Faktrum shares a set of exercises developed by a Spanish fitness trainer that will help you keep your body in good shape, and the images will clearly show which muscles are involved in a particular exercise. Pay attention to your breathing and to ensure that the stretching does not cause any pain. Hold each position for 10 to 30 seconds.
Stretching the neck flexor muscles
- Muscles involved: sternocleidomastoid.
- Execution: Place your hands on your hips, straighten your back and begin to gently tilt your head back. To make the stretch stronger, you can help yourself with your hands, placing your palms on your forehead.
Stretch the lateral neck flexors with your hands
- Muscles involved: sternocleidomastoid and upper trapezius muscles.
- Execution: in a sitting position, straightening your back and helping with your left hand, tilt your head to the left, trying to touch your shoulder with your ear. Repeat the exercise on the other side.
Side shoulder stretch
- Muscles involved: lateral deltoids.
- Execution: Straighten your arm across your body and apply light pressure to increase the stretch of the muscle. Repeat the exercise with the other hand.
Standing neck stretch
- Muscles involved: trapezius muscles.
- Execution: in a standing position, legs together, with a straight back, slowly move your hips down and, helping with your hands, tilt your head forward, trying to touch your chin to your chest.
Lateral tilts with support
- Muscles worked: external obliques and latissimus dorsi.
- Execution: stand straight and tilt to the right side. Repeat the exercise on the left side.
Extended Triangle Pose
- Muscles involved: External obliques.
- Execution: stand straight, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, arms extended to the sides. The front foot faces forward, and the other is turned 90 degrees. Place your hand on your front leg and, keeping your back straight and your opposite arm raised, move your front hip back and down.
Camel Pose
- Muscles involved: rectus abdominis and external obliques.
- Execution: Sit on your heels, take your arms back and push your hips forward and slightly up without overstraining your lower back.
Chest stretch against the wall
- Execution: stand straight, facing the wall and, placing your right palm on it, slowly turn away from the wall. Repeat with the other hand.
Downward-facing dog pose against the wall
- Muscles involved: pectoralis and latissimus dorsi.
- Execution: stand at such a distance from the wall that your body is parallel to the floor while performing the exercise. Take the position shown in the picture, keeping your back straight, and then bend slightly at the chest.
Child's Pose
- Muscles involved: latissimus dorsi.
- Execution: get on all fours and slowly move your hips back, trying to touch your forehead to the floor.
Spinal twist
- Muscles worked: gluteal and external obliques.
- Execution: Lying on the floor, move your right leg across your body, slowly pressing your hand on your right knee to improve the stretch. Repeat with the other leg.
Sitting Pigeon Pose
- Muscles involved: tibialis anterior.
- Execution: sit on the floor, move your right arm back, and place your right leg on top of your left leg above the knee, holding it with your hand. Repeat the same with your left leg.
Sitting Pigeon Pose
- Muscles involved: gluteals.
- Execution: Sit on the floor with your back straight, slowly pull your leg toward your chest and rotate your hip outward. Repeat with the other leg.
Stretching the extensor and adductor muscles of the hip joint in a sitting position
- Muscles involved: adductors, hamstrings.
- Execution: sit on the floor, spread your legs wide. Without bending your knees or lifting them off the floor, lean forward, sliding your hands along your shins or stretching them out and reaching forward.
Butterfly pose
- Execution: in a sitting position, bending your knees, bringing your feet together and straightening your back, gently press your hands on your knees, lowering your hips and knees closer to the floor. Attention: for a stronger muscle stretch, move your heels as close to your body as possible.
Side Lunges
- Muscles involved: adductors.
- Execution: stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart. Shifting your body weight to your right leg, bend it at the knee, while keeping your left leg straight. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.
Stretching the knee extensor muscles in a lunge position
- Muscles involved: lumbar muscles and quadriceps.
- Execution: Take a lunge position, with your left leg in front, bent at the knee at an angle of 90 degrees. Grab the back of your right foot and pull it toward your lower back. Change your leg.
Longitudinal fold forward
- Muscles worked: Hamstrings, hamstrings and calves.
- Execution: sit on the floor, straighten your legs and bring them together. Without lifting your feet off the floor, lean forward.
Standing calf stretch
- Execution: Stand on the edge of a step (step platform) and slightly rotate your ankles in and out to give your calf muscles a good stretch.
Slight lean forward with one leg
- Muscles worked: hamstrings, hamstrings.
- Execution: stand straight, one foot in front of the other, back straight. With your hands on your hips, begin to bend forward from your hips. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.
Calf stretch while standing against a wall
- Muscles involved: soleus and gastrocnemius muscles.
- Execution: Lunge forward, moving your back foot slightly outward. Slowly lower the heel of your back foot to the floor. Repeat the exercise with the other leg.
