Gluteal stretch

One of the main functions of the gluteal muscles of the buttocks is to help fully extend the hip joint, which is a crucial part of the running motion. This exercise helps ensure that you get full range of motion in your buttocks muscles, and therefore your hips, which results in a long, graceful, fluid, powerful running stride.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Get on the floor on your hands and knees.
2. Bring your left knee forward as far as you can, and rest your knee, shin and foot on the floor.
3. Inhale and as you exhale, lower your left buttock to the ground, extending your right leg behind you and resting the front of your right thigh, kneecap, shin, and foot on the floor (see Figure).
4. 4Gently push your right hip toward the floor and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. To intensify this stretch, try moving your front foot farther away from your hip.
5. 5Repeat this stretch on your other leg.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do keep your hips facing front.

• Do support the weight of your upper body on your hands.
• Do lean forward, but don’t arch your back.
• Don’t continue holding the stretch if you feel pain in your front knee.

Guidelines You Don’t Want to Skip DUring Stretching

No matter what sport you engage in, you want to improve your athletic performance and decrease your risk of injury. So check out the following list for some basic flexibility training guidelines:

• Warm up. Make sure you warm up before you start to exercise. You need just about 10 to 15 minutes of dynamic stretching that mimics what you’ll later be doing full speed.
• Drink fluids. Your muscles and joints need fluid to stay flexible and lubricated. So here are the guidelines:

1. If you exercise for less than an hour, water is more than adequate.
2. However, if you exercise more than an hour, a sports drink improves endurance, reaction time, and concentration because carbohydrates are being used by both the brain and muscle during prolonged exercise.

• Focus on a particular area. Each sport has specific requirements: A runner needs a flexible lower body; racquet sports require flexibility in the upper body; and in contact sports, you need a strong flexible core. To enhance performance and help prevent injury, focus on the area you use the most.
• Don’t forget the rest of your body. If you’re serious about improving your game through stretching, you’ll have to engage in a flexibility program that stretches your entire body two or three days a week. Like everything else in life, you get out of it what you put into it.
• Cool down. Never forget to cool down after a workout because it allows the blood and oxygen to return to your heart and muscles instead of “pooling” or staying in your extremities. After your breathing returns to normal and your heart rate is under 100 beats per minute, your body has cooled down sufficiently.

Hip flexor stretch on one knee

The benefit of this stretch is that it can target your hip flexor — a very difficult muscle to isolate but one that’s important to stretch because it’s responsible for how you walk and all lower body movement.
If this kneeling stretch is uncomfortable on your knees, try placing a folded towel or pillow under your knee for cushion.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Kneel on one knee, place your other foot flat on the floor in front of you with your knee bent, and make sure you maintain good posture with your upper body. Make sure that the back foot and leg aren’t turned in. You’ll feel the stretch a little more in your hip flexor if your foot is directly behind your hip.
2. Inhale and as you exhale, squeeze your buttocks and tilt your pelvis under. Feel the front part of your hip lengthen. If you don’t feel the stretch, you may have to squeeze your buttocks and tuck your pelvis a little more.
3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths.
4. Repeat on the other side.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do breathe throughout the stretch.
• Do keep your chest lifted and shoulders back.
• Do keep your shoulders directly over your hips — you want to lengthen the front of your hip, not shorten it.
• Don’t hinge forward at your hip.
• Don’t arch your back; just focus on squeezing your buttocks and tucking your pelvis under.

Wrist stretch on all fours

This stretch is my favorite for the wrist and forearm areas; if you have carpal tunnel syndrome, though, you should skip this one. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Kneel on all fours with most of your weight on your knees.
2. Place your left hand palm down, fingers facing back toward your knee (see figure a).
3. Inhale and as you exhale, gently shift your body weight toward your shoulders.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths. Feel the stretch in the palm of your right hand and forearm.
5. Release the stretch and place the back of your hand on the floor with your fingers toward your knee (see Figure b).
6. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths.
7. Repeat these two stretches on your other wrist.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do keep your shoulder blades down and your body weight shifted toward your heels.
• Don’t put all your weight on the wrist being stretched.
• Don’t bounce during the stretch.

Back extension and abdominal stretch

This stretch is specifically for the abdominals, but it’s also great for the back muscles. The back extension and abdominal stretch increases mobility in your spine and decreases a rounded back.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your belly, supporting your upper body with your elbows directly under your shoulders.
2. Lift up out of your shoulders so you aren’t sinking into your shoulder blades.
3. Inhale and as you exhale, lengthen your spine and lift your chest as if you were going to move forward (see Figure).Imagine you’re trying to move forward, but your elbows and hips are glued to the floor.And visualize the space between each vertebra as increasing, lengthening your spine.You should feel this stretch in your abdominals.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do keep your neck long and in line with the rest of your spine.
• Do keep your shoulder blades down.
• Do pull your belly toward your spine.
• Don’t compress your lower back.
• Don’t think of lifting your chest toward the ceiling; think of your chest pressing up toward the ceiling.

