10 Flexibility Exercises To Add To Your Stretching Routine
Having a stretching routine is so crucial. You should have a morning stretch routine, a before-workout routine, and an after-workout routine. If you don’t have one yet, here are 10 flexibility exercises to add to your daily stretching routine to improve flexibility. These exercises will give you a full-body stretch by targeting flexibility in the hamstrings, back, hips, ankles, and shoulders.
What are the benefits of flexibility?
There are so many benefits to being more flexible. Here are just some of them:
- better posture and balance
- fewer injuries during workouts
- increase body strength
- perform better in your workouts
1. For hamstrings: Sitting Stretch
For this stretch, sit down with both legs straight out. Slowly, lean forward to touch your does without bending your knees. Your hamstrings will hurt the first few times you do it but it’ll become easier the more you practice. Once you touch your toes without hurting, try to have your forehead meet your knees.
2. For hamstrings: One Leg Stretch
This one is similar to the first one but also a little different. Sit down and extend out one leg while keeping the other one bent but flat on the floor. Then, slowly, lean towards the leg that is extended. Hold for a few seconds, and switch. If you find that the first flexibility exercise is a bit hard for you, start off with this one.
3. For back: Cobra Pose
There’s a reason why yoga helps with flexibility. For this yoga exercise, lay on your stomach and slowly, use your hands to push yourself up. Push yourself up until you feel it in your back and then tilt your head back, towards the sky.
4. For back: Cat Cow Pose
This one is also a yoga pose. For this yoga exercise, start kneeling down with your knees below your hips and hands below your shoulders. Then, slowly arch your back, then flatten your back. Then, bend the other way, and then flatten your back again.
5. For hips: Knee to Chest
Lay down on your back and keep one leg on the floor and pull the other knee up to your chest. Keep it there for at least 10 seconds. Then, switch to the other leg.
6. For hips: Half Split
Sit down with the front leg bent at an angle. Then, stretch your other leg out to the back. If you can, try to lean backward. After holding this pose for at least 10 seconds, switch to the other leg.
7. For ankles: Ankle Circles
You’ll need a pair of shoes for this one. First, stand up and let the tip of your shoes touch the floor. Then, move your heel in a circular motion while keeping the tip of your shoe on the floor. After making at least 10 circles, switch to the other ankle.
8. For ankles: Standing Heel Lifts
There are two ways you can do this exercise. The first is to stand on the floor and raise your heels as high as you can. That is shown in the video. Do at least 10 reps of this before resting. The other way is to stand on the edge of something and do the same heel raises.
9. For shoulders: Child's Pose
First, sit in a tabletop position like how you did in the cat-cow pose. From that position, go into child’s pose. You simply just sit back while keeping your hands in place.
10. For shoulders: Cross Arm Stretch
This is one of the best flexibility exercises for your arms. Start by crossing one of your arms across your body and bring the other arm up to pull the other arm further. Hold this pose for at least 10 seconds, then switch.