If you can walk up two flights of stairs without getting tired or out of breath, your body is healthy
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Before you start stretching your muscles, be sure to do this; this will collectively prepare all areas of the body for more serious loads. Don't ignore stretching, it's not a fad, but a key point in training.
MUSCLE STRETCHING is a system of exercises that allows you to lengthen a muscle from its original state, make it flexible and elastic to withstand loads from the environment.
When performing exercises to stretch muscles, you must adhere to a number of rules.
Proper muscle stretching
All movements are performed at a moderate pace, suddenness of movements is excluded, otherwise unwarmed muscles can easily receive a painful injury;
Do not hold your breath, breathe evenly and deeply, exhale while stretching the muscles, inhale at the relaxation stage;
It is necessary to stretch the muscle areas until you feel slight discomfort; you need to feel how it stretches; if pain occurs, release the pressure on the muscle;
After stretching a specific area, hold at the maximum stretch point for 10-15 seconds, then return to the starting position.
Always start with minimal pressure on the muscles, gradually increasing the load; if you immediately begin to stretch with all your strength, injury is guaranteed, and the muscles will ache for a long time and remind you of themselves at the most inopportune moment.
Contraindications to muscle stretching
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For lower back diseases
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With high blood pressure;
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Inflammation of the pelvis and hips;
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Complex spinal injuries;
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The presence of cracks in the bones;
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The presence of severe bruises on the legs;
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Problems with joints and ligaments - in this case, be sure to consult a doctor.
Now let's proceed directly to the description of methods for stretching all muscle groups, start stretching from top to bottom of the body:
Neck stretching exercises
1. Tilt your head down as far as possible, be sure to touch your upper chest with your chin; you should feel a stretch not only in your neck, but also a slight stretch in your back muscles. At the bottom point, hold for 2-3 seconds.
2. Then tilt your head back and also stop for a better stretch for a couple of seconds.
3. Do not hold your breath; breathe; when tilting your head, exhale; when tilting back, inhale.
4. For better stretching, when lowering your head down, lightly press the back of your head with your hands.
5. Remember, the neck is a bundle of nerve endings, so there is no harshness, everything is done smoothly, with controlled movements.
6. Just like in the picture on the right, tilt your head to the side to stretch the lateral muscles of the neck
7. All manual pressure is moderate, to the point of feeling slight discomfort, but not severe pain.
1. Stand straight, slowly turn your head to the left, stretch as far as possible, hold for 2 seconds, then to the right, perform 5-6 turns in each direction.
2. Afterwards, you can perform circular movements with your head, using the full range of motion - tilting your head forward, sideways and back as much as possible.
Shoulder stretches
1. Bend your elbows and place your fingertips on your shoulders, perform circular movements forward and then back for 10 repetitions.
2. During movement, the fingers do not leave the shoulders.
3. Use the maximum range of motion, don’t be lazy; the effectiveness of all movements of the upper body depends on warming up the shoulder joints.
1. Stand up straight, point your left hand to the side towards your right shoulder, and with the palm of your right hand lightly press on the triceps of your left hand, without bending the elbow of your left hand. You should feel a slight stretch in your shoulder, hold this position for 5 seconds and switch your arms.
2. No jerking, apply pressure and keep it in a stretched state, jerking will only bring injury and pain.
1. Ideally, you need to bend your arms slightly at the elbows and begin to move your arms in a circular motion, first moving backwards for 10 repetitions, and then forwards for 10 times.
2. To better warm up the shoulder joint, you can take turns making circular movements with your arms, also 10 repetitions forward and backward.
Warm up exactly sequentially, as indicated in the figures, this way you warm up the muscle areas from lesser to greater load.
Stretching the muscles improves blood circulation and speeds up the access of nutrients to the muscles!
Arm stretching exercises
1. As shown in the figure, move your right arm back behind your head and apply light pressure to your right elbow, feeling a stretch in your triceps.
2. Hold for a while and then change the position of your hands, do 5-6 repetitions on each hand.
3. Afterwards, shake your hands slightly to relieve muscle tension or rub your triceps with your palm.
1. Pay attention to the drawing, the right hand, grasping the pole, is pointing the thumb down, this is a very important moment!!!
2. Then, turning the body to the left, feel the stretch of the biceps, having reached the maximum stretch, hold, relax the muscle by turning to the right and turning to the left again, stretch it.
3. Change hands and do the same. After finishing, do flexion - extension of your arms at the elbows, relieving muscle tension.