Side lying quad stretch

This quad stretch is one of the easiest stretches to get into and maintain proper form. You should feel this stretch in your back, obliques, neck, and chest all at the same time.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your right side with your knees bent close to your chest, and let your head rest on your right arm (see Figure a).
2. Grab the top of your left foot and gently move your ankle back toward your buttocks (see Figure b). Don’t force your heel toward your buttocks. That movement can put pressure on your knee joint.
3. Squeeze your buttocks to increase the stretch, but don’t let your hips roll back. Always keep your hips stacked on top of each other and focus on bringing the knee back.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and then lie on your left side and repeat the stretch on your other leg.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do breathe as you hold the stretch.
• Do squeeze your buttocks to deepen the stretch.
• Don’t jam your heel toward your buttocks.
• Do keep your bottom knee bent for balance.
• Don’t lift the knee — instead try to keep your inner thighs touching.

Seated straddle stretch

This stretch integrates many muscle groups — inner thigh, back, hamstrings — into one stretch. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs straight, your feet as far apart as possible, and your hands behind your hips; sit up very tall (see Figure A). Keeping your hands behind your hips helps you keep your spine lifted and straight. This position allows you to stretch your back, inner thighs, and hamstrings without creating tension in your shoulders and upper back.
2. Move your hips forward an inch or two until you feel the stretch along both inner thighs.
3. Inhale and as you exhale lean slightly forward, tilting your pelvis back (see Figure B). Your hands are behind your hips in this step, but if you want to add a variation and you’re flexible enough to bring your hands in front of you without rounding your back, you can deepen the stretch by reaching forward as far as you can.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths. Your goal isn’t to get your chest to the floor; it’s to feel a stretch in your inner thighs without your pelvis tucking under or your back rounding or your knees rolling inward. Even though this stretch is common, it can still be difficult because of all the muscles involved.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do keep your knees and toes facing upward toward the ceiling.
• Do tilt your pelvis back as you lift your chest.
• Do breathe deeply through the entire stretch.
• Do progress slowly through this stretch, spending 15 seconds or so in the comfort zone.
• Don’t place your hands in front of you unless you can keep them there without rounding your spine or tucking your pelvis under.
• Don’t bounce this stretch.

Seated twist with one leg extended

This stretch gives you a rotational stretch for your core and a stretch in your buttocks at the same time. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your right leg straight in front of you, your left foot crossed over your right thigh, and your hands on the floor behind you (see Figure A).
2. As you inhale, bring your right knee toward your chest and sit up very straight, lengthening your spine (see Figure B).
3. As you exhale, look over your left shoulder, rotate your spine, and tilt your pelvis back. Pay close attention to the position of your pelvis. If you avoid tucking your pelvis under, and you really think about your tailbone reaching for the wall behind you, then you stretch your abs and back, but you also feel a stretch deep in your buttocks.
4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch with every breath.
5. Switch sides and repeat the same stretch on your other leg.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do bring your knee close to your chest before you twist.
• Do look over your shoulder to lengthen your neck muscles, too.
• Do lengthen your spine before you rotate.
• Don’t tuck your pelvis under or round your back.

Seated hamstring stretch

Most people find it more comfortable and effective to perform this stretch with the aid of a towel or strap. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your right leg straight out in front of you and your left leg bent at a comfortable angle (see Figure A).
2. As you exhale, hinge forward at the hip, keeping your leg straight and your foot flexed (see Figure B). Pay close attention to the position of your pelvis. Your tailbone should be reaching back as you hinge forward at the hips. Don’t get discouraged if your chest is nowhere near your leg. As long as you’re feeling a good deep stretch in the back of your thigh, you’re doing great!
3. Breathe deeply and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. Deepen the stretch with each breath by tilting your pelvis back, lifting your chest, and flexing your foot forward.
4. Repeat the same stretch on your left leg.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:
_ Do gently pull your foot toward your body with the towel or strap.
_ Do keep your knee straight, and try to keep the back of your knee on the floor.
_ Do keep your back straight, not rounded or tensed in your shoulders.
_ Don’t force the stretch or pull too hard on the towel.
_ Don’t look down at your knees; look at the floor in front of your toes

Butterfly stretch

This stretch is for the muscles that run along your inner thigh and groin. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your back straight, your abdominals in, and the soles of your feet touching each other. It’s important to keep your back straight during this stretch because rounding your back places undue pressure on your lower back and spine. Sit up tall and think of your chest lifting forward as you tilt your pelvis back.
2. Place your hands on your ankles and bring your feet as close to your groin as you can (see Figure a).
3. Inhale and as you exhale, gently press down on the inside of your knees with your elbows (see Figure b).
4. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths. With each breath, try to get your knees closer to the floor.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do breathe as you hold the stretch.
• Do lengthen your spine as you lean forward from the hips.
• Do keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine. You should be looking at the floor in front of you, not at your feet.
• Don’t round your back or tighten your shoulders.
• Don’t bounce your knees toward the floor — be patient and hold the stretch.

