Instagram star, personal trainer and Women's Health's January cover star - Kayla Itsines has given us an AAA look at her ultimate stretch warm down.
Working hard is all well and good, but without proper recovery your muscles won't be able to achieve their full potential in their next session and your healthy lifestyle will start to make you feel worse.
Kayla explains: "Aim to hold each stretch for approximately 30 seconds each, ensuring you are stretching both sides of your body for the same amount of time. Make sure you breathe through each stretch and try not to bounce whilst holding stretch position."
- LOWER BODY -
1. CALVES AND HAMSTRING
1. While seated on a yoga mat, extend both legs out in front of you.
2. Lift up and turn out your left leg so that your foot is resting against the inside of your right leg, as shown.
3. Reach for your right foot with your right hand (or the action of), ensuring that you are bending from the hip. If you can reach your toe, gently pull it back towards you.
*Tip* To increase the stretch, attempt to lower your torso to your right leg, once again ensuring that you are bending from the hips.
4. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
5. Repeat Steps 2-4 on your left side.
2. ABDUCTORS
1. While seated on a yoga mat, extend both legs out in front of you.
2. Move both legs outwards as wide as they can go.
3. Sit up tall before reaching forwards with both hands.
4. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds. Tip: Try and walk your hands out a little bit further each time you breathe out to gradually increase the stretch.
3. HIP FLEXORS
1. Begin in a kneeling position on a yoga mat.
2. Release your right leg and take one large step forwards so that you are in a lunge position as shown. Ensure that your front knee is not further forward than your toe. If it is, then you will need to take a bigger step forward.
3. Keeping your torso upright, push your hips forwards so that you feel a stretch along the front of your back leg.
4. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
5. Repeat Steps 1-4 with your left leg forward.
4. QUADS
1. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder width apart.
2. Bend your left knee to bring your foot back directly behind you so that you can hold it with both hands. You should feel a stretch in your left quad (front of your leg).
3. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds. Tip: If you're struggling to balance, focus on a spot directly ahead of you or extend your right arm.
4. Repeat Steps 1-3 with your right leg.
5. GLUTES
1. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder width apart.
2. Release your right leg and turn it out so that your ankle is resting just above your left knee.
3. Bend your left knee so that you are in single leg squat and gently push down on your left knee using your right elbow.
4. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds. Tip: If you are struggling to balance, try to focus on a spot directly in front of you.
5. Repeat Steps 1-4 with your left leg.
- UPPER BODY -
6. ABS
1. Start by lying flat on your stomach on a yoga mat.
2. Bring your arms in and place your hands flat on the floor on either side of your chest. 3. Slowly extend your arms to bring your chest off of the floor. Ensure that your keep your shoulders down.
4. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
7. LATS (SIDES)
1. Plant both feet on the floor slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
2. Stand tall and extend your right arm directly above your head.
3. From this position, reach your hand over to your right side in order to lengthen the left side of the body as shown.
4. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
5. Repeat Steps 2-4 on your right side.
8. TRICEP
1. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder width apart with arms by your sides.
2. Release your left arm and place your hand between your shoulder blades behind your head.
3. Gently push down your left elbow with your right hand as shown.
4. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
5. Repeat Steps 2-4 with your right arm.
9. CHEST
1. Plant both feet on the floor shoulder width apart with arms by your sides.
2. Reposition your hands behind your body and interlock your fingers.
3. Gently pull your hands away from your body. This should cause your shoulders to retract and open up your chest.
4. Hold this position for 20-30 seconds.
For more, go to Womenshealthmag.co.uk/kayla. Read the full Kayla Itsines interview and get her exclusive 14-day New Year kickstart plan in the Jan/Feb 2016 issue of Women's Health – on sale Thursday 10 Dec.
Original article and pictures take www.cosmopolitan.com site
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