Proper stretching is not only a pleasant activity (as it allows overworked muscles to relax), but also very useful, especially after strength exercises. “Stretching helps muscles become more elastic and gives them even tone,” explains Olga Sargaeva, stretching teacher at Yara Dance Studio. “And for those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, stretching makes it possible to relieve stress in the body, fill the muscles with oxygen and nutrients for their full functioning. Plus, stretching reduces the time interval for muscle recovery.”

By performing stretching exercises, we improve the appearance of the muscles. “Under load (especially strength training), the muscles seem to shorten, and stretching allows you to lengthen them, make them visually smoother, and get rid of excess volume,” says Natalia Polyanskaya, personal trainer, teacher at the YogaMind studio school and author of the set of exercises that we will show today. “Compare, for example, what the muscles of a bodybuilder who rarely bothers to stretch look like, and an aerialist who pays a lot of attention to stretching.”

Stretching is also beneficial for the skeletal system. “As a result of stretching, joints gain greater mobility, which increases flexibility and reduces the risk of salt deposits,” says Irina Troska, fitness director of the World Gym chain of clubs.

Our fitness experts advise completing any workout, be it aerobic or strength training, with static stretching. “Only during such stretching will the muscles be able to relax as much as possible, and you will be able to calm your breathing and return to the normal functioning of the cardiovascular system,” says Olga Sargaeva.

“In addition, such exercises have a calming effect on the nervous system, reduce post-workout stress, and with it appetite,” says Irina Troska.

How to choose stretching exercises? In general, nothing complicated: those aimed at relaxing the muscle groups that are maximally loaded during the lesson are suitable. “This rule is easy to follow if, say, we are talking about a strength lesson. If it was functional training, you need to work out the largest muscle groups - the back, legs and hips, pectorals, says Natalya Polyanskaya. “After most group lessons, it makes sense to stretch the muscles in your back and lower body.”

How to build a lesson

* Finish each workout with a set of movements for a specific body part. Or do everything at once if, for example, you had a functional class or cross-fit class.

* Perform the exercises at a leisurely pace, breathe evenly and deeply. “Don’t hold your breath under any circumstances,” says Irina Troska.

* Concentrate on the sensations in your body. “Hold the positions until even slight tension in the muscle disappears. If this does not happen, it means that you have stretched the muscles too much and you should ease the effort,” advises Irina Troska.

* Perform the exercises sequentially in one approach. Or two, if you really like some of the movements.

To perform the exercises you only need rug.

Stretching: exercises for arm muscles

"Lock"

From the same starting position as in the last exercise, extend your right arm forward parallel to the floor. Bend your elbow and raise your palm to face level. Move your right elbow slightly to the left and wrap your right arm around your left, placing your left palm on your right wrist. Feel the stretch in your upper right arm. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds, then do the exercise on the other side.

Carpal lock

Stand up, place your feet wider than your shoulders, keep your back straight. Place your hands behind your back, join the fingers of both hands into a lock and “turn” it away from you (palms pointing away from the body). Then lean your body down, stretching your arms up. Hold the position for 40-50 seconds and smoothly return to the starting point.

Stretching: exercises for the back muscles

Forward lean

Get down on your knees, sit on your heels, straighten your back. Wrap your arms around your shoulders and gently stretch your upper back to the sides with your palms. Hold this position for 40-120 seconds and return to the original.

Side bend from a sitting position

Stand in front of a high-backed chair with your feet shoulder-width apart (toes turned slightly inward). Grasp the back of the chair with your hands and lean your body forward. Gently stretch your back into one straight line (do not hang your head down - your neck should be straight). Hold the position for 30-60 seconds, then smoothly return to the starting point.

Stretching: exercises for the muscles of the legs and thighs

Bend forward with legs apart

Sit on the floor, straighten your legs and spread them wide to the sides. Pull your socks towards you. Then lean your body forward and rest your palms on the floor (or, if stretching allows, elbows). Feel the stretch in your thigh muscles. Hold this position for 30-60 seconds. If desired, repeat after a minute pause.

