Spinal Twist
Area Stretched: lower back
Description
- Lay flat on your back with your arms outstretched.
- Lift one leg up and across the body, bringing the knee up to the level of the hips.
- Keep your shoulders flat on the ground and the other leg straight.
- Hold the stretch.
- Repeat for the other side.Double
Double Knee to Chest Stretch
Muscles Stretched: lower back, hamstrings, glutes
Description
- Lie on your back.
- Lift both knees to your chest.
- Wrap your arms around your legs just below your knees, and pull them to your chest.
- Hold the stretch.
- Repeat for the other side.
Assist the stretch by pushing your tailbone into the ground. Ultimately you want to bring your knees to your chest while your tailbone touches the ground.
Back Cat Stretch
Muscles Stretched: erector spinae, external oblique
Description
- Adopt a position on your hands and knees, with your back flat. Point your fingers forward and your toes behind.
- Drop your head downward, pushing your shoulder blades upward and outward as you elevate your upper back.
- Relax, then repeat several times.
Side Trunk Stretch
Muscles Stretched: erector spinae, side abdominals
Description
- Begin with feet slightly apart, and arm pointing overhead, held by the opposite hand.
- Keeping your hips stable, bend your torso so that the stretch is felt along your side.
- Hold the stretch.
- Repeat for the other side.
Back Extension Stretch
Muscles Stretched: abdominals, front neck
- Start by laying on your front, with your hands close to your chest, fingers pointing forwards.
- Exhale, pushing yourself up with your arms while keeping both feet firmly on the floor and your hips down.
- Look up toward the ceiling. You should feel the stretch in front of your neck too.
Forward Lunge Stretch
Muscles Stretched: Hips, groin and thighs (hip flexors)
Description
- Position yourself with one leg forward and resting on the knee of the back leg
- Be sure that the front ankle is directly under the knee and that the trailing leg is straight out behind you.
- You may use your hands on the ground to steady the body
- Gently lower the hips downward & forwards and hold that position
- Repeat on the other side.
Side Lunge Stretch
Muscles Stretched: Hips, groin and adductors
- Stand upright, with both feet facing forward, double shoulder-width apart.
- Place your hands on your hips or thighs, in order to keep your back straight.
- Slowly exhale, taking your bodyweight across to one side.
- Avoid leaning forward, or taking the knee of the bent leg over your toes. As you increase the stretch, the foot of the bent leg should point slightly outward.
- To increase the stretch, relax upward, slowly sliding your feet out a few inches further to the side.
Hip Sitting Stretch
Muscles Stretched: piriformis
Description
- Lie on a comfortable surface
- With one leg straight, bend your other knee and place the ankle on the opposite side of the straight leg.
- Grab the knee and pull it across your body.
- Hold the stretch.
- Repeat for the other side.
Change your sitting position to adjust the amount of stretch. Sit up straight for a better stretch.
Hamstring Stretch - standing
Hamstring Stretch - standing
Description
- Place heel of the leg being stretched onto a box or bench that is approximately knee height (this stretch can also be performed with the heel on the floor).
- Make sure hips are kept square (ie facing forwards not twisted to the side).
- Keep the stretched leg as straight as possible and lean forwards from the hip with buttocks out and back straight.
- Do not hunch your back or slouch forward.
- Get to the point of a mild stretch and hold.
- Repeat for each leg.
Hamstring Stretch - sitting
Muscles Stretched : hamstrings
Description
- Sit on the floor with the leg to be stretched extended, and the other leg bent with the foot towards your body.
- Reach out with your hands, lean your upper body forward, and bring your chest towards your thigh.
- Make sure you don't round the upper back, and your lower back should be slightly curved.
- Get to the point of a mild stretch and hold.
- Repeat for each leg
- There are several different stretching exercises for the hamstrings, see also hamstring stretch standing and supine.
- A version of this stretch called the 'hurdler's stretch' is similar except that the bent leg is the other way around. This stretch may lead to injury and should be avoided, as it stretches the medial ligaments of the knee and crushes the knee meniscus.
Hamstring Stretch - supine
Muscles Stretched: gastroc, glutes, biceps femoris, semitendinosus (hamstrings), adductor magnus.
Description
- Lie on your back with your legs out.
- Raise the leg to be stretched with the knee slightly bent.
- Grasp the calf or thigh and gently pull the upper leg toward your body.
- Get to the point of a mild stretch and hold.
- Repeat for each leg.
Note
There are several different stretching exercises for the hamstrings, see also hamstring stretch standing and sitting
Posted in: Sports and Exercise Tricks
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