1. Kneel down and point your fingers towards you.
2. Bend your lower back and slowly lean back, keeping your palms on the floor, creating positive tension in your biceps.
3. Stay in this position for as long as possible
4. Then relax, shake your hands and after 20 seconds repeat again and so on 3-4 times.
Chest stretching exercises
1. This exercise is called scissors - stand straight, legs slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, spread your arms to the sides and sharply bring your arms in front of you, with your right hand first on top (as in Figure B), then force your arms back, feeling a stretch in your chest and again brings his left hand in front of him, but on top.
2. Continuing to alternate arms in front with arms extended back, stretch the pectoral muscles.
1. An exercise from the old Soviet school is also a good idea: first bend your elbows, spread them to the side so that your forearms are parallel to the floor and push your arms back with your elbows bent.
2. Then, returning to the starting position, spread your arms again, but with your palms up.
3. Alternately perform a push of the arms back with bent elbows and a fly with the arms straightened.
There is one more wonderful exercise. Stand in the doorway, arms bent at the elbows, placed to the side and rest your palms on the baseboards on the sides of the door, elbows should be slightly below shoulder level. Next, leaning forward, we stretch the pectoral muscles, lightly rocking back and forth.
Back stretching exercises
1. Grasp a low bar or stable object in front of you, with your elbows straight and your knees slightly bent.
2. By force, tensing your abdominal muscles, lower your body down, thus warming up your back muscles and relieving muscle tension.
3. Lower yourself into an incline with light leaning downward movements, perform 15-20 light inclines, this will be enough.
1. Starting position - kneel down, placing a soft rubber mat, pull your stomach in as much as you can, this is how you train the vacuum inside your stomach, which does not allow your stomach to bulge, then arch like a cat, it’s good for your back muscles to stretch, then arch your lower back as much as you can, then lower buttocks to the feet, at the same time the arms look forward without bending at the elbows.
2. After holding the stretched position for 10 seconds, go back up to the cat position.
3. Perform 15-20 repetitions in this manner to warm up the muscles of the back and lumbar region.
1. A wonderful exercise for stretching muscles, even though the abdominal muscles work hard here, but there is one trick here.
2. Before bending to the side, place your palm on the back of your head, move your elbow forward a little, and do not lean strictly to the side, turning your body slightly, you should feel how the lats stretch.
1. Place your hands on your side and start moving your hips in a circular motion.
2. First perform 15 repetitions to the right, then to the left.
3. Use a large range of motion, bending forward well and back enough; if you do everything correctly at the end of stretching the back muscles, your lower back should be slightly tensed, you will feel it, even if it was slightly squeezed by a belt.
Elastic muscles allow you to increase the range of motion, which makes exercises more effective!
Abdominal stretching exercises
1. Lie down on the floor, place your palms as if you are about to do push-ups.
2. When performing efforts on your arms, straighten them completely at the elbows, at this time the muscles lift off the surface.
3. Stay in this position for up to 10 seconds, feeling the stretch in your abdominal muscles, then lower yourself to the floor and relax your abs to relieve the feeling of tension and go up again, do this 4-5 times.
1. Take the starting position - feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart for stability, hands on your sides on your belt.
2. Lifting your left hand from your belt, lift it up and tilt it to the right until you feel tension in your oblique abdominal muscles.
3. Feeling the entire left side being pulled, immediately return to the starting position and do the same with your right hand. Remember, when you stretch, you don’t need to linger, stretch as hard as possible and immediately back, this is enough for the muscles to get a decent stretch.
Exercises for stretching the buttocks
1. We look carefully at the beautiful girl in the picture and do exactly the same 😉. Sitting with your butt on the floor, straighten your right leg to your knees, place your left leg behind your right, keeping your back straight.
2. For stability, rest the fingers of your left hand on the floor, bend your right arm at the elbow, begin to smoothly turn your body to the left, you will immediately feel your buttock stretching.
3. No sharpness, the movements are deep but smooth, after holding for literally 1 second, return to the starting position.
4. Do 15 times on each side, this will be 1 approach. There should be at least 3 such approaches. The middle and small muscles.
1. Another great exercise for the buttocks, lie on the floor, bending your left leg at the knees, pulling it towards your chest.
2. Then, grasping your knee, pull it to the side towards your chest as much as possible, reaching the peak of the stretch, stay in this position for 10 seconds. Stretches very well gluteus maximus muscle.
3. Without rest, do the same with the other leg, do 5 repetitions on each leg in 1 approach, there should be 3-4 approaches in total, and then at your discretion.
Training without preliminary stretching increases the possibility of injury!
Leg stretching exercises
1. Looked at beautiful girl and do the same, with your right hand for stability of balance, grab the support, with your left hand take your left leg and lift it up as much as possible, preferably so that the heel almost touches the buttocks.
2. Please note that the knee does not go back, the thigh is strictly vertical to the floor, this is the only way to stretch the muscles (the front of the thigh) as much as possible.