Raising the leg from a lying position

Stretching at home for the splits is an integral part of the workout, thanks to which you will quickly achieve the desired result and at the same time maintain your health. In addition, such exercises will improve the condition of the genitourinary system, spine and intestines.

Also, splits are good preparation for expectant mothers (including those who are just planning a pregnancy).

Psychological preparation

Every person wants to achieve the desired result as quickly as possible. Therefore, a completely logical question arises: how long will it take me to do the splits?

This depends on several factors:

• age;
• gender (girls are genetically more flexible than boys);
• genetics;
• muscle coordination;
• warm-up intensity;
• initial flexibility;
• correct stretching exercises.

Also an important factor is the mindset with which you train. To achieve a similar result, the structure of muscles, ligaments and joints must change in the human body. The duration of this process depends on your age and level of preparation. For example, children will do the splits much faster than adults, since their bodies are not fully formed.

Advice! The most important thing to achieve your goal is not to try to achieve the desired result in a day or two. Before each workout, set yourself up for the fact that today you will do all the exercises a little better than yesterday. As a result, you are guaranteed to do the splits.

To achieve success, be sure to keep a training diary. According to research results, this psychological moment, which has nothing to do with physiology, really works. In addition, thanks to the recordings, you will be able to see your progress, which, in turn, will help you not to give up at a crucial moment.

Physical training

To avoid harming yourself when doing exercises, you need to warm up your body and muscles. One of the best ways to do this is a joint warm-up mixed with push-ups and squats at a fast pace. The fact is that such training improves muscle coordination. The effect is so subtle at first, but in the end it will bring enormous benefits.

Let's look at an example. During push-ups, the triceps are involved. However, as you perform, you can feel your biceps tightening. This involvement of other muscles is precisely indicative of poor muscle coordination. The same thing happens during stretching - often it is precisely these “helpers” that prevent you from doing the splits.

To perform joint warm-up in all large joints, you need to perform circular movements at the maximum possible amplitude. Movements are performed 15-20 times in each direction.

Advice! To achieve the maximum effect, you need to perform a joint warm-up from top to bottom: first the cervical spine, then the wrist joints, elbow joints, shoulder girdle, lumbar spine, body, ankle, pelvis and knees.

You can also warm up your muscles by running on a treadmill, cycling and jumping (with or without a jump rope). However, these exercises will not improve the muscle coordination needed for the splits. Therefore, it is best to prepare for exercises with a joint warm-up.

What does this look like in practice? At the moment of maximum tension when stretching, take a deep breath and hold your breath a little. As a result, you will feel your muscles giving in and relaxing. When performing the exercises, you must strictly adhere to the written instructions. Follow the golden rule of stretching at home: stretch where it hurts until it stops.

To achieve the desired result, you need to spend at least 30 seconds on each exercise. In this regard, the rule applies: the more, the better. However, every person has a psychological barrier that makes it difficult for him to remain in one position (even in the absence of pain). To achieve the desired result, you need to fight it.

Advice! To get the maximum effect, you need to train in the morning. One hour of stretching in the morning is equivalent to three hours in the evening.

Stretching exercises should be as varied as possible. Often, beginners cannot do the splits due to a couple of unstretched muscles, while their overall flexibility is above average. Even stretching will help you achieve the desired result faster. If you have stretched one muscle group well, it will definitely help when performing other exercises.

Let's do the splits

There are several types of twine:

• longitudinal;
• transverse;
• sagging;
• vertical;
• on hands.

For each of them you need to perform certain exercises.

Advice!The best way to achieve the desired result and improve your health is to move from simple to complex. In other words, you need to first master the longitudinal split, and then begin to study the transverse, sagging, vertical and arm splits. Jumping from step one to step three can cause muscle damage or injury.

