Correct ways to stretch
Arm Circle Stretch
- Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Extend your arms straight out from the shoulders with your fingers spread and palms down. Keep your buttocks and stomach tight.
- Rotate your arms in circles 10 times forward and then 10 times backward. When finished, shake out your arms.
- Over time work up to 20 circles in each direction.
Waist Bends
- Stand up tall with your feet shoulder width apart.
- Bend to the right, bringing your right arm down the side of your body and left arm over your head.
- Look straight ahead and count to ten. Slowly return to the straight up position.
- Repeat the exercise, bending to the left side.
- Over time work up to 5 of these.
Calf Stretch
- Stand at arm's length from a wall or a piece of sturdy exercise equipment.
- Place your right foot behind your left foot.
- Slowly bend your left leg forward, keeping your right knee straight and your right heel on the floor.
- Hold your back straight and your hips forward. Don't rotate your feet inward or outward.
- Hold for about 30 seconds.
- Switch legs and repeat.
- To deepen the stretch, slightly bend your right knee as you bend your left leg forward.
Incorrect ways to stretch
The hurdle stretch
Whether or not you were a hurdler in high school, getting into a stretch position like one on the floor with your knee bent inward and the sole of your foot turned outward compresses the knee, leaving it vulnerable to injury.
Whether or not you were a hurdler in high school, getting into a stretch position like one on the floor with your knee bent inward and the sole of your foot turned outward compresses the knee, leaving it vulnerable to injury.
Straight leg and touch your toes stretch
A straight legged toe touch involves bending over at the hips and touching your toes, while your spine is bent. This stretch is potentially dangerous since the movement may cause hyper extension of your knees, which occurs when your ligaments are overstretched.
A straight legged toe touch involves bending over at the hips and touching your toes, while your spine is bent. This stretch is potentially dangerous since the movement may cause hyper extension of your knees, which occurs when your ligaments are overstretched.
Yoga Bridge stretch
The bridge stretch compresses your spinal disks and can leave you with pinched nerves.
The bridge stretch compresses your spinal disks and can leave you with pinched nerves.
My Stretch: Back stretch
Lie on your back with one leg extended out on the floor and the other leg crossed over the other leg and on the floor. Place your hands out away from body on either side of you. Turn your head the opposite way to the leg that is crossed over.