(Stretching your arms when you wake up in the morning does NUH COUNT).
If you go to yoga routinely – good for you! I don’t. I never go. Except that time I bought a Groupon for 30 days, and then I HAD to go. Gotta get my moneys worth, ya know??
Since I workout, walk and sit in a desk for 90% of my life, stretching is so crucial. Especially after a workout:
Tight hips and hamstrings are a HUGE factor in why people get lower back pain, and why they aren’t able to squat properly.
Tight calves can cause tight feet, which turn into bunions or foot cramps (I’ve actually had to end workouts halfway through due to foot cramps – so annoying).
Tight glutes can affect your knee alignment and your hips, and therefore affect your form.
There are so many other issues that arise from having super tight and tense lower body muscles, but these are the most common in my experience.
I do a 10 minute warm up before every workout, and a 6 minute cool down post workout stretch routine afterwards. No matter how long my workout is, I always make time to stretch. If you leave the gym immediately after completing your workout – stop. Make it a priority before leaving. Even if it means ending your workout 5 minutes early to get that stretch in.
The main areas I focus on when I stretch are:
Hip flexors
Quads
Groin
Calves
Glutes
Hamstrings.
(…. basically all the muscles).
I press Start on my stop watch, and every 30 seconds I alternate legs, or move onto the next stretch until i’ve completed them all. If a particular area is more tight or sore than the others, I will stay in that stretch for up to 90 seconds.
The mat i’m using is from BYoga and it is amazing! It’s solid and anti-slip (key for a sweaty human such as myself) and it comes with this super dope/hip leather bag strap. I place the Turkish towel under my knee for the first stretch, as the mat alone is not enough for the pressure on the bone.
6 Minute Post Workout Stretch Routine
Kneeling Quad & Hip Stretch
Stretches quads & hips
Set up so that your left foot is flat on the ground, and your right knee is kneeling behind you. Ensure your left knee is directly over your left toes – you don’t want to be leaning into the stretch here. Instead what you will do is tuck your tailbone under, almost like you’re curving your bum towards your belly button. You should feel a stretch in the front of your right hip. Now, carefully lift your right foot and grab it with your right hand. You should feel a good stretch in both the right quad and hip. Keep your torso upright and ensure both your hips and chest are facing forward.
PigeonPose
Opens hip joint, stretches the glutes & groin
Slide your left knee forward so that your thigh and knee are directly in front of the hip (as much as possible). Place your left foot towards your right hip, keeping your knee from sliding to the side. Your shin does NOT need to be parallel with the mat, but your hips should be facing forward. The right leg should be extended behind you, with the top of your foot flat on the mat. You can either lean over your bent leg, or keep your torso upright.
Low Lunge Stretch
Opens and loosens tight hip flexors & groin
Step forward with your left foot and bend at the knee. Your right leg should be extended out behind you, with your knee several inches off the ground. Sit into your left leg, allowing your hips to open up as much as possible. Place your hands beside your left foot, with your torso parallel with your upper left leg. Try to maintain your pose so that your right knee stays off the ground.
Kneeling Groin Stretch
Stretches and opens your groin
Start on your hands and knees with your knees running the length of the mat. Slowly spread your knees further apart, until you can comfortably maintain that position and feel a stretch in your groin muscles in both legs. Spread your feet apart, so that your shins are running parallel to one another, rather than forming a V shape. If you’re able to, rest yourself down on your forearms as i’m showing in the photo. Otherwise stay up on your hands, leaning your chest forward and over the ground.
Standing Hamstring Stretch
Stretches hamstrings, glutes, calves
Stand with your feet together, legs and knees as straight as possible. Bend at the hips, with your hands either folded in front of you, or touching the ground. If you can’t reach the ground without bending at the knees, just let your torso hang. Keep your shoulders back, and avoid letting your back round out and hunch over.
Seated Glute Stretch
Stretches glutes & hip flexors
Sit on your bum with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Take your right foot, and place it over your left thigh, close to the knee. Keep your weight on your hands behind you, and your torso upright facing forward. The closer your right foot is to your chest, the more intense the stretch will be. Don’t lean your chest towards your foot to make this a deeper stretch. Instead, lift the toes of the planted foot so that the heel is the only part touching the mat. This will push your left knee, and therefore your foot, towards you.
Alternating Calf Stretch
Stretches calves & hamstrings
Set up in downward dog so that your hands are slightly in front of your head and arms extended. Your body should form an upside V, with your legs and feet in line with your hands. Bring your left heel down to the ground and hold for ~5 seconds. Alternate heels, lifting up your left one and bringing down the right heel, stretching out the calf muscle.
Now you have your stretches figured out – what about your workouts? If you’re bored of your current training program, check out my 12-week HIIT E-Book, The Sweat Series!
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Original article and pictures take borntosweat.co site
Shin splints are one running injury that can stop you in your tracks. Not only do they disrupt your training, shin splits hurt too. Weak muscles in the front of the shin coupled with tight calves can lead to this problem, so it's time to strengthen and stretch this area whether you're training for your first 5K or your first marathon.