Exercises for longitudinal splits

Since the longitudinal split uses the same muscles that work when walking, it is the easiest to sit on. To do this you need to do the following exercises:

Lunge one leg forward and bend your knee so that your foot is perpendicular to the floor. Place your palms on both sides of the floor, keep your head straight, look forward and spring back for one minute. To do this, use your palms and perineal muscles.

While in the pose described above, straighten your body, arch your back, raise your arms and stretch as high as possible. This exercise stretches your legs and strengthens your perineal muscles. Breathing should be smooth and your face should be relaxed.

Place your back leg on your knee while the other leg is perpendicular to the floor. Place your palms (or fists, whichever is more comfortable) on your lower back and bend back. When performing this exercise, you can throw your head back or keep it straight.

Return to the original position (exercise No. 1). Place your palms on either side of your bent knee, with your fingers facing each other. Stretch your chest towards the floor. When performing this exercise, your upper torso should be parallel to the floor.

Take the same position as in the previous exercise, only stretch your chest and chin towards the floor.

Return to the original position. Gradually bring the knee of your “back” leg closer to the floor.

Advice! When performing each exercise, pay attention to your breathing and technique. Each time you do it better and better, and eventually you will do the splits.

We sit on the cross splits

To master cross splits, do the following exercises:

• Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and place your hands on your lower back. Slowly bend back, trying to see your heels. If you place your hands on your stomach while doing this, your abdominal muscles will be additionally worked.

• Straighten up, place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and restore your breathing. Then lean forward so that your back is parallel to the floor. Your arms should be extended (for convenience, you can close them in a lock). Look ahead.
• Spread your legs so that your head and elbows fit between them. Next, bend down and place your palms on the floor. When performing the exercise, do not strain your back or neck. It is also forbidden to bend your knees. Rock back and forth slowly.
• Perform the previous exercise, but using your forearms.
• Stretch your arms up, turn your toes out and spread your legs wide.
• Perform a deep squat. In this case, the back should be relaxed and straight, and the knees should be widely spaced to the sides. Start with 8 sets and increase over time.
• Take the same pose as in the previous exercise. While squatting, hold for 30 seconds and then rise up. Please note: this exercise may not be easy for beginners.
• Perform side lunges. When the exercise becomes easy, grab your ankles and pull towards the floor. Start with 8 sets and increase every 2 weeks.

• Place your legs as wide as possible and lean forward so that your back is parallel to the floor. In this case, you can lean on your elbows. Watch your breathing: the muscles should tense as you enter, and relax as you exhale.
• Do the same as in the previous exercise. Slowly lower your perineum and stomach to the floor. Once this has been achieved, gradually straighten your pelvis, place your feet on your heels and straighten your back.

Advice! Do not underestimate preparatory exercises - they also have great benefits for the body. You can start mastering the following types of twine only after you have learned how to ideally sit on the longitudinal and transverse ones.

Nutrition

Proper nutrition will also help you achieve your goals faster and strengthen strained muscles. In this regard, one of the best remedies is fish oil. It is also recommended to add Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty amino acids to your diet. Consume flaxseed oil, nuts and eggs regularly.

Also an important factor is maintaining water balance in the body. You need to drink at least 2 liters of water per day. Add juicy fruits to your diet. To achieve the desired result faster, stop consuming salt. It can be replaced with seaweed, lemon juice, herbs and natural seasonings.

• carrot;
• nuts;
• spinach;
• meat;
• seafood;
• legumes;
• citrus fruit;
• berries (blueberries, blackberries, cherries and raspberries).

Advice! To prevent inflammation in the joints, add vitamin complexes or foods high in calcium to your diet. At the same time, the body’s recovery should be uniform, so you need to eat protein foods throughout the day.

Summary

Proper stretching at home will help you do the splits. To do this you need to follow the basic rules:

• breathe correctly;
• perform exercises technically correctly and smoothly;
• stretching each muscle group should last at least 30 seconds;
• flexibly stretch;
• exercise in the morning.

Proper nutrition is also an important factor. It is necessary to exclude salt from the diet and add calcium-containing foods, berries, citrus fruits, carrots, nuts and spinach to it.

