The 10 Best Stretching Exercises for Better Flexibility
Whether you’re a chronic sitter, a daily exerciser, or a weekend
warrior, you probably know stretching is a critical habit. By sending
blood flow to your muscles and helping your joints move through their
full range of motion, stretching improves your posture and athletic
performance while lowering your risk of pain and injury.
But when you do yoga or a flexibility routine, do you know which muscles
you’re actually stretching? Or whether you’re performing each stretch
correctly? CHECK OUT THESE STRETCHING DIAGRAMS!
Check these awesome illustrations!
1. Camel Pose
Muscles highlighted: Rectus Abdominus and External Obliques. This stretch
is best reserved for people who have good flexibility already. Sit
on your heels and place your hands behind you as you push your hips up and
forward. Avoiding putting too much pressure on your lumbar spine. If you
have neck problems do not drop your head back.
2. Wide Forward Fold
Muscles highlighted: Adductors. This is a great exercise to open the
hips, and stretch the adductors and hamstrings. Start this stretch
with your knees bent, and spine straight. As your muscles begin to
release you can slowly straighten your legs, round out your back and reach
for your feet. Lightly pull on the bottom of the balls of your feet
to release the calf muscles as well. If you can not reach your feet
you can use a belt or towel. You can also perform this stretch lying on
your back with your feet going up the wall.
3. Frog Pose
Muscles Highlighted: Adductors. This is a deep groin stretch that can
place pressure on your knees so it’s helpful to be on a soft
surface. Start by resting on your hands and knees and slowly bring
your knees wider until you feel a good stretch in your groin muscles. You
will feel slight variations in the stretch as you actively push your hips
back and forward.
4. Wide Side Lunge Pose
Muscles Highlighted: Adductors. Start with both feet forward in a wide
stance with your legs as straight as possible. Slowly walk your
hands to your right foot while bending your right knee and rotating your
left toes up to the ceiling, sitting into your right hip. Keep your
right foot flat on the ground.
5. Butterfly Stretch
Muscles Highlighted: Adductors. Start in a seated position and bring the
soles of your feet together and sit tall through your sit bones. Progress
this stretch by placing pressure on your knees with your hands. The closer
your feet are to your body the more you will stretch your groin
muscles. Bring your feet farther from your hips and slowly round
your upper body to release your back muscles.
6. Forearm Extensor Stretch
Muscles Highlighted: Forearm Extensor. Start by packing your shoulder
down and back, then externally rotate the shoulder for the optimal
position to stretch the forearm muscle. Once in this position apply
pressure to your opposing hand to begin the stretch. You can
progress this stretch by touching the tips of your fingers together in a
tea cup shape.
7. Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck
Muscles Highlighted: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM”. Try to keep your neck as
long as possible while slowly dropping your ear to your shoulder, making
sure you are not collapsing your cervical spine. You can progress this
stretch by being seated on a chair and grabbing the bottom of the seat.
This will help you create consistent tension down the arm and neck which
will allow you to target the upper traps.
8. Neck Rotation Stretch
Muscles Highlighted: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM”. Start by slowly rotating
your neck, while keeping your chin slightly elevated to isolate the
SCM. If you would like to get a deeper stretch apply pressure with
the opposite hand from the direction that you are rotating.
9. Neck Extension Stretch
Muscles Highlighted: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM”. Start by placing your
hands on your hips, while keeping your spine long start to tilt your head
back, making sure you are not collapsing your cervical spine.
10. Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck with Hand Assistance
Muscles Highlighted: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM” and Upper Trapezius.
Try to keep your neck as long as possible while slowly dropping your ear
to your shoulder, making sure you are not collapsing your cervical spine.
You can progress this stretch by being seated on a chair while grabbing
the bottom of the seat. This will help you create consistent tension
down the arm and neck which will allow you to target the upper
traps.