Here are a two exercises and one stretch to do at the end of your runs to balance out the strength of your lower legs.
Toe and Heel Walks
Walking on your toes and heels with your legs in different positions works all the muscles in your lower legs. The motion of turning the feet in and out comes from rotation in your hip joint, not the ankle.
Directions: Walk for 20 to 30 feet in each of these four positions.
Walk on your toes with feet turned out (like a ballerina)
Walk on your heels with feet turned out (like a duck with heels together, toes out)
Walk on your heels with legs turned in (toes in, heels out)
Walk on your toes with legs turned in (pigeon toed, on your toes)
Heel Rock
This move will strengthen the lower legs and adds a dynamic element that will challenge your balance.
Lift your heels to rise onto your toes, and then rock back onto your heels lifting your toes.
Repeat rocking forward and back, holding onto something to help keep your balance if needed. Do 20 reps.
Calf Stretch
Keep your calves long and loose with this simple stretch, which you can repeat throughout the day to ensure your calves stay flexible.
Step your right foot back about two feet, bending your left knee.
Press your heel into the ground to increase the stretch.
It is essential to exercise and equally essential to do pre and post workout stretches. The types of stretches performed by us have a huge impact on our flexibility, athletic performance, muscle strain and risk of injury. Not all stretches are the same. Doing static stretches before working out can actually increase the risk of injury instead of reducing it. You need to know what stretches should be done before a workout and which ones after as they are totally different.
Pre workout stretches
Stretches before a workout should have moves that increase the heart rate, stretch the muscles and lubricate joints. Doing dynamic stretches before a workout reduce the risk of injuries and increases our athletic performance.
Duration: 5 minutes
Dynamic stretches
1) Jumping jacks
Start with your legs together and your arms by your side. Jump and bring your legs out so that they are more than shoulder width apart. While you jump, bring your arms overhead, clapping your hands together. Jump immediately back to the starting position.
2) Kick-backs
Start jogging at the same spot. While jogging, kick the left heel to the bum. Switch legs, while making sure that your knees are pointed straight down all the while.
3) Knee to Chest
Stand with your feet hip width apart. Lift your right leg and bring it to your chest, giving it a big hug as close as possible. Switch legs and repeat the same.
Stand with your legs a hip width apart on one side of a tennis court. Walk up to the other side of the tennis court, lunging alternately with your right and left leg. This needn’t be intense, don’t bend down completely while doing the lunge, the body should lean forward.
5) Arm circles
Extend your arms out straight out by your sides so that they seem parallel to the floor. Start rotating them in small circles. Continue the movement for a while and then reverse the movement so that your arms rotate anticlockwise too. Small arm circles should be performed before doing large arm circles.
6) Straight leg kicks
Stand straight wit your feet a hip width apart. Kick your left foot in the air and touch your right toes with your left hand. Make sure you keep your legs, back and arms straight and toes bent. Even if you can’t reach your toes it is fine. Switch sides and repeat the same.
7) Neck roll
Stand up straight. Begin by dropping you head forward followed by rolling it from your right shoulder to your left shoulder. Keep repeating this a few times and start rolling the head complete 360 degrees. Alternate the rolling action and continue.
8) Knee-ups
Do spot jogging bringing each knee up so that your thigh is parallel to the floor.
Post workout stretches
Stretches that you do after a workout should lower your heart rate and stretch your muscles. These stretches should be static (non-moving) exercises.
Total duration: 3-5 minutes
Static stretches
1) Butterfly
Sit on the ground with your knees bent and soles of each foot touching each other. Hold your feet together and bring them as close as possible to your body while making sure that your back remains straight.
2) Forward fold
You can keep your legs either together or hip/shoulder width apart. Keep the straight with your body bent forward trying to touch the ground.
3) Downward Facing Dog
Begin with a forward fold and then walk your legs back so that your body can make a “V” upside down! Arms should be straight with your shoulders down, keep bums in the air.
4) Flamingo stretch
Stand straight with your feet a hip width apart, bending your right leg bring your right foot up towards your bum. Hold the position while making sure that your knees are aligned well.
5) Extended leg stretch
Sit down with your right leg straight. The left leg should be bent with the foot against the upper right leg. Complete the forward fold while trying to touch the toes and keeping the back as straight as possible. Switch legs.
6) Torso Stretch
Stand while holding arms above the head with your fingers interlocked. Fold to your left, back, right and then forward, holding each position for an appropriate amount of time.
7) Shoulder stretch
You can do it while sitting or standing. Extend your right arm and then use your left arm to pull it to your chest. The right arm should be straight across the chest with your hand extended to the left.
8) Bum stretch
Sit on the ground with your legs extended forward. Bend the right knee and place your right foot on the outside of your left knee. Rotate your torso and place your right elbow against the inside of your right knee while your left arm is behind for support. Rotate your back and neck so that you look over the left shoulder. Switch sides and keep your back straight.
Do stretch the right way before and after your workout!
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Original article and pictures take www.fitnessvsweightloss.com site
