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Stretches
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Exercise Articles

Static Stretches




























Wall Pushup 1. Wall Pushup #1

Stand about three feet from a wall, feet at shoulder width and flat on the ground. Put your hands on the wall with your arms straight for support. Lean your hips forward and bend your knees slightly to stretch your calves.

Wall Pushup 2. Wall Pushup #2

From the previous position, bend forward to lower your body to waist height. Bring one foot forward with your knee slightly bent. Lift the toes of the front foot to stretch the muscle under the calf. Stretch both legs.

Wall Pushup 3. Wall Pushup #3

Put your feet together, rocking back on your heels with your hands on the wall and your arms straight to form a jackknife with your body. This stretches your hips, shoulders, and lower back.

Back Scratch 4. Back Scratch

Grab your elbow with the opposite hand and gently push the elbow up and across your body until your hand reaches down to "scratch" your back. Gently push on your elbow to guide your hand down your back as far as it will comfortably go, stretching your triceps and shoulders. Stretch both arms.

Hamstring Stretch 5. Hamstring Stretch

Lie down with one leg straight up in the air, the other bent with foot flat on the ground. Loop a towel over the arch of the lifted foot, and gently pull on the towel as you push against it with your foot. Push only to the point where your muscles contract. Stretch both legs.

Quadriceps Stretch 6. Quadriceps Stretch

Kneel on your knees (without resting back on your heels). Lean back with your body erect and your arms to the side. Hold for 15 seconds.







Heel To Buttock 7. Heel To Buttock

Stand on one foot, with one hand on a wall for balance. Hold the other foot with the opposite hand and raise the heel of the lifted foot to the buttocks (or as close as comfortably possible), stretching your quadriceps. Keep your body upright throughout. Change legs and repeat.


Hip & Lower Back Stretch 8. Hip & Lower Back Stretch

Sit on the ground with your legs crossed. Lift your right leg and cross it over the left, which should remain bent. Hug the right leg to your chest and twist the trunk of your body to look over your right shoulder. Change legs and repeat (i.e. looking over your left shoulder).

 
9. Iliotibial Band Stretch

Lie on your side with both legs bent in running position. Bring the bottom leg toward your chest and then bring the top one back toward your buttocks, so that the running position of your legs is exaggerated as possible. Hold for 30 seconds then flip sides and repeat.

Hamstring & Back Stretch 10. Hamstring & Back Stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent. Hug your shins to your chest to stretch your hamstrings and lower back.

Bridge 11. Bridge

Lie on your back and, with your feet flat on the ground, lift your hips up until your body forms a flat plane. Repeat this one ten times for 30 seconds each to stretch your quads and lower back.

Groin Stretch 12. Groin Stretch

Seated, put the soles of your feet together. With your elbows on the inside of your knees, gradually lean forward and gently press your knees toward the ground.




























































Dynamic Stretches

Leg swings forward and back
Buttocks, front and back of thigh

 
  • Hold on to a solid object and balance on one leg.
  • Swing the other leg forwards to a comfortable height ensuring that your trunk and lower back stay rigid and do not bend.
  • Then swing the leg backwards, again ensuring that there is little movement in your back.
  • Try and keep your hips facing forwards and the knee of your swinging leg straight when swinging forward and slightly bent when swinging behind.
  • Change legs and repeat.
  • Swing to a height that suits your flexibility. Forcing the leg high by swinging too hard may result in injury.

 

Upper body trunk rotation
Trunk muscles, chest

 
  • With your feet shoulder/hip distance apart, stand with your back straight and knees slightly bent.
  • Start swinging your arms across your body at waist height – you should feel this mostly in your lower back.
  • Move your arms higher to around shoulder height to feel a stretch through the middle back.
  • Now raise your arms to above your head to feel the stretch higher in the back.
  • If you find a tight area do extra repetitions to loosen it up without forcing the movement.






Arm circles
Muscles around the shoulder

 
  • Stand with your back straight and knees slightly bent.
  • Swing both your arms around in circles while keeping your back still.
  • If you find tightness in an area, spend more time in the area to loosen it up.
  • Change direction and repeat.

 

Leg swings side to side
Back and inner thigh

 
  • Hold on to a solid object and balance on one leg.
  • Turn your foot on the leg you are balancing on outwards.
  • Swing the other leg away from the body turning the foot to point at the sky.
  • Then swing the leg back across the body pointing the toes in the direction your leg is moving.
  • Check that you are minimising trunk movement.
  • Change legs and repeat.

 

Bent over upper body rotation
Trunk muscles, chest, inner and back thigh

 
  • With your feet double shoulder/hip width apart, bend at the hips ensuring that your spine stays long and back doesn’t round out, bend your knees a little.
  • Extend both arms out to your side at shoulder height.
  • Rotate the trunk and arms to reach towards the opposite toe while bending that leg.
  • Alternate sides.
  • Reach as low as your flexibility comfortably allows (i.e. tension not pain) – it is not necessary to touch your toes if you can’t reach that low.