Before you start training, you need to prepare your body well. To do this, use the same joint exercises mixed with push-ups and squats at a fast pace. As a result, you will improve muscle coordination, without which it is impossible to do the splits.

Advice! Even with technically competent execution of the exercises, it is impossible to achieve the desired result if you are not psychologically tuned to the training. The best way to fix this is to keep a diary in which you record your successes and achievements every day. As a result, you will be able to monitor your progress.

And most importantly, don't compare yourself to others. The time it takes for you to do the splits depends on many conditions: initial physical fitness, age, gender, and so on. It will be better if you compare yourself with yesterday's self. Such measures will help you focus on the results achieved, and not on what is not yet working.

Also, do not forget about good sleep, which is the basis for rapid muscle recovery. Another important factor is maintaining water balance - you need to drink at least two liters of water every day.

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A set of muscle stretching exercises

Stretching

Stretching is a training technique that allows you to make your muscles more elastic and your body more flexible. The literal translation of the word “stretching” is stretching. But the technique received its English name due to the fact that it is practiced separately from fitness and athleticism, with the goal of improving the body’s health and making it more flexible. Stretching is especially popular among middle-aged and elderly people. According to statistics, people who started doing fitness and stretching after the age of 35 look better by the age of 70 and have a higher level of flexibility than “passive” individuals.

There are several types of stretching - static, ballistic and proprioceptive muscle facilitation (PPMR). Static stretching is the usual stretching of a muscle by holding the torso in an extended position for some time. Ballistic stretching stretches the muscle through short jerking movements. PPMO is a sophisticated version of ballistic stretching; in this case, the partner helps to achieve greater stretching - through soft short pressure on the working part of the body.

A set of leg stretching exercises

The stretching program provides three types of exercises for stretching the leg muscles: exercises for stretching the quadriceps (front thigh muscles), stretching the hamstrings (back thigh muscles) and exercises for stretching the calf muscles. The legs, in addition to the front and back muscles of the thighs and calf, have many more muscles, but there is no point in stretching them further - since they are all involved in the above exercises.

Quadriceps stretch

Lie on your right side. Bend your left leg at the knee and, clasping your foot with your hand, pull it behind your back, stretching the anterior thigh muscle as much as possible. Repeat the same exercise for the other leg.

Hamstring stretch

Lie on your back, bend your knees. Using your hands, pull your legs towards you without lifting your back from the floor.

Calf stretch

Stand a step away from the wall. Step forward with one foot and place your toe against the wall. Pressing your whole body against the wall, do not lift the heel of your “working” leg. Every day, gradually increase your step width.

Back stretching exercises

The back consists of the lower back and latissimus muscles, plus many small muscles connected to them. By doing exercises to stretch the main muscles of the back, you are doing prevention for all the others.

Exercises to stretch the long back muscles (lumbar muscles)

Get down on your knees. In this case, your pelvis should be placed on the heels or between them. Lean forward and extend your arms as far as possible. As soon as you feel that your palms have reached their maximum point, continue to bend over until you feel the peak of the stretch in your lower back.

Exercise to stretch the latissimus dorsi muscles

Standing a step away from the door frame, bend down and grab the frame with your right hand. Place your left hand above it. Pull your torso back, stretching your right latissimus muscle. Repeat the same exercise for the other side.

Shoulder stretches

There are three exercises to fully stretch your shoulders. And it’s better to do all three at once. Each exercise involves specific heads of the deltoid muscles, as well as the muscles associated with the shoulder joints - the rhomboids and the muscles that rotate the scapula.

1. Straighten your arm until it is parallel to the floor. Grab the elbow of your outstretched arm with your other hand and pull it towards your opposite shoulder. Repeat the same exercise for the other shoulder.

2. Raising one hand up, bend it at the elbow, and try to reach it with the other hand, only from below. Then repeat the exercise, changing the position of your hands.

3. Place the back of your hand on your lower back, and with your other hand grab your elbow or slightly higher. Pull your arm forward until you feel a stretch in your shoulder. Repeat the exercise for the other shoulder.

