50 Stretching Exercises That Effectively Stretch The Muscles Of The Whole Body
Those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, are probably familiar with the
feeling of “stiffness” in the whole body that will easily help you get rid
of muscle discomfort. Get rid of it, feel a surge of energy and improve
the quality of rest is much easier than it seems.
How and How Much to Stretch
You can do a self-stretching class with these exercises and stretch all
the muscles of your body well. It will take about 60 minutes, however. For
quick stretches, choose one or two exercises for each muscle group
involved in the workout.
To stretch your muscles well, hold each pose for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
Alternatively, you can remain stationary or gently stretch. Abrupt
movements are fraught with injury, so save them for another sport.
We offer you 50 simple and effective stretching exercises that will
easily help you get rid of muscle discomfort from top to bottom: neck,
shoulders and arms, chest and back, abs, glutes, hips, shins.
You should do a little warm-up, so you can start stretching.
Stretching exercises for neck
1. Tilting the head back and sideways
Tilt your head back, stretching the front of your neck. From this
position, tilt your head to the left. For greater effect, place your left
palm on the right side of your head, but don’t press hard. Repeat the
exercise to the other side.
2. Tilting head forward and sideways
Place your right hand on the left side of your head. Tilt your head
forward and sideways, increasing the pressure with your hand. Repeat to
the other side.
3. Stretching the back of the neck
Place one hand on the back of your head and the other on your chin. Lower
your head, making a double chinstrap. As you do so, your neck stays
straight, with the back of your head tending upward. You should feel
tension in the back of your neck, especially at the base of your
skull.
Stretching Shoulder Exercises
1. Stretching front of the shoulders
Put your hands behind your back and wrap one hand around the wrist of the
other. Bend your elbows and raise your wrists higher. Bring your chest
forward and feel the front of your shoulders stretch.
2. Mid-shoulder stretch
Grab the opposite elbow with your hand, press your shoulder against you
and pull it down. Repeat with the other arm.
3. Back Shoulder Stretch
Wrap your right arm around your left arm above the elbow, press it
against your body and straighten it, bringing your right shoulder down.
With your left hand, pull your right arm up, lifting it with your elbow.
Feel the tension in the back of your shoulders. Repeat with the other
arm.
4. Triceps stretch
Walk up to the wall, lift your left elbow up, with your forearm behind
your back. Bring your left scapula down. To check that it’s really down
and won’t rise during the stretch, place your right hand below your left
armpit. Repeat on the other side.
5. Biceps Stretch
Grasp a door handle, counter, or other support, and turn your back to it.
Extend your arm upward with your elbow and bring your torso slightly
forward. Repeat with the other arm.
6. Stretch triceps and shoulders
This pose allows you to stretch the triceps of one arm and the front of
the shoulder of the other at the same time. Put one hand behind your back
from above so your elbow is looking up, and the other hand from below so
your elbow is facing the floor. Try to bring your wrists together behind
your back at shoulder blades level. Switch hands.
7. Wrist extensors stretch
Sit on your knees, place your hands in front of you so that the backs of
your hands touch the floor and your fingers are facing each other. Gently
shift your weight onto your hands, stretching your forearms. To enhance
the effect, try clenching your fists.
Stretching Exercises for Chest
1. Stretching your chest in the doorway
Walk up to the doorway, rest your elbows on the jambs, and bring your
chest forward while stretching your pecs.
2. Chest stretching against a wall
Place your hand on the wall, lower your shoulder, and turn to the
opposite side. Repeat with the other arm.
Stretching exercises for the back
1. Stretch back at stance
Stand next to a rack, exerciser, or other support, with your left
shoulder turned toward it. With your right hand gripping the rack high
above your head, bring your pelvis to the right and down, stretching the
entire right side of your body. Repeat to the other side.
2. Stretching the lower back muscles
Sit on the floor with your right leg forward and your left leg backward.
Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle or slightly more. Put your right hand
on the floor and your left hand above your head. Pull the left leg down
and back, tilt the body forward and twist toward the right leg. Switch
legs.