3. Stay in the position of stretching the muscle as in the photo for 15-20 seconds on each leg, perform 2-3 such stretches, you should feel the muscles stretching, gradually the feeling that the muscle is stretching will pass, this means that the muscles are well stretched.
1. An excellent stretching exercise for both.
2. Take a deep lunge forward, the back leg can rest on the toe or lie with the foot up, as shown in the figure.
3. Leaning your hands on the floor, reach the maximum stretch of the muscles without causing pain, stay in this position for 20 seconds. and change legs. At the end of the exercise, shake your legs to relieve muscle tension.
1. The exercise is called half-split, look carefully at the picture, lower yourself to the lowest point very slowly, holding your hands to the floor.
2. Having reached the bottom point, you can slightly lean forward and try to reach your toes with your fingers, the hamstrings and hamstrings warm up well, you can also lean back, here the adductor muscles of the legs come into play, that is, the groin muscles get a good warm-up and will be less susceptible damage.
1. Take the starting position with your feet wider than your shoulders. Begin to alternately tilt and reach for the left and right toes of your feet. The knees should not bend when bending.
2. No sudden movements, everything is smooth and controlled, with each inclination as the hamstrings and ligaments warm up, the inclination will become deeper and easier. Take your time, do everything carefully, without feeling any sharp pain.
1. A variation of the exercise described above, only the starting position is sitting on the floor, start stretching forward, reaching your toes with your hands or placing them on your knees, as indicated in the figure, and try to bend your torso as low as possible.
2. You can stretch the ligaments of the back of your legs either by smooth bending or by holding in this position for 10-15 seconds.
1. An excellent exercise to warm up your muscles.
2. Lean your hands against the wall, your left leg is in front, and your right foot rests completely on the floor. It is important that the heel remains on the floor , otherwise the effectiveness of the exercise is lost. You can adjust the stretch by stepping your right foot closer or further, as long as your heel is on the floor.
Conclusion
A set of the most common exercises for stretching the whole body was described above, modify them, experiment, make your own adjustments, in short, use your imagination and choose for yourself best exercises, giving maximum effect.
Remember, good stretching not only means elastic muscles, but also reduces the likelihood of injury before performing exercises.
Leave comments on what effect you got from stretching, the opinion of every reader is important to us, good luck 😉!
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Relief without excess volume is the desire of many women, and therefore various workouts and tips appear that promise to sharpen and define the muscles. For example, with the help of stretching it is proposed to lengthen the quadriceps, so as not to get “footballer’s legs” after squats with a barbell. Does it work? Can stretching lengthen muscles?
Professional yogis/ballerinas/gymnasts have lean figures, sculpted and at the same time bulky. But these people are not naturally inclined to excess weight and a large percentage of fat that hides muscles. Second, they follow a strict diet, both in terms of calories and food choices. Thirdly, they exercise for several hours every day, which increases calorie consumption during the day, leaving no chance of gaining weight. Fourthly, they don’t have as much muscle as those who purposefully grow them.
At the same time, these people are very flexible. But to conclude that they have a dry texture just because they are flexible is completely wrong.
Volume on a specific body part is the size of the muscle and the layer of fat above it. If you have pumped up a muscle, you cannot lengthen it and draw it out by stretching. You can reduce muscle size only by stopping pumping it. Reduce the volume of fat layer above the muscle - .
Anatomy
The muscle is like an elastic band. It is attached at both ends to the bones and can stretch and contract, producing movement in the joint. The muscle attachment points cannot be changed. They cannot be moved a little further either by stretching or by any other means other than surgery. Some people have naturally long muscles, that is, their ends are attached far from the joint, while others have short muscles.
When the joint is fully extended, the muscle is at its longest state and cannot be made longer. An exception is when the muscle at rest is spasmed and shortened relative to its normal state, that is, the joint is not fully extended at rest.
What is flexibility?
Anyone who has stretched regularly knows that over time you can reach further and further. We become able to move in greater amplitude and call this flexibility. But this is not due to the fact that the muscle has stretched and become longer. The reason is adaptation, adaptation of the neuromuscular system to the load. What does it mean?
Controls our movements nervous system with the help of electrical signals that travel along the nerve cells to the muscles. It is what determines our strength, flexibility and endurance. It is she who limits them, makes movement impossible if she sees the danger of tissue damage. Todd Hargrove, author of A Guide to Better Movement, gives this analogy:
Imagine that you are the proud owner of a Ferrari sports car. And imagine riding it with your mom. You begin to accelerate powerfully, but your mother is uneasy next to you, and she asks you to go slower. You have long grown to obey, turn up the music louder and press the pedal to the floor. But for some reason the car does not accelerate above 65 km/h.Suddenly you see that mom has her own brake pedal. Whenever you are driving too fast in her opinion, she hits the brake - that is, she has complete control over the speed of the car. Do you understand that the only way accelerate decently - convince your mother that you can safely drive the car at high speed.