Arm muscle stretching

By performing stretches for the biceps and triceps, you are doing preventive maintenance for the elbow joints, traction tendons and wrist joints.

Triceps stretch

Raising your arm up, bend it behind your head and grab her elbow with your other hand. Smoothly pull your working hand downwards. A similar exercise is for the other hand.

Biceps stretch

Grab the door jamb. In this case, the thumb of your hand should “look” down, and your hand should be parallel to the floor. Then turn around so that your gaze is in the opposite direction from the “working” hand. Standing in this position, rotate the shoulder section of your arm upward until you feel a stretch in your biceps. Repeat a similar exercise for the other hand.

Breast stretch

Standing at the door frame, rest your hands on it so that the shoulder sections of your arms are parallel to the floor. Press into the doorframe, stretching your pectoral muscles as much as possible.

Neck stretch

Neck stretching is useful not only for the prevention of diseases of the neck muscles and joints. It is useful for relieving fatigue after long mental work, as well as for relaxing the nerves after grueling athletic training. Three simple exercises performed after work or training will help you maintain your vision, recover faster and protect your neck muscles from microtrauma.

In a standing position, tilt your head down until your chin touches your chest, then take the starting position and tilt your head back; 10 – 15 repetitions. After resting for 30 seconds, tilt your head as far as possible to the left, then slowly return to the starting position and tilt your head as far as possible to the right; 8 – 10 repetitions in each direction. After a short interval, smoothly turn your head counterclockwise, then in the opposite direction.

The above set is stretching exercises for beginners. For those who simply want to maintain their muscles and joints in the right tone, such stretching is quite enough. But you must remember the conditions, non-compliance with which can cause harm. Before performing the “stretching” complex, it is necessary to perform a light fitness complex. Either perform one easy set of squats, push-ups, and pull-ups at once, or do a low-intensity athletic exercise before each exercise. For example, before stretching your leg muscles, do squats, and before stretching your biceps, do biceps curls with light weights.

Fans of athleticism and fitness should know that stretching should be performed either immediately after finishing a workout, or no earlier than 24 hours after it. If you perform stretching earlier than a day after training, this will only increase the damage and can lead to microtrauma and problems with the joints.

Stretching and flexibility exercises

The complex presented below includes exercises that can make your body more flexible. In order for the body to become more flexible, a simple complex to relieve fatigue or muscle tension is not enough. More dynamic movements are needed, performed using your own effort or with the help of a partner.

Stretching the pectoral muscles

Stand in the doorway. Rest your forearms against the door frame so that your upper arms are in one line. Make several stretching movements, pressing your chest into the doorway. Then ask your partner to press down on your back and hold your torso at the point of maximum chest stretch. Perform 3 of these holds. Before stretching, perform a light set of push-ups.

Back stretching exercise

Sitting on your heels, lean forward as much as possible, placing your outstretched arms in front of you. Pause at the bottom point, and with a slight jerking movement, bend your lower back even more. 8 – 10 repetitions. Before this exercise, perform a set of standing bends or hyperextensions.

When you get bored and the exercise for stretching the long back muscles becomes very simple, complicate it. Perform a similar exercise, but not sitting on your heels, but sitting on the floor with your legs straight.

Stretch exercise for hamstrings

Stand straight with your feet together. Lean forward, trying to reach your fingers to the floor. Do 6 - 8 measured inclinations. Then stand up straight, inhale and exhale deeply, and begin ballistic hamstring stretches. Bend as low as possible through jerking movements, touching your fingers to the floor, and stay in the lower position for as long as possible. 5 – 6 repetitions. Do a set of squats before stretching. If you have stiff joints in your legs and lower back, do the stretching exercise for the rear leg muscles from the first set after squats.

If you have sufficient flexibility and reaching the floor with your fingers is not at all a problem for you, you should prefer another exercise - stretching the hamstrings against the wall. Standing against a wall, lift your leg. Ask a partner to help you stretch your hamstrings as far as possible. 3 – 4 exercises for each leg. Before such an exercise, in any case, you need a warm-up and gentle pre-stretching.

