall

Sit with one hip next to a wall and roll onto your opposite side, swinging your legs up so they’re resting against the wall. You may need to scoot your hips closer to the wall. (Or you can rest your legs on a couch or chair in Legs Up the Chair.) Stay in Legs Up the Wall or place a block underneath your sacrum for support. Let your arms rest by your sides with your palms facing up or down. Allow yourself to be still and breathe into the stretch along the backs of your legs for a minute or two. Lower your feet to the floor, take the block out from under you, and rest on your back.