This analogy provides insight into how the nervous system regulates the limits of our strength, endurance, or flexibility. If it perceives any movement as dangerous, the “brakes” are applied.
The nervous system doesn't care too much about how beautiful, pumped up or flexible you want to become. She wants you to avoid killing yourself by negligence and pass on your genes to the next generation. In the wild nature, even minor injuryplays a role in survival: a sprained ankle or a torn hamstring is a matter of life and death.
Nervous system always analyzes potential threats associated with movements and decides whether to protect you from yourself by making you situationally weaker, inflexible or tired. So your task is convince her that what you are doing is safe and under control.
Nervous system and stretching
How does all this relate to stretching? If you've never stretched before, chances are your range of motion will be very small and you'll think you lack flexibility because the muscles are short and stiff. But, as we have already learned, stretching is inhibited by the nervous system.
Having received a signal about an unusual stretch, the spinal cord sees the danger of muscle rupture or joint damage. It turns on the stop valve: in response to the stretch, an involuntary contraction of the muscle occurs, and you cannot continue moving further. It's a reflex, you can't control it consciously. Other reflexes include swallowing, sneezing, coughing, trembling, etc.
The nervous system tightens the muscles and prevents further movement to protect the joints from a range that is perceived as dangerous. This is a simple programmed reaction of the body in response to passive stretching of a muscle.
How can you convince your mom to let you drive faster? Obviously, prove to her that you are a safe and experienced driver. Avoid accidents. Show that you keep the car in good condition and do regular maintenance. That you master control at a slower speed and increase it gradually. That you know the roads and so on.
It's the same in training. INYou exercise regularly, do not get injured and do not experience pain. You gradually increase the load,you work on your technique, your movements are controlled, sharpened and bring only benefits to the body. The last point is fundamental: the body more easily acquires new abilities if this brings obvious benefits to it, that is, it improves its functionality and allows it to acquire new qualities.
If you stretch regularly, the central nervous system stops turning on the brakes immediately, because it no longer sees a danger to the muscles and joints. So we move its “stop tap” further and further, which means we can allow ourselves greater and greater amplitude in the joint (bend lower, stretch further). This is called flexibility. It’s not the muscles that have become longer, but the central nervous system that has become more tolerant of what you do.
Post-workout recovery: improved metabolism in muscles and connective tissue of joints. Decay products are removed from the muscles faster and nutrients are supplied.
2Relaxation, relief of hypertonicity in muscles that are tight and shortened relative to their normal state. Tight muscles are less well supplied with oxygen (see point 1), causing muscle imbalances that disrupt posture and can lead to injury.
3Work to improve joint mobility. The range of motion in the exercises becomes larger, and the muscles are loaded better. If your glutes and calves are not stretched, you will not be able to squat properly and deeply. If you have tight pectoral muscles, you will have difficulty performing overhead presses and rows.
4Acceleration of renewal of connective tissue of joints, increasing the proportion of elastic fibers
(elastin) against hard fibers - collagen. Connective tissue fibers become stiffer with age, which limits joint movement and can cause injury.
Relaxation of the nervous system.
Many people dream of doing the splits, but not everyone knows how to do it. Of course, there is a long and painstaking work ahead, which you may want to abandon at the very beginning of the journey. You need to be patient and train properly. That is, know what stretching exercises you need to do and perform them correctly.
Split stretching exercises: turn into a healthy habit
Experts say that this habit should be formed in three weeks, that is, in 21 days.
Basic rules of implementation:
- Systematic work on yourself and focus.
- Smooth pace of execution, without jerks or sudden movements.
- It is very important to be able to relax your muscles.
- Maintain correct, even breathing.
As a means to relax the body, calm the nerves and distract from the inevitable pain, you can turn on music that is pleasant and soothing.
To practice effectively, all you need is a good mood!
Stretching exercises for beginners: start with the basics
To stretch, do bends from a sitting position - these exercises are very effective. This allows you to effectively stretch your calves, hamstrings and groin. How to practice:
- "Butterfly". A very popular exercise. To do it correctly, the feet are brought together and pulled towards the groin. In this pose, the knees are taken to the floor, helping with the hands, putting pressure on the knees from above.
- Next, sit on the floor with your legs spread apart. One leg is bent and pulled up so that the foot is turned towards the thigh. In this position, you need to bend forward.
- From the same position, only this time the foot lies on top of the thigh of the other leg - bends are performed.
- Bends are also done from the butterfly position, while you need to bend down as low as possible, and at the same time you need to pull your arms forward.
