com, Flexibility and stretching routine she led content and editorial strategy. Ahd Flexibility and stretching routine left ear to your Flexxibility shoulder. Ideally, a healthy workout rougine would include all four types of exercise. Keep your bottom leg straight and bend your top knee so your foot is by your butt. Stretching exercises primarily fall into four types: dynamic, active, passive, and static. Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Katie Thompson.

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30 Min FLEXIBILITY + STRETCHING + MOBILITY ROUTINE - Full Body - Beginner Friendly, YOGA Inspired

Flexibility and stretching routine -

Focusing only on strength training or cardio and skipping stretching can put you at risk for injury and pain, Cyrelson says. By doing a ton of work that contracts the muscles which shortens them and never stretching lengthening them, your muscles can end up imbalanced, she explains.

This can cause some muscles and joints to overcompensate for other ones that are too tight to engage properly, increasing your risk of strains, discomfort, and even injuries.

A greater range of motion can mean better muscle recruitment while strength training, as SELF reported previously. For example, more movement in your hips and knees plus flexibility in the surrounding muscles and tendons can allow you to sink deeper into a squat.

The benefits of stretching extend beyond the gym too. Doing static stretches consistently may help reverse muscle shortening that happens when you are in the same position for too long i.

sitting all day and alleviate any related stiffness and achiness. It can help loosen up all those tight spots you feel in, say, your hamstrings when you lean over to pick something up off the floor, or the front of your hips when you stand up from your chair after sitting for a while.

Improving your mobility and flexibility makes these daily activities easier. In general, stretching is just good to do regularly, so feel free to start or end your day with it. You may also want to take a quick stretch break or multiple ones throughout the day to combat tightness in areas you know tend to feel stiff—even just a few minutes here and there can be helpful.

In these instances, static stretches are all you really need to get the job done. But always go with what feels best for you! The exact stretches you do in one session will depend on what your body needs at that time. If you tend to feel tight in certain spots, or know you struggle with flexibility or ROM in specific areas, you can do some dedicated stretching that focuses on that.

They can let you know which specific moves might be best for your individual needs. Your neck and upper back will feel a release too. If your hamstrings are tight, bend your knees gently or place your hands on a yoga block.

By Krissy Brady. By Ashia Aubourg. By Sara Coughlin. The piriformis muscle is a deep internal hip rotator located on the outside of your butt.

Keep your front heel firmly locked into the floor—wearing sneakers can help you get a better grip on the floor and wall. The triceps stretch—one of the most popular upper-body stretches out there—loosens up the muscles on the back of your upper arms, plus your neck and shoulders, making it great to do after a chest workout or arms routine.

This classic stretch targets your quad muscles in the bent leg. If needed, place your non-working hand on a desk or wall for balance. This lunging motion stretches your inner thighs and hip adductor muscles, which are responsible for pulling your leg toward the center of your body, like when you bring your legs in during a jumping jack.

It targets your chest and shoulders, in particular. Lunges both stretch and strengthen your hips, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and even muscles in your ankles. The side bend is a great way to gently stretch your torso, specifically your obliques side abs and the intercostal muscles those between your ribs.

Doing it in this kneeling position—with one leg extended to the side—gets the muscles of your hips and inner thigh involved too. The lying-down version, as opposed to the typical standing variation, takes balance out of the equation, so you can really focus on melting into the move.

Instructors often cue happy baby at the end of a vinyasa flow yoga class. Shanna Tyler , NYC-based yoga instructor and founder of Temple Bodii , tells SELF that this pose stretches your lower back in a gentle way—plus, it engages your abs, which further supports your spine.

By taking out the legs portion, you can really sink deep into the back and shoulders. Another classic stretch, for a reason: Pulling your knee into your chest feels really great if the back of your body is tight.

Gently twisting your spine can give you a much-needed stretch, but for some people, it can feel a bit irritating. If you feel discomfort or pain in your lower back, stop.

Karen Joubert, DPT, owner of Joubert Physical Therapy in Beverly Hills, tells SELF that most people tend to forget to stretch their necks. But relieving tension there—with a simple neck stretch like this one—can make a positive impact on the rest of your upper body, from your shoulders to your spine.

This stretch technically targets your hamstrings, but it also will loosen up your calf muscles and glutes at the same time.

This is an excellent stretch to do at the end of a workout as a releasing pose, Murray says. It stretches your inner thighs and hip muscles. SELF does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Any information published on this website or by this brand is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional.

