 Gluteal-Hip Stretch: Begin on hands and knees. Supporting your weight with your hands, slowly bend your right leg, tucking your right knee into your left hip. Simultaneously, extend your left leg straight behind you, toes down. Your weight should be balanced between the outer portion of your bent right leg and the front of your left leg.  Inner Thigh Stretch (Butterfly Stretch): Begin seated with legs extended in front of you. Sit up tall with abs in and shoulders down. Slowly bend knees out to the sides and slide feet in toward your body until the soles of your feet are touching. Maintaining good posture, lower knees down to the floor (without pushing on them) as far as you can comfortably. Also try pulling your heels in closer to your body. For a deeper stretch, try to lean forward with the torso, as if folding over from the hips and bringing your head down toward the floor.  Seated Hamstring Stretch: Sit on the floor in an inverted hurdler's position (right leg extended, left leg bent with sole of foot touching inner right thigh). Try to keep both legs as flat to the ground as possible. Keep torso upright, abs in, and shoulders down. Place hands on straight leg (or either side of it), and lean forward from the waist. Keep your chin up, as if reaching your chin toward the toes of your straightened leg.  Calf Stretch: Stand about arm's length away from a wall, facing it. Extend arms forward, palms facing out, fingers pointing upward, until your palms are flat on the wall. Feet should be slightly apart, knees soft. Keeping both feet flat on the floor at all times, step back with the right foot, straightening the right leg as you bend the front (left) knee toward the wall. Your weight should be balanced between your feet and hands. Switch sides.  Short on time? When a window of time presents itself, it's smart to take advantage of it with short bursts of exercise. But remember, you still need to stretch a little beforehand. Here's a set of five quick stretches to get you feeling good and on your way. Remember to warm up first and never stretch to the point of pain. Know your body's limits. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds and repeat each twice. Chest Stretch (Corner Stretch): Stand in the corner of a room, facing the walls, feet planted about 2-3 feet away from the corner. With feet flat and legs straight, place one palm on each wall, wrists in line with your shoulders. Bending at the elbows, lower your body toward the corner, elbows pointing backward.  Lower Shoulder Stretch: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Bring one arm directly across your body and hold it tight with the opposite arm. Switch sides.  Hamstring Stretch: Begin by standing upright, facing the seat of a low chair, stool, or step. Carefully place the heel of your right foot onto the chair (using a wall or another object for balance, if necessary). Keep your back leg slightly bent and abs tight to help with balance. Keeping torso straight, bend over from the waist, lowering your upper body toward your extended leg.  Quadriceps Stretch: Begin standing next to a sturdy chair or wall. Feet and legs should be together, abs pulled in. Place your right hand onto the chair or wall for balance. Grasp your left ankle or foot with your left hand. Keeping back flat and thighs together, gently pull your left heel toward your left buttock until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh.  Full Body Stretch (Downward Dog): Begin on your hands and knees, keeping hands directly underneath shoulders and knees underneath hips. Slowly straighten the knees as you lift your hips upward and lower your heels to the ground. Breathe steady as your lengthen through the spine and pull your shoulders down away from your ears. If your flexibility allows, lengthen through the arms and lower your chest, shifting your weight back into your heels.  When you're at a desk or computer for long hours, it's important to take stretch breaks. A couple of breaks each day will help you stay alert and keep stiffness at bay. This set of stretches is designed for those who are already sitting down or those who prefer to stay seated for balance reasons. Make sure the chair you are using is sturdy. Remember to warm up first (a short walk around the building or down the hall will do) and never stretch to the point of pain. Know your body's limits. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds, repeating two or three times, depending on how you feel. Neck Stretch: Keep torso upright, shoulders down and back, and spine neutral. With your left hand, gently grasp the left side of your head while reaching your opposite and behind your back. Tilt head down toward shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch.  Biceps and Shoulder Stretch: Begin this stretch in a standing position with your feet approximately shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together behind your back. Roll your chest out and raise your arms up toward the ceiling.  Triceps Stretch: Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent. Extend one arm overhead. Bend the extended arm so that you are reaching down the center of your back with the palm of your hand. Hold that arm down at the elbow with your opposite hand.  Chest Stretch: Sit tall on a chair. Raise your arms out to the side, parallel with the ground, and the palms facing upward. Stretch the arms back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Upper Back Stretch: Sit tall on a chair. Interlock your fingers and push your hands out in front of you, as far away from your chest as possible. Allow your upper back to relax. You should feel the stretch between your shoulder blades. Hamstring Stretch: Begin by standing upright, facing the seat of a low chair, stool, or step. Carefully place the heel of your right foot onto the chair (using a wall or another object for balance, if necessary). Keep your back leg slightly bent and abs tight to help with balance. Keeping torso straight, bend over from the waist, lowering your upper body toward your extended leg. Quadriceps Stretch: Begin standing next to a sturdy chair or the wall. Feet and legs should be together, abs pulled in. Place your right hand onto the chair or wall for balance. Grasp your left ankle or foot with your left hand. Keeping back flat and thighs