In the last exercise, it will be correct to draw a line on the floor to which you need to reach. You can use some object instead. When the goal is achieved, the object is rearranged longer, or the old line is erased and a new one is drawn.
Very often, athletes, dancers, and runners experience injuries, and the problem lies in unstretched hips!
Exercises for splits: go from the simplest
The simplest dynamic exercises are swings and bends. How to do swings:
- Forward
- Back
- To the sides
Each approach is about thirty swings. They are done either standing or lying on the floor. In the latter case, the leg rises up and falls towards the head.
Bends are done in a standing position. This allows you to stretch your legs and core. Correct execution:
- Smooth back.
- The body should be tilted forward and down, paying attention to the position of the knees, which should not be bent.
Correctly performing bends gives a feeling of tension under the knees; the back should also not be arched.
Stretching exercises for beginners at home
When practicing at home, you should train not on a whim, but following a clear and correct method.
Many people, for various reasons, cannot visit fitness centers and want to exercise at home. Reasons:
- Distance of the fitness center from the house.
- Expensive subscription.
- Unavailability of professional services for the same reasons.
Of course, training with a trainer greatly facilitates the task, since it is he who can select an individual complex for a beginning athlete and point out mistakes during training.
When practicing at home, we must not forget that stretching is dangerous, and exercises should be carried out with caution. In addition, the conditions of the apartment should allow this to be done as safely as possible.
How quickly an athlete (athlete) does the splits depends on:
- From proper training and regular exercise.
- Individual data of a person. People's ligaments are more elastic - they stretch better, or less soft. As for tendons, the picture is the same here.
So, a person wants to do the splits at home in record time.
It’s one thing if a person stretched himself earlier, in a past sports career, and decided to get in shape; it’s another thing if he’s never done this before.
Results can be achieved quite quickly, without too much fuss, by listening to your body's reaction. Exercises:
- For the back. You need to get on all fours. At first, the back curves smoothly upward, then just as smoothly downward. In each final phase, a fixation is made for several seconds.
- For the buttocks. Lie on your back - one leg bent at the knee, and the other stretched to the chest. You should try to keep this leg as straight as possible. In addition to this exercise, you can perform another one - sitting on the floor and bending one leg, try to bend towards the other leg.
- Calf stretch. Starting position – standing. A lunge is made with the leg bent at the knee. The feet are completely pressed to the floor. Next, everything is the same, but for the other leg.
- Anterior thigh. While standing, one leg bends at the knee and reaches towards the buttock. This is done on each leg alternately.
- Rib cage. Hands rise up from the position in the lock behind the back.
- Lateral surface of the thigh. While sitting, one leg bends at the knee and the other moves to the side. Next comes a side tilt. Do this alternately on each side.
- Press. You need to lie on your stomach and place your hands on the floor. Then lift the upper part of the body.
Basic exercises for stretching the legs are listed; exercises for stretching the back and spine will certainly help improve general indicators training.
You need to perform this set of stretching exercises until the body finally gets used to such a load. And then you can begin more complex stretching, increasing the amplitude and load.
Use the Kokkonen and Nelson technique: everything is simple and clear
The well-known book “Anatomy of Stretching Exercises,” authored by Jukko Kokkonen and Arnold Nelson, will help you achieve success in the field of stretching. They are doctors of physiological sciences and professors.
Their joint work is a well-illustrated manual, thanks to which the reader will clearly imagine what happens to his muscles during training. Classes will become much more effective after reading the book and studying the illustrations in detail.
Certain areas need to be worked on, and the book will help you learn, thanks to color illustrations, exactly what movements affect muscle function, and how training, in addition to efficiency, can be made as safe as possible.
The manual contains not only, say, exercises for stretching the spine, but also exercises for stretching the entire body.
Because every move is backed up detailed instructions, it is easy to understand which muscle groups are subject to the main load and which are auxiliary.
The tables at the end of the chapters will make it easier to create an individual training program, taking into account your own needs.
The available reviews of the book indicate that the book is worth it, although there are some disagreements among readers - this is normal.
The stretching and flexibility exercises given in the manual will help you achieve your goal faster.
Videos to help: not only stretching but also recovery
A good option for training would be to use videos that tell you what you can do with stretching, in addition to how to do the splits.
For example, restore flexibility and plasticity of the vertebrae in the following areas:
- In the cervical
- In the upper thoracic
- Lumbar
- Lumbosacral
People, both sick and healthy, need stretching of the thoracic spine.
Quite simple stretching exercises for this area help not only get rid of pain, but also restore many functions of the vertebrae.
Of course, such exercises are done after thoroughly warming up the muscles, tendons and joints. So this should be done after general physical training or exercise therapy.
