This month I want to focus on my favorite stretches for the legs. Many of you exercise and forget about stretching when you are done. Stretching after exercise is a great time to take advantage of the heat you generated exercising and get more bang for your buck! If you are doing these before exercise or during the day make sure you are moving with the stretch and not just holding it.
As we age, our flexibility decreases and stretching becomes even more important. Flexibility also gives you a greater range of motion that can help you prevent pulled muscles or strains. If a muscle is tighter it will make the antagonist or opposite muscle work harder to perform. For example, in my experience hip flexors are one of the universally tight muscles. When they are tight, they can prevent the abdominals and the gluteals from attaining their peak performance.
Hopefully, this will help you appreciate the value in stretching. I need to stretch daily to feel my best. These exercises may soon become some of your favorites. As a special incentive and to meet many requests, I am going to post videos of each exercise on my You Tube Channel, as well as give you the highlights below.
Hip flexors stretch/Posterior hip stretch
- Start on the floor on your hands and knees with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
- Bring right leg up to a 90-degree angle on the outside of your right hand. You can turn the foot out to make it easier.
- Push up on toe of left foot straightening your knee. Don’t let your hips sag to the floor, think of bringing your back heel up and keep your abdominals tight.
- Put your right hand on your right knee and pull your right shoulder blade down and in, rotating your body to the right.
- Push down on the right foot pushing your right hip back toward your feet.
- You should feel the stretch on the back of the right hip and the front of the left leg.
- Hold for at least 30 seconds. Or alternate between the hip flexors stretch and the quad stretch below for 3-4 cycles which makes it an exercise you could use before exercise or during the day.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
Quad stretch
- From the ending position of the hip flexor stretch, drop your left knee to the floor.
- Reach your right hand up toward the ceiling close to your ear keeping the shoulder pulled down and in.
- Now bend your left knee and reach around with your right arm and try to grasp your left toe. You may start by reaching for the heel or use a towel or band around your ankle to help.
- Lean forward onto the right leg as you reach back to increase the stretch.
- If you pull too hard you will feel your hamstring cramp. Remember when the one muscle is tight the opposite muscle is often weak. Go easy and as you keep practicing the cramping will ease.
- If you can’t reach your left foot start by lowering your knee and just bringing your foot up as you can.
- Again, hold for at least 30 seconds or alternate between the two stretches.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
Gluteal figure 4 stretch
- Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet on the floor.
- Cross your right foot over your left knee.
- Next, lift your left foot off the ground and bring your hands around your thigh to grasp.
- Try to keep your tailbone on the floor.
- You may use your elbow to push the knee out further.
- As an alternate way to perform this stretch keep the left leg out straight on the floor. Grasp and pull the right ankle with your left hand and push the right thigh away with the right. This helps keep the tailbone down.
- Keep your knee in line with your shoulder. If you feel a catch in your hip bring your right hand lower and push the thigh away at the level of the groin.
- Stretch for at least 30 seconds
- Repeat on opposite side.
- This exercise should only be done after you are warmed up.
Hamstring stretch
- Stand facing a step or chair keeping both feet pointing at the step, not turning out.
- Keeping your back straight and abdominals in, hinge at your hips and place your right heel on the step.
- Keep a slight bend in both knees.
- Now rotate your right foot to the right and left without moving your pelvis.
- Stretch for at least 30 seconds.
- Repeat on opposite side.
- Since this exercise involves movement of the leg you may use it before or after exercising.
Adductor stretch
- Turn 90 degrees, so you are now standing with your body perpendicular to a step or chair.
- Keeping your back straight and abdominals in, hinge at your hips and place your right heel on the step, lifting it out to the side.
- Keep a slight bend in both knees.
- Now rotate your right foot to the right and left keeping your pelvis still.
- Again, stretch for at least 30 seconds.
- Repeat on opposite side.
- Since this exercise involves movement of the leg you may use it anytime.
Calf stretch
- Stand facing a wall with your left foot about 6” from the wall and the right foot back further back as if you were taking a long stride. You may place your hands on the wall for added support.
- Turn your right heel slightly away from your body keeping your pelvis facing the wall.
- Keep your right heel on the floor and lean towards the wall until you feel the stretch in your calf.
- Now bend and straighten your right knee without moving anywhere else.
- Continue for at least 30 seconds.
- This stretches the gastric (upper) and the soleus (lower) portions of the calf.
- Repeat on the opposite side.
- Since this exercise involves movement of the leg you may use it anytime.
For all my type A friends, stretching should not be painful. Stretch only to where you begin to feel it pulling. Back off if it hurts. If these are not working or seem too difficult, know there are many variations to stretch your legs. I can help find a way to keep you flexible that you can accomplish. I hope you enjoy the videos and the descriptions. Let me know if the videos make it easier to understand and follow. Next month I will be focusing on the upper body stretches.
Be safe and keep transforming,
Judy