together, gently pull your left heel toward your left buttock until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Foot and Calf Stretch: Seated in a stable chair, stretch legs out in front of you, feet on the floor. Bend your ankles to point feet toward you. Bend ankles to point feet away from you. If you don't feel the stretch, repeat with your feet slightly off the floor. Wrist Stretch: Sit tall in a chair. Extend one arm in front of you, keeping elbow slightly bent, palm flat and facing the ceiling. With your opposite hand, apply gentle pressure to the hand of your extended arm, bending at the wrist so that the fingers point down towards the floor. Repeat on both arms. Do not do this stretch if you feel tingling in your fingers. Abdominal Stretch: Sit tall on a chair. Place your hands behind you, elbows out, hands flat on the seat, fingers facing forward. Gently arch the back, pushing the chest forward to elongate the spine. You can stretch anywhere. Whether standing in line, waiting for the bus, or watching your child's soccer game, you can get in some quality flexibility training. This set of standing stretches is a great program for beginners. The stretches themselves are basic and easy to follow, wherever or whenever you find yourself on your feet. Remember to warm up first and never stretch to the point of pain. Know your body's limits. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds, repeating each two or three times, depending on how you feel. Neck Stretch: Keep torso upright, shoulders down and back, and spine neutral. With your left hand, gently grasp the left side of your head while reaching your opposite and behind your back. Tilt head down toward shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch. Biceps and Shoulder Stretch: Begin this stretch in a standing position with your feet approximately shoulder width apart. Clasp your hands together behind your back. Roll your chest out and raise your arms up toward the ceiling. Lower Shoulder Stretch: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Bring one arm directly across your body and hold it tight with the opposite arm. Switch sides. Chest Stretch: Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Raise your arms out to the side, parallel with the ground, and the palms of the hands facing upward. Stretch the arms back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Lunging Calf Stretch: Begin with feet shoulder-width apart. Step forward into a mini lunge, with the back foot in a fixed position and the back knee slightly bent. Stretch the back calf by bending and straitening your back leg while remaining in the half lunge position. Switch sides. 
Hamstring Stretch: Begin by standing upright, facing the seat of a low chair, stool, or step. Carefully place the heel of your right foot onto the chair (using a wall or another object for balance, if necessary). Keep your back leg slightly bent and abs tight to help with balance. Keeping torso straight, bend over from the waist, lowering your upper body toward your extended leg. Quadriceps Stretch: Begin standing next to a sturdy chair or the wall. Feet and legs should be together, abs pulled in. Place your right hand onto the chair or wall for balance. Grasp your left ankle or foot with your left hand. Keeping back flat and thighs together, gently pull your left heel toward your left buttock until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh. Inner Thigh Stretch: Begin standing with feet slightly wider than hips. Turn toes outward slightly. Keeping feet flat on the floor, squat straight down, holding onto a wall or sturdy chair for balance, if necessary. Place elbows on thighs, allowing hands to hang between your feet. 
Side Stretch: Begin standing with feet hip-width apart, knees soft, torso upright, and spine neutral. Place the right hand on the right hip. Extend your left arm overhead, hand in line with the shoulder, arm next to the ear, and palm facing inside. Keeping lower body stationary and moving from the hips, lean over to the right side, allowing your upper body and arm to follow. Bend the left elbow slightly and reach overhead and to the side.  Full Body Stretch (Downward Dog): Begin on your hands and knees, keeping hands directly underneath shoulders and knees underneath hips. Slowly straighten the knees as you lift your hips upward and lower your heels to the ground. Breathe steady as your lengthen through the spine and pull your shoulders down away from your ears. If your flexibility allows, lengthen through the arms and lower your chest, shifting your weight back into your heels. After you've been stretching regularly, you may be able to advance to more involved, complex stretches. Including these will help more parts of your body remain flexible and strong. This set of stretches is more advanced and should be tried only if you already feel comfortable with The Basics. Remember to warm up first and never stretch to the point of pain. Know your body's limits. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds, repeating each two or three times, depending on how you feel. Biceps Wall Stretch: Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your arm straight against a wall, with your palm facing it. With your body close to the wall, slowly turn away from the wall, keeping the arm in contact with it. Repeat on the other side. Side-Lying Overhead Stretch: Begin lying on your right side, legs extended, bottom arm bent, and top arm placed on the ground in front of your body for support. Slowly bend your right (bottom) knee, sliding your thigh forward and your foot behind you. Lengthen from your left (top) foot, through your leg, torso and arm, as you extend it overhead. Switch sides.  Back and Shoulder Stretch: Begin sitting on your knees and facing a chair. The chair should be within arm's reach, at least 1-2 feet away from your knees. Reach for the chair with your arms, resting them on the chair seat. Lower your shoulders away from your ears. Bend from the waist to create a long, flat back, extending through your arms. Keeping your arms propped on the chair, lower your chest toward the ground below until you feel a stretch across your chest. Do not attempt this stretch if you feel any discomfort in your lower back. Continued › |
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