3. Stretch back extensors
Sit on the floor, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Wrap
your arms around your shins on the inside, placing your wrists on your
feet. Lean forward with your back as round as possible.
4. Child’s pose
Sit on the floor, with your buttocks touching your heels. Lean forward,
lie with your belly on your knees and extend your arms.
5. Downward-facing dog pose
Stand on all fours, then bring your pelvis back and up so your body
resembles an angle. Your arms and back should extend in a straight line,
your knees can be bent, and your heels off the floor. The main thing is to
keep your back straight, without rounding in the lower back.
6. Hanging stretch
Grab hold of a low bar and hang loosely, relaxing your body. Your feet
should remain on the ground. Relax them, bend your knees slightly.
7. Inverted back stretch
Lie on the floor on your back, arms along your body, legs straight. Lift
your legs and then put them behind your head. Rest your hands with your
elbows on the floor, with your hands supporting your lower back. Do not
lean on your neck, the fulcrum is your shoulders.
Stretching exercises for abdominal muscles
1. Camel pose
Stand on your knees, bring your chest up, stretching your spine, and then
lean back with your hands on your heels. Try to arch your chest. Don’t
tilt your head back, but look up.
2. Face up dog pose
Lie on the floor on your stomach, put your hands under your shoulders.
Squeeze yourself up, pelvis raised, feet remain on the floor. Lower your
shoulders, and bend at the thoracic level.
3. Backward flexion while standing
Stand up straight, feet together. Raise your arms and bring your palms
together above your head. Arch your chest and lean your torso back. Tense
your glutes to eliminate a lot of sagging in your lower back.
4. Side bend
Stand up straight, raise your arms above your head, interlock your
fingers and twist your palms upward. Reach up and bend first to one side
and then the other.
5. Spine curling while lying down
Lie on the floor on your back with your arms out to your sides, palms
down. Move your pelvis to the left, lift your left leg bent at the knee,
bring it behind your right leg and try to put your knee on the floor. Turn
your head to the left and relax. Repeat the exercise the other way.
Stretching exercises for glutes
1. Lying stretches
Lie on the floor on your back, lifting your legs bent at the knees. Place
the ankle of your left foot on the knee of your right foot. Push the knee
of your right foot onto your left foot to deepen the stretch. Repeat with
the other leg.
2. Stretching on all fours
Get on all fours, with the ankle of your right foot resting on the knee
of your left foot. Lift your pelvis back to deepen the stretch. Repeat
with the other leg.
3. Stretching the gluteal muscles while sitting
Sit on the floor, stretch your legs forward, straighten your back. Bend
one leg at the knee, grasp the shin with your hands and press it to your
chest. Your shin should be parallel to the floor, forearms resting on top
and pressing it against your chest, one hand covering the other. Repeat
with the other leg.
4. Pigeon pose
Sit on the floor, with one leg bent at right angles to the knee and
carried forward, the other leg pulled back and straightened. You may bend
forward and place your forearms on the floor.
If you find it difficult to do this pose on the floor, try putting your
foot on an elevated position.
Stretching exercises for upper thigh
1. Leaning quadriceps stretch
Lie on the floor on your stomach, lift one leg and grasp the ankle with
your hand. Pull your leg toward your buttock, trying not to pull your
thigh off the floor. Repeat with the other leg.
2. Stretching quadriceps on one knee
Stand on one knee, grasp the toe of the leg behind you with your hand,
and pull your heel toward your buttock. Tense the gluteal muscles: this
will deepen the stretch. Repeat with the other leg.
3. Stretch hip flexor muscles
Stand on one knee, with both legs bent at a 90-degree angle. Your back is
straight. Tense your gluteal muscles and move your pelvis slightly
forward. You should feel tension in the front of the thigh of the leg
behind you and in the groin. Switch legs.
4. Deep lunge
Do a deep lunge forward. Place your fingers on the floor on either side
of your foot. Lower the knee of your straightened leg to the floor. Try to
get lower and don’t turn your pelvis sideways. Switch legs.
