Stretch it out!
Stretch out before you workout!
Standing Quad
Action:
- Stand with your feet together.
- Bend your left knee and use your left hand to grab your left foot.
- Balance while keeping both knees together.
- Hold for 30 seconds and repeat, switching legs.
Benefit: Quads
Knee to Chest
Action:
- Lie flat on your back with both legs extended.
- Pull your left knee up and into your chest while keeping your right leg straight and back pressed into the floor.
- Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat, switching legs.
Benefit:Back and hamstrings
Lunge with Spinal Twist
Action:
- Stand tall with your feet together.
- Take a large step forward with your left foot into a lunging stance.
- Keep your left knee bent while flat footed.
- Keep your right leg straight behind you with just your toes on the ground.
- Place your right hand on the floor and twist your upper body to the left as you extend your left arm to the celling.
- Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat, switching legs.
Benefit: hip flexors, quads and back.
Downward Dog
Action:
- Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders directly above your wrists and hips directly above your knees.
- Keep your spine neutral and distribute your weight evenly.
- Lift your knees off the floor and raise your hips to the sky.
- Gently straighten your legs and press away from the floor to lengthen the spine into an inverted “V” shape.
- Press your arms straight pass your ears and hold for 30 seconds.
Benefit: hamstrings, back and shoulders.
Pigeon
Action:
- Starting on all fours, bring your right knee forward and place it behind your right wrist.
- Place your ankle in front of the left hip.
- Straighten your left knee but sliding your left leg back while pointing your toes.
- Keep your hips square and gently lower them down.
- Lower your upper body to the floor and rest your forearms on the floor.
- Hold for 30 seconds and repeat, switching legs.
Benefit: core, quads and groin.
Side Bend
Action:
- Kneel on the floor with your legs together, back straight and core tight.
- Extend your left leg directly out to the side.
- Extend your right arm overhead and rest your left arm on your left leg.
- Gently bend your torso and right arm to the left side will keeping your hips facing forward.
- Hold for 30 seconds and repeat switching limbs.
Benefit: Groin and obliques.
Shoulder
Action:
- Start in a standing position and raise your shoulders up and back.
- Raise your right arm and drop the forearm behind your right shoulder.
- Pull the right arm by the elbow across your back with your left arm.
- Hold for 30 seconds, switch arms and repeat.
Benefit: shoulders and back.
Tricep
Action:
- You can kneel, sit or stand with your arms extended overhead.
- Bend your left elbow behind your head and reach your left hand to the middle of your back.
- Grab your left elbow with your right hand and gently pull towards your head.
- Hold for 30 seconds, switch arms and repeat.
Benefit: triceps, shoulders and back.
Cobra
Action:
- Lay down with your stomach on the floor, your legs extended behind you and rest the tops of your feet on the floor.
- Place your hands under your shoulders with your fingers pointing forward while pressing your elbows into your sides.
- Press down through the tops of your feet and gently lift your head and chest off the floor while drawing your shoulders back.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
Benefit: back, chest and shoulders
Figure 4
Action:
- Lie flat on your back with your legs straight on the floor.
- Cross your left foot over your right quad.
- Lift your right leg off the floor and grab the back of your right leg with both hands and gently pull it towards your chest.
- Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat.
Benefit:glutes, back, hamstrings
Lying Torso Twist
Action:
- Lie on your back straight with your legs extended on the floor.
- Bring your left knee up towards your chest, then guide it across your body to the right.
- Place your right hand on the outside of your left knee for help.
- Stretch your left arm out to the side and look towards your left hand.
- Hold for 30 seconds and repeat, switching sides.
Benefit:back and groin
Downward Dog
Action:
- Start on your hands and knees with your shoulders directly above your wrists and hips directly above your knees.
- Keep your spine neutral and distribute your weight evenly.
- Lift your knees off the floor and raise your hips to the sky.
- Gently straighten your legs and press away from the floor to lengthen the spine into an inverted “V” shape.
- Press your arms straight pass your ears and hold for 30 seconds.
Benefit: hamstrings, back and shoulders.
Knee to Chest
Action:
- Lie flat on your back with both legs extended.
- Pull your left knee up and into your chest while keeping your right leg straight and back pressed into the floor.
- Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat, switching legs.
Benefit:Back and hamstrings
Butterfly
Action:
- Sit on the floor with your back up straight, sole of your feet together and knees bent out to your sides.
- Hold onto your ankles, slowly lower your body towards your feet while pressing your knees towards the floor.
- Hold for 30 seconds.
Benefit: groin, glutes, back and quads.