Unlock Tight Shoulders With the Physical Therapist-Approved 'Angel and Devil' Exercise

Shoulder immobility is increasingly common, especially as we get older. Between past injuries, poor posture, and muscular imbalances, there are a number of reasons why your shoulders may not move the way they once did. But the leading cause of shoulder pain and dysfunction really comes down to immobility of the shoulder blades, not the shoulder itself, according to Jeff Cavaliere, MSPT, CSCS, of Athlean-X.

Dealing with such shoulder dysfunction can have a significant impact on daily life. Reaching to grab a plate from your kitchen cupboard becomes a painful task. Grabbing your luggage from an overhead compartment, putting a shirt on, and even soaping off your back during a shower all become activities you have to think twice about.

Luckily, all is not lost. As the saying goes, "use it, or lose it," and you may just need to integrate regular shoulder mobility exercises into your weekly routine. Cavaliere recently shared a bodyweight exercise you can do two to three times a week to unlock the shoulder blades and get rid of any aches and pains.

He calls it "the angel and devil," his go-to beginner onramp exercise for getting more shoulder mobility fast. Try it out yourself below.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/LmEWj_PPRsk

How to Do the Angel and Devil Stretch

1. Lay down in a prone position with arms extended by your sides.
2. Reach your arms up and overhead, keeping the palms facing up.
3. Once arms are extended overhead, bend at the elbows, reaching your hands down toward the upper back.
4. Reset back up overhead. Swoop the arms back down, rotating the palms to face down.
5. Once arms are extended at your sides, flip the palms to face up, bending at the elbows and reaching hands together at the lower back.
6. Perform 8 to 10 reps.

Related: The Surprising Reason Your Hamstrings Stay Tight No Matter How Much You Stretch, According to a Physical Therapist

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on May 21, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health & Fitness section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published May 21, 2026 at 11:29 AM.