Static Stretching
Static Stretching is very important for overall fitness and health, and especially for correcting postural imbalances related to repetitive movements.
Everyday movements, weight training, cardio and all forms of exercise require flexibility. Repeated movements place stress on the body and lead to muscle imbalances, poor posture and eventually injury. Static stretching can help prevent and avoid injury.
Just remember stretching should be gentle and not forced so only stretch a muscle until a "gentle" stretch is felt. You also need to hold a stretch for a minimum of 20 seconds to effectively lengthen a muscle.
Static Stretching Exercises
Calves
Stand facing a wall place your hands on the wall and extend one leg back feet pointing straight ahead. Draw your belly button in and squeeze your buttocks. Bend your arms and lean forward keeping the back heel on the floor. Once you feel a gentle stretch in the calves of the rear leg hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat with other leg.
Piriformis/Hips
Sit on the floor with one leg crossed over the other. Slowly bend forward at the hips, don't round your back, until you feel a gentle stretch in the buttocks and hips. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite side.
Hamstrings
Lie on your back, draw the belly button in and grasp the back of one thigh. Pull your thigh towards your chest until you feel a gentle stretch in the back of the thigh. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat with the opposite side.
Hip Flexors, Quads
Stand with one leg bent and forward. Draw your belly button in. Squeeze your buttocks and bend forward until you feel a gentle stretch in the front of the back leg. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat on opposite side.
Standing TFL/IT Stretch
Standing with the legs crossed, slowly bend forward at the hips, don't round the back, until you feel a gentel stretch outer side of the rear leg. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and repete on opposite side.
Standing Adductor Stretch
Stand with your feet wider than shoulder width apart and line one toe with the arch of the other foot, so that one of your legs is slightly behind the other. Make sure both feet are pointing straight ahead. Draw your belly button in and side lunge toward the side of the front foot until you feel a gentle stretch in the inside of the back thigh. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat on opposite side.
Lats
Kneel in front of a ball and place one hand on the ball with thumb on the ball. Draw your belly button in and roll the ball forward until you feel a gentle stretch in your lats. Hold the stretch for 20 to 30 seconds and repeat on opposite side.
Chest/Pecs
Stand at a corner of a wall forearms should be about a 90 degree angle on sides of the corner. One foot should be forward and one foot extended back but both feet should be pointing straight ahead. Draw your belly button in and slowly lean forward until you feel a gentle stretch in your chest and front of the shoulders. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds.
Upper Traps
Sit with one arm at side. Draw your belly button in so you're sitting with optimal posture and slightly tuck chin. Use other hand to gently guide ear to shoulder until you feel a gentle stretch in your upper trapezius muscle and hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat on opposite side.
return from Static Stretching to Strength Training Exercises
