If you're tired of sounding like a flooded car engine when you bend down to tie your shoes adidas is here to help. Prepare to be transformed as we guide you on your quest to harness and expand your flexibility. Get ready to wiggle, shake and bend with ease, comfort and confidence with these seven grounding and freeing stretches for flexibility. And remember, comfort is key! Feel free to modify each stretch using a yoga block or the support of a wall, as needed.
What Are The Benefits Of Increasing Flexibilty?
When you increase your flexibility, you decrease your risk of injury, release muscle tension and keep your body in a better overall condition. From dancing without pulling a muscle to running without muscle tension, flexibility allows you to move comfortably and freely in your body.
Leaning into flexibility may feel silly but embrace it! The point of flexibility training is to allow you to feel good and free in your body and enhance your overall well-being. In the best case scenario, you'll exude the energy of a seasoned yogi. In the worst case scenario, you'll rediscover the sheer joy of a toddler realizing they have ten toes.
What Are Three Types Of Flexibility Exercises?
Static Stretching involves holding a stretch for a prolonged period. This type of stretching aims to lengthen and relax the targeted muscles gradually.
Dynamic Stretching involves moving parts of your body through a full range of motion in a controlled manner. This type of stretch typically mimics movements done during a specific sport or activity.
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) Stretching involves contracting the muscle being stretched for a few seconds, then relaxing and stretching it further. This type of stretching typically includes a partner or a stretching aid.
What Exercises Improve Flexibility And Balance?
Stretching exercises enhance flexibility, balance, and overall joint mobility by reducing muscle imbalances, promoting blood circulation to the muscles, and enabling optimal range of motion for your joints.
Flexibility Training: Try These Seven Exercises
The flexibility exercises below are your stepping stones to a more fluid and flexible existence! Understand that in the realm of flexibility, your breath is your key, granting you entry to a world of unlimited and unrestricted movement. Without your breath, you aren’t getting in. So, take a deep breath, roll out your mat, get comfortable, and breathe into these stretches.
1. Side Bend Stretch
Get in the flow: This exercise strengthens and stretches the intercostal muscles, which are the muscles between the ribs.
How to do it:
- Start standing with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides.
- Raise your arms overhead and interlace your fingers, pointing your index fingers to the ceiling.
- Inhale and lean up and over from your waist to your left side.
- Hold for a few breaths, then come back to center and repeat on the other side.
2. Wide-Leg Forward Fold
Get in the flow: This exercise opens your hips, loosens the lower back and stretches and strengthens your back, inner legs, and hamstrings.
How to do it:
- Start standing with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes slightly turned inward.
- Hinge at your hips and pull your chest forward and down, keeping your back flat.
- Shift your weight toward the balls of your feet to open the backs of your legs.
- Rest your fingers on the floor between your shoulders.
- Hold for three to five breaths, then return to standing.
3. Warrior 3
Get in the flow: This exercise creates stability in the whole body and stretches and strengthens the small stabilizing muscles in the feet and ankles as well as your legs, back and core muscles.
How to do it:
- Start in a lunge with your right leg facing forward and your arms at your sides.
- Brace your core and hinge forward at your hips so that your torso hovers over the floor as you lift your left leg straight behind you.
- Balance and hold the pose for a few breaths and then lower your left leg back down.
- Repeat on the other side.
4. Wide Squat With Twists
Get in the flow: This exercise stretches and strengthens your hips, groin, inner thighs, and back.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart and your toes pointing outward with your arms at your sides
- Lower into a squat. Your thighs should be parallel to the floor.
- Place your hands on your knees and push through your right hand to drop your right shoulder forward and down while rotating your torso toward your left knee.
- Hold for a few breaths, then reverse the movement and repeat on the other side.
5. Crescent Lunge
Get in the flow: This exercise stretches your legs, hip flexors, hamstrings, and groin muscles while strengthening your thighs and glutes.
How to do it:
- From a standing position with your hands at your side, step your left foot behind you and lean forward into your right leg.
- From this lunge position, inhale and raise your arms above your head, keeping the arms in line with your ears.
- Bring your hands to meet in prayer pose.
- Relax your shoulders as you continue reaching up and lengthen the back leg.
- Hold for a few breaths before releasing and returning to the standing position.
- Repeat on the other side.
6. Garland Pose (Yogi Squat)
Get in the flow: This exercise stretches your ankles, back, neck and hamstrings, and tones your abdominals.
How to do it:
- Stand with your feet about hip-width apart.
- Squat as low as you can and press your arms against your inner thighs with your hands in a prayer pose.
- Keep your spine straight, your glutes toward the floor, and your shoulders relaxed and away from your ears.
- Stay here for a few breaths, then press through your feet to stand up.
Let’s Modify:
The Garland pose is a phenomenal stretching exercise, but it can be challenging for those with knee or mobility constraints. You can modify this exercise the following ways:
- Using a Wall: Practice this pose with your back against the wall to help with balance.
- Using a foam block: You can place a foam block under your feet or glutes to take the strain off your knees and get balance assistance.
- Forward-Fold: You can modify this pose by walking your arms forward and melting your chest down.
7. Sphinx Pose
Get in the flow: This exercise stretches your back and tightens your glutes while helping support the pelvis, hips, and spine.
How to do it:
- Lie on your stomach with your legs straight out behind you.
- Place your elbows under your shoulders and your forearms on the floor as you lift your chest up off the floor.
- Press your hips and thighs into the floor and think about lengthening your spine while keeping your shoulders relaxed.
- Sit up just enough to feel a nice stretch in your core and lower back.
- Hold for a few breaths and then release.
You did it! You performed these exercises like a true flexibility master. Flexibility is all about tending to and listening to your body, so when doing these stretches, never force a pose. Stop and readjust if you feel any pain or extreme discomfort. And don't forget to stay hydrated! Drinking water keeps your joints lubricated, enhancing your flexibility even further.
All the exercises in this series are yoga poses! Flow into these movements in the morning before you start your day, in-between classes or meetings or after a long and hectic day to come home to your body and glide into a state of ease. By adding these stretches for flexibility into your daily routine, you can enhance your overall wellness practice and cultivate a sense of comfort and familiarity within your body.
This article was reviewed by Luis D. Salazar, MD- Ortho Kansas + Team Doctor at University of Kansas.