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.