Seated back and neck stretch

The best part about this stretch is that you’ll feel it not only in your hips but also along your entire back and up through your neck. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs crossed in front of you and your hands on the floor in front of your legs (see Figure a). If you feel pain in your hips or knees while sitting on the floor, raise your hips off the floor by sitting on a pillow, folded blanket, step, or bosu.
2. Inhale and as you exhale bend forward at your hips and use your hands and arms for support. With each breath, deepen the stretch by gently reaching forward with your arms (see Figure b).
3. Hold the position in Step 2 and drop your chin toward your chest.
4. Shake your head “no” to release muscle tension in your neck.
5. Tilt your head to the right and hold the stretch for a few deep breaths.
6. Tilt your head to the left and hold the stretch for a few deep breaths.
7. Release the neck stretch and slowly sit up. Don’t always do this stretch with the same leg crossed on top; sometimes have your right leg on top and sometimes have your left leg crossed on top. This variation keeps the stretch balanced for both hips.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do initiate the movement from your hips, not from your upper back.
• Do keep your chin down as you tilt to the side.
• Don’t tense or tighten your shoulders or back.

Seated side reach

This cool-down routine focuses on your waist and stretches out the obliques — the muscles that run down the side of your body. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your legs crossed in front of you.
2. Reach your left arm directly overhead, using the muscles in your upper back to keep your shoulder blade down and chest lifted. This position keeps space between your shoulder and ear (see Figure a).
3. Inhale and as you exhale, bend at the waist to the right and reach with your left arm overhead, keeping your hip anchored to the floor. Rest your right hand on the floor for extra support (see Figure b). Think of both sides of your waist lifting and lengthening up and over.
4. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths. Try to deepen the stretch with every breath.
5. Repeat this stretch on your other side.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do keep your hip anchored to the floor.
• Do breathe and slowly deepen the stretch.
• Do keep your chest and shoulders facing forward.
• Don’t bend forward or arch your back.
• Don’t hold your breath.

Why and How to Cool Down

A cool-down refers to a group of moves or stretches performed after exercise and before rest. This time is perfect to work on increasing flexibility because the temperature of your muscles and connective tissue is highest, which means that these structures are now at their most flexible.
The type of stretches most appropriate for the cool-down is static stretches. Static stretches help relax your muscles by lengthening them. They can also aid in reducing after-exercise muscle soreness by helping to work lactic acid out of your muscles. In addition, a nice quiet period of gentle movement and rest can be the perfect ending to a great workout. Why cool down? During a strenuous workout, your body goes through a number of stressful processes. Here are a few reasons why a good cool-down is so important:

• To promote recovery and return the body to its state before exercise.
• To prevent damage to the muscle fibers, tendons, and ligaments.
• To prevent the build up of lactic acid and other waste products within your body.
• To reduce soreness by keeping the blood from “pooling” or staying in the muscle. Instead, the blood gets pushed back to the heart.

Standing balance with a twist

Adding a little balance work to your warm-up can raise your internal temperature and improve your balance. Try this exercise before your next workout.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand tall with your feet together and your arms at your side.
2. Shift your weight to your right leg only.
3. Bend your left knee slightly and lift your foot off the floor so all your weight is on your right leg (see Figure a).
4. Inhale and as you exhale, raise your elbows and cross your arms in front of your chest.
5. Twist to your left, hold for a few seconds, and return back to front position (see Figure b). Don’t attempt the twist until you’re stable on one foot. If you’re wobbly, use a chair or barre to help with your stability. Don’t be afraid of a little wobble; it’s how you test your limits and improve your balance.
6. Repeat this exercise three more times and then repeat four repetitions on the other side. To make this exercise more challenging, try standing on a bosu — a balance board — while performing this exercise. You can find a bosu at pretty much any sporting goods store.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do exhale every time you twist.
• Do keep your hips level with each other. If one hip is higher than the other, holding your balance becomes difficult.
• Do hold your abdominals tight and your shoulder blades down.
• Don’t lift your foot too high — only a couple of inches off the floor.

Standing groin and inner thigh stretch

This stretch is for the muscles that run along your inner thigh and also the muscles in your torso that rotate your spine. This stretch also builds strength in your thighs and creates heat in your body so your muscles are nice and warm for a productive, pain-free workout.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand with your feet in a wide stance with your toes pointing out.
2. Bend your knees and slowly lean forward until your elbows can rest just inside your knees (see Figure a).
3. Gently press your right elbow against the inside of your right knee as you lower your right shoulder and rotate your spine to the left, looking over your left shoulder (see Figure b). Turning your head stretches your neck muscles at the same time other muscles are stretching during this exercise.
4. Lower your hips another inch and tilt your pelvis back. Lowering your hips deepens the stretch in your groin. Think of reaching your tailbone to the ceiling as you tilt your pelvis back.
5. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds and then repeat the stretch on the other side. To make this stretch more dynamic, alternate from side to side several times without holding the stretch.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do breathe as you hold the stretch.
• Do press the knee away with your elbow.
• Do tilt your pelvis back.
• Don’t hold your breath.
• Don’t bounce or force the stretch.