Stretching exercises for the posterior thigh
1. Stretching the back of the thigh with an expansion band
Lie on the floor, leave one straight leg on the floor, and lift the other
leg up. Put the expansion band, jump rope, or rope on your foot and pull
your leg toward you. Switch legs.
2. Standing Stretch
Stand up straight, step forward. Tilt your torso almost to parallel with
the floor. If you leave your leg straight, the upper part of the back of
the thigh is stretched more, if you bend your leg slightly at the knee,
the lower part is stretched. Repeat with the other leg.
3. Bending over to your legs
Sit on the floor, stretch your straight legs forward. Lean toward your
feet and place your hands on either side of your feet or a little farther
away. To deepen the stretch, you can straighten your back for a few
seconds and then bend over again.
4. Leaning toward one leg
Sit on the floor, extend one leg forward, bend the other at the knee and
place the foot next to your pelvis. Lean toward the straight leg, grasp
the foot with your hands, and pull the toe toward you. Try not to round
your back. Repeat with the other leg.
5. Standing Bend
Spread your legs wide apart with your toes pointing forward. Lower your
body down, keeping your back straight, until you place your palms on the
floor.
6. Longitudinal twine
Spread out in a longitudinal twine so that the iliac crests are facing
forward. Place your palms on the floor and keep your body weight on your
hands. Try not to turn your hips and shoulders sideways.
Stretching exercises for inner thigh
1. Deep squat
Stand next to a rack or machine that you can hold on to. Feet
shoulder-width apart, toes and knees turned outward. Lower into a deep
squat, keeping your back straight.
2. butterfly at the wall
Sit on the floor with a straight back, fold your feet in front of you
with feet facing each other. Try to lower your knees to the floor, but
don’t put pressure on them with your hands. Keep your back straight.
3. frog
Lie on the floor on your stomach, spread your knees apart and bend your
legs at right angles. Try to put your pelvis on the floor.
4. Frog with leg straightened
Lie on the floor on your stomach, spread your knees apart so your hips
are parallel to the floor. Bend one leg at the knee and straighten the
other. Try to put the pelvis on the floor. Repeat with the other
leg.
5. Forward fold
Sit on the floor, spread your straight legs wide apart, and then lean
forward. Try to lie with your belly on the floor, don’t bend your
knees.
6. Cross twine
Spread out in a cross twine. Don’t move your pelvis back too much,
ideally it should be in line with your knees and feet. Put your palms on
the floor and, if your stretching allows, your forearms. Pull the pelvis
down toward the floor.
7. Stretching next to a wall
Lie on the floor close to the wall. Your body should be perpendicular to
it. Spread your legs apart and allow them to slowly lower under your own
weight. Hold that position for 5 to 10 minutes.
Stretching exercises for the outside of thighs
1. Hip abduction
Stand next to a wall with your right side facing it. Bring your right leg
behind your left leg and squat down. The left leg bends, the right leg
stays straight and pulls farther to the left. Straight body overhangs the
left leg. Repeat to the other side.
2. Standing Stretch
Bring your left leg behind your right front and lean to the left. You can
put one hand at your waist, fold your arms over your head, or in front of
you. The more the body is bent over, the better the muscles are
stretched.
Stretching exercises for shins
1. Stretching at the wall
The toe of the right foot against the wall, left take a step and a half
back. Feet pressed firmly to the floor, left leg straight. Try to reach
the wall with right knee, left leg muscles will be stretched. Switch
legs.
2. Heel stretch on wall
Stand close to the wall. Place your right toe on the wall, with your left
foot a step and a half back. Bend your left leg at the knee, increasing
the stretch. Switch legs and repeat.
3. Stretch front of shin
Sit on the floor, stretch your straight legs out in front of you. Place
the foot of one leg on the thigh of the other. Grab the foot with the
opposite hand and pull your toe up. Switch legs.
For more information, please like us on Facebook and share these
Stretching with all your friends. They will thank you later!