Many people are bothered by pain in the lumbar region. This happens even among young and able-bodied people.
Watching video materials allows you to reduce the risk of injury during classes to a minimum.
You can read a lot of different articles and study a lot of techniques, but it is the videos that allow you to see “live” the correctness of classes in this discipline.
Monitoring your own achievements: accounting inspires
Any work is interesting only when you can see at least some result. If the goal is splits, then it makes sense to keep something like a diary, thus monitoring progress or stagnation in your own work. We need strong motivation!
Sooner or later, a person gives up on an idea that does not bring pleasure.
Class calendar
Yes, it is worth doing in order to mark the number of training sessions completed.
Experience shows that it is better to keep a calendar on paper, rather than on a computer or phone. In addition, it should always be in the most visible place.
This will clearly show and highlight all the stages on the path to success. Notes on past classes will be confirmation of the extraordinary will of the training person and systematic success.
Photo in the splits
It will be very nice if someone films a beginning athlete with a photo or video camera at a stage that corresponds to today’s time - this will help to capture the level of training step by step and give a reason for further achievements.
According to experts, measurements also need to be taken. This will also be an excellent motivation for further achievements.
And a photo collage wouldn’t hurt at all.
Conclusion
Whether to do the splits or not is everyone’s business. However, the benefits of stretching for human health are quite obvious and scientifically proven. In an age of total physical inactivity, this is especially true. So it will be better if people of different ages engage in this useful activity without delay, which will preserve, restore or maintain their health, relieve unbearable pain in the lumbar region, thoracic vertebrae, or a person will stop being tormented by thoracic osteochondrosis of the spine.
Many people know about the benefits of stretching - it helps improve flexibility and coordination, makes muscles elastic, forms a beautiful figure, and improves health. Most people's first association with stretching is splits. But in fact, everything is far from limited to this - for an effective workout you need to stretch your entire body from neck to feet. The effective full body exercises below will help you achieve great results if you do them regularly.
As a rule, stretching the body begins with the muscles of the neck, then we move on to the shoulders, back, arms, chest, abs, and lastly we stretch the legs. We present a set of exercises for stretching the whole body with the correct sequence.
Neck muscle stretch
Exercise 1
These body stretching exercises can be performed either sitting or standing. One arm should be extended along the body, the other should work and perform the movement, which is to gently pull the head down towards the shoulder. Hold the final position as long as you can, then do the same on the other side. Repeat a couple of times on both sides.
Exercise 2
You need to stand up straight, place both palms on the back of your head. Pressing them slightly on your head, pull your chin towards your chest. Stay in this position to feel how your rear end neck.
Stretching the muscles of the shoulders, back and chest
Exercise 1
Performed in a standing position. Your feet should be shoulder-width apart and your right arm should be raised up. Pull it above your head near your ear. Grab your right elbow with your left hand and gently pull your hand towards your ear. You should feel tension in your shoulders. Once you feel it, try to stay in the final position as long as you can. Repeat the same with your other hand.
Exercise 2
Stand up straight, place your feet shoulder-width apart. Place both arms behind your back so that your elbows are bent at right angles. Grab one hand with the other, as close to the elbow as possible. Gently pull it across your back to your other shoulder. Hold the final position as long as you can, repeat the same with the other hand.
Back muscle stretching
Next, stretching the body at home involves working out the back. With one hand you need to grab a pole or pole, lean back and straighten your legs so that the muscles stretch. Stay in this position as long as possible. If you feel a slight burning sensation, repeat the same for the other hand.
Stretching the muscles of the arms and wrists
Exercise 1
This exercise, which includes a full stretch of the entire body, works the triceps, and additionally the back and shoulders. You need to take a standing position with your feet shoulder-width apart. First, place one arm behind your back and bend it at the elbow. Now raise your second hand, grab the elbow of your first hand and gently and smoothly pull it as deep as possible. Hold the stretch as long as you can, then repeat the exercise with the other arm.
Exercise 2
This exercise targets the biceps. You need to kneel on the stake, place your hands down in front of you, fingers pointing to your knees. Your thighs should almost touch your feet. Arch your back and lean back smoothly and slowly, keeping your elbows still and your palms on the floor to stretch the target muscles. Hold the final position as long as you can. Then take a break of 15-20 seconds and repeat the exercise.
Chest stretching
Now stretching the whole body at home moves on to the pectoral muscles.
Exercise 1
You need a vertical support, such as a wall. Walk up to her, put your hand on her. Bend your elbow at a right angle, while leaning your whole body forward and slightly to the side to feel the tension in your pectoral muscles. Stay in this position as long as you can. Then repeat the same on the other side.
Exercise 2
Take an upright position. Pull your arms outstretched back, keeping them clasped. Then slowly raise your arms towards the ceiling as far as you can, keeping them straight. You should feel a stretch in your pectoral muscles.