Quadriceps stretching exercise

Standing straight, bend your right leg at the knee and grab your foot with your right hand. Pull your foot up until there is a full stretch in the anterior thigh muscle. Do 2–3 exercises for each leg. Then do the same exercise, but in ballistic mode. Perform 5 repetitions for each leg. If you do this exercise after the previous one, no preliminary warm-up is needed. If you do this as your first exercise for any reason, do a light set of squats. Then do the quadriceps stretch from the first set.

Exercise to stretch the calf muscles

Perform as many calf raises as possible while standing on a stand. Then rest for 1 – 2 minutes. Perform the donkey exercise (bent-over calf raises (torso parallel to the floor) while standing on a bar), but do not do the maximum number of repetitions. Do 5 – 6 repetitions, then stretch your calves as far as possible and hold at this point. Perform 3 sets.

Exercise to develop flexibility of arms and shoulders

Place a chair with a backrest in front of you. The back of the chair should be positioned towards you. The chair should be at such a distance from you that you can lean over and place your palms on it. Bend over, rest your palms on the back of the chair, and continue to “press.” Make 5 jerking movements without lifting your hands from the back of the chair and without changing the position of your back.

At each workout, try to increase the delay time at the bottom point. When you can hold the maximum stretch for 10 seconds without much difficulty, change the routine slightly. Remove the hamstring stretch and the donkey exercise, but include the metronome exercise. And do it after the quadriceps stretching exercise.

Exercise "Metronome"

Standing straight, feet shoulder-width apart, lean to the right side, touching your hand to the same leg. Make 8 measured movements, then grab your leg with your hand at the lowest point you can reach. Stay in this position for 5 seconds. Do 5 sets for each side.

You need to stretch after warming up. This way you can deepen the stretch without injuring your muscles and ligaments.

Warm up before stretching

When you stretch after a workout, your muscles are already warmed up and no additional warm-up is required. If you decide to arrange a separate stretching lesson, first do a few exercises:

1. Joint warm-up: twirl your joints, bend and twist your body.
2. 5-7 minutes of cardio: running or Jumping Jacks, Rock Climber, running in place with high knees, .

Once you've warmed up a bit, you can start stretching.

How and how much to stretch

With these exercises, you can arrange an independent stretching session and thoroughly stretch all the muscles of your body. However, it will take about 60–90 minutes. For a quick stretch, choose one or two exercises for each muscle group involved in the workout.

To give your muscles a good stretch, hold each pose for 30 seconds to two minutes. You can remain still or gently spring. Sudden movements can cause injury, so leave them for another sport.

We will give exercises for stretching from top to bottom: neck, shoulders and arms, chest and back, abs, buttocks, thighs, legs.

Neck stretching exercises

Tilt your head back, stretching the front of your neck. From this position, tilt your head to the left. For greater effect, place your left palm on the right side of your head, but do not press hard.

Place your right hand on the left side of your head. Tilt your head forward and to the side, increase the pressure with your hand.

Repeat on the other side.

Place one hand on the back of your head and the other on your chin. Lower your head, making a double chin. At the same time, the neck remains straight, the back of the head tends upward. You should feel it in the back of your neck, especially at the base of your skull.

Shoulder stretches

4. Front Shoulder Stretch

Place your hands behind your back, clasp your wrist with one hand and the other. Bend your elbows and lift your wrists higher. Push your chest forward and feel the stretch in the front of your shoulders.

5. Mid-Shoulder Stretch

Grab your opposite elbow with your hand, press your shoulder towards you and pull it down. Repeat with the other hand.

6. Back Shoulder Stretch

Grasp your right arm with your left above the elbow, press it to your body and straighten it, lower your right shoulder down. With your left hand, pull your right hand up, lifting it with your elbow. Feel the tension in your backside.

Repeat with the other hand.

