5 Stretching Exercises For Flexibility
Any exercise should start or end with stretching. You'll need a good stretch before cardio to get the blood flowin'. Bodybuilders should stretch their pumped muscles to stave off muscle fatigue. No matter the exercise, stretching before and after can only benefit your performance!
Here are five stretching exercises for flexibility training. Stay consistent with these, and you'll be able to touch your toes in time.
#1 Cat and cow
Position your hands behind your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips while you're on all fours. Tilt your pelvis back, round your back, contract your abs, and separate your shoulder blades. Release the air and follow the motion with a small head tilt in your direction. Stay in that spot for a little while. Breathe in, extend your back once more, converge your shoulder blades, and create a small hollow in your back. Using the breathing pattern as a guide, switch between the cow and cat figures.
#2 Straddle Triangle
Lean back with your legs apart and point your toes slightly. Raise your arms shoulder-height to the sides. Lean your upper body forward and to the left while maintaining a straight back. Tense your legs and trunk. Put your right arm in contact with your left foot. The hand leads the sight. Go back to the center, stand up straight, and alternate sides.
#3 L to Crab Extension
With your legs out in front of you, take a seat on the floor and lay your palms next to your hips, pointing your fingers forward. Lift your glutes off the floor, tense your core muscles, and hold yourself with your hands. To get your torso parallel to the floor, bend your knees and push your hips, sternum, and chest toward the ceiling. Your legs and arms should be parallel to the floor in the final position, which places you in tabletop posture. Retain the role. After that, straighten your legs, push your hips back, and go back to the beginning posture.
#4 Lats and hamstrings stretch
Stretch your right leg out to the side while maintaining your left leg bent while seated with your legs crossed on the floor. Straighten your spine and raise your arms to the sky. Bend laterally toward your right leg and turn your upper body in the direction of your extended left leg. Take a few breaths and hold the pose while holding onto the top of your foot with your hands. After that, carefully straighten up once more and swap sides.
#5 Lying glute stretch
Lay flat on the ground with both legs resting on it. With your right foot resting on your left knee and your right knee looking out, release your right leg off the ground at an angle. Using both hands, grab your left leg and bring it up to your chest until you feel a stretch. After a few breaths, hold the pose and lower both legs to the floor. Continue on the opposite side.