Fitness Food Health Love Beauty Life Conditionally Shopping. Video Challenges Workouts Newsletter Signup. Save this story Save this story. What kind of stretching should you do?

Why is stretching so important? Savanna Ruedy. Start by standing with your feet together. Take a big step forward with your left foot so that you are in a staggered stance. Bend your left knee and drop into a lunge, keeping your right leg straight behind you with your toes on the ground so you feel a stretch at the front of your right thigh.

Place your right hand on the floor and twist your upper body to the left as you extend your left arm toward the ceiling. Hold for at least 30 seconds. Repeat on the other side. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, and arms by your sides. Exhale as you fold forward from the hips and bring your head towards the floor.

Tuck your chin under, relax your shoulders, and think about extending the crown of your head toward the floor to create a long spine.

Keep your knees straight but with a gentle bend so that they are not locked out. This will help protect your back. Touch the floor with your fingertips. You can also wrap your arms around your legs if that feels comfortable to you.

Bend your knees and roll up slowly, starting with the lower back and stacking one vertebra at a time, to return to standing. Most Popular. Sit on the floor with both legs extended in front of you.

Cross your right leg over your left and place your right foot flat on the floor. Place your right hand on the floor behind your body. Place your left hand on your right quad or your left elbow on your right knee as shown and press your right leg to the left as you twist your torso to the right.

If the spinal rotation bothers your back, take it out and simply use your left hand to pull your right quad in and to the left.

Katie Thompson. Stand with a wall in front of you in a staggered stance—one foot close to the wall and one about a foot back. Place your palms on the wall for support. Bring your front foot close to the wall, putting your hell on the floor and toes up against the wall.

Put your weight into your front foot so you can feel the stretch along the lower part of your front leg. To intensify the stretch, you can rise up on the toes of your back foot and bring your chest closer to the wall.

Hold for at least 30 seconds, then switch sides and repeat. Kneel, sit, or stand tall with feet hip-width apart and arms extended overhead. Bend your right elbow and reach your right hand to touch the top-middle of your back.

Reach your left hand overhead and grasp just below your right elbow. Gently pull your right elbow down and toward your head. Switch arms and repeat. Meiko Arquillos. Stand with your feet together. Bend your left knee and use your left hand to pull your left foot toward your butt.

Keep your knees together. If you need to, put one hand on a wall for balance. Squeeze your glutes to increase the stretch in the front of your legs. Repeat on the other leg. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor. Cross your left foot over your right quad.

Lift your right leg off the floor. Grab onto the back of your right leg and gently pull it toward your chest. When you feel a comfortable stretch, hold there. Switch sides and repeat. They may be worse in people who sit for extended periods of time. This stretch is the ultimate full body stretch.

This will stretch the legs and hamstrings. Spinal twists are a great release exercise: They can help improve back pain and increase mobility. If you have any disk or spinal problems that may worsen with twisting, skip this exercise.

This hip opening stretch is effective for both men and women. It helps decrease tension in the hips and muscles on the inside of the thighs. Tightness in the chest and shoulders is often found in people with poor posture. This can lead to bigger problems later in life. Doing daily chest-opening stretches can help prevent tightness and promote proper posture and better breathing.

Stretching for only a few minutes a day can be beneficial and allow you to keep your normal range of motion throughout your life. For those who are active, it may be best to do your stretches after you work out.

For everyone, try incorporating these stretches today to help improve your flexibility and ward off back pain and poor posture in the future. Stretching is best after physical activity. Pre-exercise stretching is likely not beneficial to sport performance.

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. Seniors who stretch twice a week for just 10 minutes may improve mobility. They also might increase flexibility. There are many reasons why we stretch.

It can boost your flexibility, improve circulation, and reduce pain, stress, and tension in your muscles. Many people neglect stretching, but it can make a difference in how your muscles respond to exercise.

It warms your muscles, and warm muscle are more…. Targeting heart rate zones as you exercise is one way to maximize the benefits you get from your workouts.

Learn about your different heart rate zones…. There are several causes of numbness in your toes and feet when you run, ranging from poor-fitting shoes to health conditions like diabetes.

For people who run or do other aerobic exercises on a regular basis, starting up a low heart rate training program may be frustrating at first. The average 5K time depends on a few factors, including age, sex, and fitness level.

But, you can expect to finish a 5K in roughly 30 to 40 minutes. Thinking about using an AI tool like ChatGPT to help you get in shape? Here are the pros and cons health experts say you should consider. We're testing the Lululemon product for you and weighing in on whether the trend has past or if it's still worth the hype.

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