7. Triceps stretch

Go to the wall, lift your left elbow up, and place your forearm behind your back. Lower your left shoulder blade down. To check that it has actually dropped and will not rise during the stretch, place your right hand below your left armpit.

Repeat on the other side.

8. Biceps stretch

Grab a doorknob, counter, or other support and turn your back to it. Turn your elbow upward and move your body slightly forward.

Repeat with the other hand.

This pose allows you to simultaneously stretch the triceps of one arm and the front of the shoulder of the other. Place one hand behind your back from above so that your elbow points upward, and the other from below so that your elbow points to the floor. Try to bring your wrists together at the level of your shoulder blades.

Switch hands.

10. Wrist Extensor Stretch

Sit on your knees, place your hands in front of you so that the backs of your hands touch the floor and your fingers point towards each other. Gently shift your weight into your hands, stretching your forearms. To enhance the effect, try clenching your fists.

Chest stretching exercises

11. Chest stretch in the doorway

Approach the doorway, lean your elbows on the doorframes and push your chest forward, pectoral muscles.

Place your hand on the wall, lower your shoulder and turn in the opposite direction. Repeat with the other hand.

Back stretching exercises

Stand next to a rack, exercise machine or other support, turn your left shoulder towards it. With your right hand, grab the rack high above your head and move your pelvis to the right and down, stretching the entire right side of your body.

Repeat on the other side.

14. Stretching the lower back muscles

Sit on the floor, move your right leg forward, left leg back. Bend your knees at an angle of 90 degrees or slightly more. Place your right hand on the floor, raise your left above your head. Pull your left leg down and back, tilt your body forward and twist towards your right leg.

Switch legs.

Sit on the floor, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Grasp your shins with your hands on the inside, place your wrists on your feet. Lean forward as low as possible.

Sit on the floor, buttocks should touch your heels. Lean forward, lie on your stomach on your knees and extend your arms.

Get on all fours, then move your pelvis back and up so that your body resembles an angle. Your arms and back should be stretched out in one line, your knees can be bent, and your heels can be lifted off the floor. The main thing is that your back remains straight, without rounding in the lower back.

Grab a low horizontal bar and hang freely, relaxing your body. Feet should remain on the ground. Relax them, bend your knees slightly.

Lie on the floor on your back, arms along your body, legs straight. Raise your legs and then throw them behind your head. Hands rest with elbows on the floor, hands support. Do not lean on your neck, the fulcrum is your shoulders.

Abdominal stretching exercises

Get on your knees, push your chest up, lengthening your spine, and then lean back, placing your hands on your heels. Try to bend in the thoracic region. Don't throw your head back, look up.

Lie on the floor on your stomach, place your hands under your shoulders. Push yourself up, your pelvis rises, your legs remain on the floor. Lower your shoulders, bend in the chest.

Stand straight with your feet together. Raise your arms and join your palms above your head. Bend your chest and tilt your body back. Tighten to avoid strong arching in the lower back.

Stand up straight, raise your arms above your head, clasp your fingers and turn your palms up. Stretch up and bend first to one side and then to the other.

Lie on the floor on your back, arms out to the sides, palms down. Move your pelvis to the left, lift your left leg, bending it at the knee, move it behind your right leg and try to place your knee on the floor. Turn your head to the left and relax.

Repeat the exercise on the other side.

Exercises for stretching the buttocks

25. Lying stretch

Lie on the floor on your back, raise your knees bent. Place the ankle of your left foot on the knee of your right. Press the knee of your right leg onto your left to deepen it. Repeat with the other leg.

Get on all fours, place your right ankle on your left knee. Push your pelvis back to deepen the stretch. Repeat with the other leg.

27. Seated stretching

Sit on the floor, stretch your legs forward, straighten your back. Bend one leg at the knee, grab your shin with your hands and press it to your chest. The shin should be parallel to the floor, the forearms lie on top and press it to the chest, one hand covers the other.

Repeat with the other leg.

