Are you skipping your stretches when you work out?
As someone who always used to be rushed, and really only wanted the intensity of the exercise, I know well how easy it is to skip stretches to “not waste 5 mins” and carry on with my day. It’s easy to make excuses from lack of time to lack of flexibility.
Now, after many years in the fitness industry, I’ve come to appreciate and fully understand the importance of stretching - both throughout your workout and when you finish exercising. Those few minutes of stretching really are CRUCIAL to making your workout more effective and safe. Not to mention that, seriously, those 5 minutes won’t make your day more efficient, but they will have a huge positive impact on your body!
Here are some reasons why we all need to stretch (plus 7 great stretches to try):
Benefits of stretching
Long, lean muscles. When we stretch, we restore and improve the length of our muscles
Improved flexibility and range of movement, which allows us to move freely while avoiding muscle and tendon injuries.
Improved blood circulation. When stretching, we increase the blood flow to the muscles and improve circulation. This can increase flow of nutrients to the muscles and help with removal of toxins, improving recovery and repair of the muscle tissues.
Reduce pain and muscle soreness. Stretching helps with removal of accumulated “waste products” in the muscles, such as lactic acid, that build up when we exercise and create micro tears (all super normal). If we don’t stretch and allow for the proper release and flow of lactic acid and other waste, we get sore and it can affect our performance (and health).
Reduce risk of injury. Stretching as mentioned above helps to release tension, soreness, release waste, all of which are KEY to reduce our risk on injury, especially when exercising daily.
Here are 7 of my favorite stretch routines (that I incorporate regularly in my balance barre and power yoga classes):
I recommend choosing 3-4 of these stretches to do at each of your workouts, and dedicating at least a minute to each.
1. Low lunge and Half Split
INSTRUCTIONS: From a plank or downward dog, step one foot forward in between the hands and lower the back knee. Raise arms, lenthening the spine, option to lean back a little for more spinal stretch, then extend hips back into a half-spiit and lean forward as much as feels comfortable, trying to keep a long spine.
Benefits of low lunge & half split: Streches legs, hip flexors and groin, as well as lenthening and stretching the spine - increasing flexibility of hips and backs of your legs. The half split also helps stimulate the abdominal organs and strech the low back as you fold over. The low lunge is also great at relieving sciatica pain.
2. Figure 4 stretch – standing, sitting and/or lying down
Figure 4 standing up (you can do it facing your barre/chair, resting both hand, and sitting back into chair position, keeping a straight spine if possible). Switch sides.
Here is a flow of figure 4 sitting down, then double figure 4 (often called double pigeon) then figure 4 reclined on the back. Repeat on other side.
Fiugre 4 can be done standing (first video), as well as sitting down on a mat or lying down on your back (second video).
INSTRUCTIONS:
Standing Figure 4: Stand with feet hips width apart, place one foot over the other thigh and sit back into an imaginary chair. To intensify, press the knee towards the floor. Make sure to keep spine long and core active. Repeat on the other side.
Sitting Figure 4: Sit on the mat with legs extended out in front of you, bend one leg placing foot on top of thigh, then lean forward pressing knee down. Option to also bend bottom leg aligning top and bottom shins. Repeat on the other side.
Reclined Figure 4: Lie down on your back, extend legs up, then again bend one leg placing foot on top of thigh. option to interlace fingers behind the straight leg and then bend that knee. To go deeper into the strech you can interlace fingers on top of the knee/shin. Repeat on the other side.
*Stay for a few breaths each time, breathing deep.
Benefits of FIgure 4: stretches glutes, lower back and outer hips. Standing version in particular helps strenthen legs, core and improves your balance.
3. Downward dog + Pigeon pose
INSTRUCTIONS:
Downward dog: Step into downward dog, hands a bit wider than shoulders, feet a bit more narrow than hips. Press tailbone to ceiling and chest towards legs, keeping core active and neck/head relaxed. Breathe.
Pigeon: Then bring one knee towards the same elbow and lower knee behind same wrist, foot falling behind opposite wrist. Then lengthen spine and fold forward. Breathe. Repeat on the other side.
Benefits of downward dog and pigeon: Downward dog is one of the best full body active streches. Stretches the legs and arms, specifically shoulders, hamstrings, calves and even the ankles and arches of the feet. At the same time, it builds strength in your upper body and stimulates blood flow. In pigeon pose, you stretch more the hips/ hip flexors and glutes (Its my favorite glute strectch) as well as stretching upper chest and shoulder blades. This pose also helps stimulate all your internal organs.
4. Single leg stretch - with side bends
INSTRUCTIONS: Open legs into a wide straddle, then bring one heel in towards the groin. Strech arms up and side bend over the straight leg. First look up, opening the chest, and then look down folding over the leg, bringing nose towards knee. Switch sides and repeat on other side.
Benefits of single leg side-bend: stretches arms, legs, spine and inner thighs.
5. Forward fold – standing and/or sitting
Forward fold is on of my favorite stretches but can be very challenging for anyone who lacks flexibility of spine/legs. However it is very beneficial and you shouldn’t give up even if you can’t bring your chest too close to the legs; with time your flexibilty will improve and benefits are enormous!
INSTRUCTIONS:
Standing forward fold: Stand with feet parallel hips distance. Stretch arms up, then fold at the waist bringing chest towards the legs. Option to grab the back of your calves. Relax head/neck/shoulders and breathe.
Sitting forward fold: Sit on your mat with legs extended out in front of you. Fold at the waist, keeping a long spine, bringing your head towards your feet. Try not to curve the back too much, keeping an open chest, focusing on lenthening the spine with each breath. Stay for a few deep breaths.
Benefits of forward fold: stretches the entire backside of the body – from head to heels - and it said to be very calming to the nervous system. It also helps tone and stimulate the internal organs.
6. Bridge + reclined spinal twist
INSTRUCTIONS:
Bridge: Lie on your back and bend your knees, feet flat on the mat hips width distance. First tuck the tailbone under and slowly lift the hips as high as you can go. Then slightly lift the chest and try to bring shoulders under to deepen shoulder/chest stretch. Option to interlace fingers.
Supine twist: Then lower hips, bring knees into chest and let knees fall to one side, stay for a few breaths, then let knees fall to the other side, again staying for a few breaths. To intensify the spinal twist, look over opposite shoulder while trying to keep shoulder blades on the mat.
Benefits of bridge: Opens (and stretches) shoulders and chest, while strengthening glutes, quads, hamgstrings, pelvic muscles and the entire “CORE”. Practicing regularly also helps with posture!
Benefits of supine twist: Stretches your shoulders, chest, hips, spine, lower and upper back (helping to relieve stiffness/pain in any of these areas). Also, this pose helps to relieve constipation (and practicing it regularly can help prevent constipation).
7. Elevated single leg stretch + arm stretches
INSTRUCTIONS: Lift one leg onto a barre/chair/sturdy elevated surface about hip height (or lower if you have any back issues). Stretch arms up lengthening torso, then bend opposite arm as leg, bringing hand between shoulder blades to stretch shoulder and triceps. Then bring that arm across the chest for a chest and shoulder stretch. Then interlace both hands behind the back and forward hold for a deeper shoulder / chest stretch (as well as entire spine). Switch sides.
Benefits of elevated leg stretch + arm stretches: Stretches hamstrings and calves, plus your entire back as your forward fold. Add arm stretches help to loosen, lengthen, stretch and tone the chest and upper back, triceps and shoulders.