In all stretching exercises, movements should be smooth and controlled. Avoid jerking and sudden movements.
Abdominal muscle stretching
Exercise 1
Lie on your stomach, place both hands on the floor in front of you, as if you were about to do a push-up. Raise your chest and head off the floor, gently and smoothly arching your back. You should feel a stretch, then hold in this position as long as you can. Repeat the exercise several times.
Exercise 2
Stand straight, place your feet shoulder-width apart. Place one hand on your belt, and lean in this direction, reaching for it. We repeat the same for the other side.
Leg muscle stretching
Only after you have completed the previous exercises does stretching the muscles of the whole body involve moving on to the legs. The complex presented below will be effective for them.
Exercise 1
Sit on the floor and spread your legs wide apart. Bend your torso forward as low as possible, then perform springy bends up and down.
Exercise 2
You need to sit on the floor and spread your legs wide apart. Bend as low as possible towards one leg. At the same time, hold your leg below the knee with your hands. Do springy tilts up and down at least 10 times. Then the same is done for the other leg.
Exercise 3
Sit on the floor with your legs together and extended forward. Bend your torso as low as possible, trying to reach your ankles with your hands. If this is difficult, you can bend your knees a little. Perform springy, smooth tilts up and down at least 10 times. Your main goal is to touch your head to your knees.
Exercise 4
Move your feet apart from each other until you feel a stretch inner surface hips Tilt your body down, rest your elbows on the floor. Stay in this position for as long as your flexibility allows. Every day, try to place your feet further apart from each other, increasing the static time in intermediate poses.
Exercise 5
The exercise is aimed at stretching the back of the leg muscles. You need to stand on a hard surface, keeping your body straight. Move your left leg forward and your right leg as far back as possible. Bend your front leg at the knee, lowering yourself down. Keep your back straight so you can feel the muscles in your legs stretch. You need to stay in a position in which the angle of the bent knee is straight. Try to relax your body so that the lower part of your body receives maximum load. Stay still for as long as you can. As for your hands, you can clasp them behind your back, simply place them on the floor or thigh, or lean them on something if you have difficulty maintaining your balance. We repeat the same with the left leg.
Exercise 6
Lunge to the right side. In this case, the toe should be directed forward or slightly outward, the foot should be on the floor. Keep your left leg straight. Now stretch and lower, feeling the tension. Do the same for the other side.
Exercise 7
Feet should be placed shoulder width apart. Keep them perfectly straight, without bending your knees, and perform springy forward bends. Do this about 12 times.
Exercise 8
You need to rest your elbows on your knees, as shown in the photo. Slowly press your elbows onto your legs while simultaneously tilting your torso forward. As you inhale, bend over. Having reached maximum tension, stay in this position. Repeat similar tilts several times.
Exercise 9
You need to sit on the floor and straighten both legs in front of you. Reach your toes with your hands. Once you feel maximum tension in the back of your thigh, hold for a while. Repeat the exercise several times.
Exercise 10
You need to stand up straight, bend one knee and press your heel to your buttock with one or two hands. If necessary, you can use your opposite hand to help you maintain your balance. Make sure your knees are in line and your hips are tightly squeezed. You need to tighten your gluteal muscles and slightly twist your pelvis forward or upward to enhance the sensation. Hold this position as long as you can, feeling the tension in the front of your thigh. Do the same for the other leg.
Exercise 11
Lie on the floor with your back down, bend your knees, try to relax your body as much as possible. Raise your left leg onto your right knee. With both hands, hug your right knee and begin to slowly, under control, pull it toward you. Then change legs and repeat the exercise.
Exercise 12
Aimed at stretching the ankle. You need to stand facing the wall, then rest your palms against it. Move one leg back 40-60 cm without lifting your heel from the floor - otherwise the exercise loses its meaning. Pressing your heel, stay in this position for as long as you can - up to one minute.
These body stretching exercises will help you effectively work all muscle groups. Before you start exercising, learn the basic rules of stretching. They boil down to the fact that all movements should be smooth and slow, you should literally feel how your body is stretching. A slight burning sensation at the maximum point of tension is normal, but it is important to avoid severe pain, otherwise you may tear the ligaments.
Also keep in mind that stretching exercises have contraindications. These include hypertension, injuries to the spine, ligaments and joints, and bruises. If in doubt, be sure to consult a specialist. Also, please note that Before stretching, you need a short warm-up to warm up.
Full body stretching exercises: video
Exists large number variations of full stretch complexes. You can choose what suits you. But the basic principles and rules are always almost the same. We invite you to watch a video with sets of stretching exercises for the whole body, which will be useful in the process of mastering it.
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