Sit on the floor, bend one leg at the knee at a right angle and move it forward, take the other back and straighten it. You can lean forward and place your forearms on the floor.

If you find it difficult to do this pose on the floor, try placing your foot on an elevated platform.

Exercises to stretch the front of the thigh

Calf Stretching Exercises

48. Stretching against the wall

Press the toe of your right foot against the wall, take your left foot a step and a half back. The feet are pressed tightly to the floor, the left leg is straight. Try to reach the wall with your right knee, this will stretch the muscles of your left leg.

Switch legs.

Stand close to the wall. Place your right toe on the wall, take your left leg a step and a half back. Bend your left leg at the knee, increasing the stretch. Switch legs and repeat.

Sit on the floor, stretch your legs straight in front of you. Place one leg on the thigh of the other. Grab your foot with your opposite hand and pull your toe up.

Switch legs.

Each type of physical exercise has its own benefits for the body. Stretching exercises, which have recently gained popularity, are no exception. A whole trend in fitness is dedicated to them - stretching.

The benefits of stretching exercises

By regularly performing stretching exercises, you will increase the elasticity of your ligaments and tendons, as well as the mobility of your joints. During stretching, the muscles are effectively supplied with blood and nutrients, which allows them to maintain firmness and elasticity for a long time. They improve posture, make the body slimmer, more graceful and flexible.

Muscle stretching exercises are a good way to combat salt deposits and prevent hypokinesia and osteoporosis. They relieve mental stress, relax, relieve fatigue and slow down the aging process.

Rules for performing stretching exercises

1. Stretching classes should be preceded by a warm-up. Intense aerobic exercise, such as dancing, jumping, is ideal.
2. You should not experience pain while performing the exercises. There is no need to be diligent and stretch too hard.
3. When stretching, do not spring; it is better to perform “holds”.
4. You should stay in each pose for 10-30 seconds. During this time, any tension should disappear.
5. All exercises must be performed for each side.
6. When stretching any part of the body, try to concentrate all your attention on it.
7. During training, watch your breathing. Never hold it in, but don’t rush to exhale either. Ideally, breathing should be deep and measured.

A set of stretching exercises

There are many types of muscle stretching exercises, some of them are simple and suitable even for children. Others are incredibly complex and therefore can only be done by professionals. We will consider a complex that is suitable for beginners.

Neck muscle stretch

1. Stand up straight and spread your legs. Place your palm on your head and, pressing lightly with your hand, try to reach your shoulder with your ear. Repeat the movement in the other direction.

2. Place your palm on your head again. Pressing lightly on your head with your hand, tilt it to the side and forward, as if you were trying to reach your collarbone with your chin.

3. Place both palms on the back of your head. Lightly pressing them on your head, pull your chin towards your chest.

Breast stretch

1. Stand up straight with your feet slightly apart. Raise your arms to shoulder level and spread them out to the sides. Smoothly move your palms back to the maximum possible distance.

2. Stand sideways, one step away from the wall and place your palm against it, with your palm at the same level as your shoulder. Turn your body as if you were turning away from the wall.

3. Get on your knees. Straighten your arms, bend over and place your palms on the floor. In this case, the shins and thighs should be at right angles.

Back muscle stretching

1. Stand up straight with your legs slightly apart and bent. Lean forward, place your palms under your knees, and then round your back.

2. Standing on all fours, walk your arms slightly forward and to the side, and tilt your body in the same direction. Try to touch the floor with your elbows.

3. Standing on all fours, round your back upward. Hold the position briefly and then bend down.

Leg muscle stretching

All exercises must be performed for one leg, then for the other.

1. Sit on the floor and straighten your leg. Bend your left leg and place your foot on the outside of the knee of your other leg. Place the elbow of your right hand on the knee of your left leg, and rest your left palm on the floor behind you. While pressing on the knee with your elbow, pull the thigh muscles.

2. From a sitting position, stretch your right leg back and place your left leg in front of you, bending the knee. Bend your torso forward, trying to touch the floor with your elbows.