|
|
|
|
| Links: Home
/ Fitness Articles
/ Warm Up
|
 Specific Muscles |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Specific Muscles
To keep your ankles flexible, trace the alphabet in the air with your toes, one foot at a time.
You should stretch your calves 2 ways. First is the usual way where you lean against a wall, step back with the leg to be stretched, knee straight, then keep your heel down and push your hips forward until you feel the stretch in your calf. Second, keep the same position but bend your knee, which will give a better stretch to the soleus muscle and the achillesī tendon.
Hereīs a good one for your back. Get on the floor on all fours. Arch your back like a cat, then relax and let it sag toward the floor. Donīt move your arms or legs, just your back.
Stand facing a corner with one hand on each wall, about chin level. Lean forward until you feel a good stretch in your chest and shoulders.
Lie on your back, extend one leg on the floor and bring the other up, leg straight, until you feel the stretch in your hamstrings. Pull gently on a towel looped around your leg to make it easier.
Remember to always warm-up well before you stretch!
For the seated hamstring stretch, extend one leg, tuck the other one in so the sole of your foot is against the extended thigh, and lean forward slowly, reaching toward your toe and keeping your back flat until you feel the stretch in the back of your thigh, then hold. This is more effective than extending both legs and leaning forward to stretch both at the same time, because you may not have the same degree of flexibility in both legs.
Remember to always warm-up well before you stretch!
If the muscles that rotate your hip are tight, it can stress your lower back. Lie on your back, grab your left knee with your right hand, and pull it slowly across your body.
Remember to always warm-up well before you stretch!
The iliotibial band runs on the outside of the thigh from the hip to the knee. When it is irritated, pain is usually felt at the knee. Runners, cyclists, skiers, and aerobic exercisers should stretch it to prevent injury. To stretch the IT band of the right leg, cross the leg behind your left leg while standing and lean sideways to the left.
Remember to always warm-up well before you stretch!
For the standing quadriceps stretch, pull your leg straight back, with the knee bent and the thigh straight up and down, next to the supporting leg. Donīt pull the leg back and to the side, which stresses the knee, and donīt lean forward, which reduces range of motion and decreases effectiveness.
Remember to always warm-up well before you stretch!
If you find you tend to shuffle your feet when you walk, try stretching your calves. Tight calf muscles can make it hard to get your toe up high enough for a normal gait.
Remember to always warm-up well before you stretch!
Do the standing side bend as an abdominal oblique stretch. Hold a light weight in one hand and lean to that side slowly until you feel a stretch.
Remember to always warm-up well before you stretch!
The psoas is an interior muscle that flexes your hip. Tight psoas can cause back pain. To stretch the psoas, take a big step, then reach as high as you can with the arm opposite the forward leg and bend the arm and reach to the other side. Then do the same stretch reaching cross the body. Keep your back heel down.
Remember to always warm-up well before you stretch!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Disclaimer
Our Fitness Articles have been collated from many sources. Whilst we are careful to only publish the ones we believe are most accurate and relevant we cannot guarantee their accuracy. Before you put any of the ideas into practise we suggest you seek advise from a professional in the sport you participate in. We cannot be held liable for any injury or problems that occur by following any advice published on our web site.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
