Top 10 Stretches to Help You Get Fit

Exercise does not have to be strenuous to help you gain strength and stamina. Slow stretching improves flexibility and strength while also firming and toning the body. These exercises are intended to increase suppleness, reduce tension, and firm up muscle tone.

Stretching is important in exercises that are done slowly and precisely. They will guarantee a sleeker, fitter, more supple body if done four or five times per week.

Good posture is essential, but it can only be achieved through practice. Your new position may cause you some discomfort at first. Concentrate on elongating as you inhale and working into balance as you exhale. Consider yourself tall!

POSTURE EXTENSION

• Stand with your legs hip-width apart and your feet and knees forward. Balance your weight evenly between your heels and balls of your feet, and don’t let your ankles or arches roll in or out. To avoid this, lift the toes off the ground to align them, then place them back down.
• Knees should not be locked or bent. Maintain a relaxed posture and imagine raising the kneecaps without moving them.
• Exhale and draw the navel into the spine, tucking the pelvis under (pubic bone forward) and lowering the back arch. Draw the bottom cheeks in towards each other.
• Inhale and pull your ribcage out of your waist, elongating it. As the pelvis rebalances, exhale. Allow the chest to be pushed forward.
• Inhale; as you exhale, rotate your shoulders backward and downward towards the middle of your back.
• Maintain a long back of the neck. Make your head come into contact with an imaginary handheld one inch above the top of your head.
• The entire body’s weight should be evenly distributed between the heels and balls of the feet. Relax your bottom but do not lose the lift you feel throughout your body when you feel this.

NECK STRENGTH

• Maintain proper posture. Maintain the greatest possible distance between your shoulders and your ears. Bring your chin forward slightly. Inhale and exhale by lengthening your neck, then bringing your ear down to one shoulder and holding for five seconds, making sure the opposite shoulder does not lift up. To keep the shoulders still, draw the elbows down consciously. Repeat on each side twice.
• Begin as described above, but turn your head to one side to look as far behind you as possible. Return to the center, then to the opposite side. Keep the shoulders down by drawing the elbows downwards once more. Hold each side for 10 seconds. Repeat twice more.

STRETCH YOUR UNDERARMS

• Maintain proper posture by keeping your feet slightly apart. Slightly tilt your head forward. Raise your left arm behind you. Bend the elbow slightly.
• Inhale and, as you exhale, pull on your right arm with your right hand, gradually stretching until you feel a comfortable stretch along the underarm. Hold for about 10-15 seconds.
• Place your left hand on your right shoulder blade. Inhale and, as you exhale, gently shift your pull line downwards, towards your shoulder blades. Hold for about 10-15 seconds. Repeat the movement with different arms.

SHOULDER BLADES EXTEND

• Maintain proper posture by keeping your feet hip-width apart. Hands should be interlocked above the head, with elbows bent.
• Inhale and draw the navel into the spine. Exhale and gradually bring your elbows behind your head to the left, center, and right before bringing them in front of you (create a circle).
• Throughout, keep your shoulders down. The movement should not include the head or upper body.
• Circles should be repeated three times in each direction.

SHOULDERS / BLADES FOR SHOULDERS

• Maintain proper posture by keeping your feet hip-width apart. Hold your arms out in front of you at shoulder height, palms facing.
• As you exhale, keep your arms at shoulder level and slowly take them backward, ensuring that your fingers and palms are fully extended. To make the movement, only use your arms and shoulders. Do not use your head or neck.
• Keep your head and body stable by pulling your navel into your spine and allowing your shoulders to do all of the work. If you lean forward or raise your shoulders, the exercise will be ineffective. Hold the position for five seconds. Rep the movement a few times.

THIGH STRETCH IN THE FRONT

• Standing on one leg, grasp the ankle (not the arch) of the other foot with your hand while holding on to the back of a chair. Make sure the standing leg’s foot is facing forward and the knee is relaxed. It should not be locked too tightly.
• Move your bent leg forward without raising your hip. Avoid clinging to the chair for support.
• Inhale and raise your rib cage. Pull your navel into your spine and tilt your tailbone forward as you exhale. The pubic bone should be parallel to the hips.
• Inhale while maintaining the lift in the rib cage. Exhale by shrugging your shoulders back and squeezing your shoulder blades together. Remember to keep your tailbone tucked in the entire time.
• Inhale and continue to lift the rib cage, keeping the navel pulled in. Exhale and draw leg backward to align the thighs without releasing the tilted tail bone. Straighten your arm and feel an upward stretch in the chest and a downward stretch in the front of the thigh. Instead of bouncing the leg backward, hold the position until you feel comfortable, then release. Repeat with the other legs.

STRETCHING OF THE CHEST AND SPINE

• Stand about an arm’s length away from a wall, feet hip-width apart, legs and feet forward.
• Raise both arms above your head and place them shoulder-width apart on the wall. Make sure your palms and fingers are stretched to their limits and your elbows are locked straight.
• Inhale, draw your navel into your spine and tilt your pelvis forward (to keep the stress off the small of the back). Lift the chest forward and upwards towards the wall as you exhale, drawing the shoulder blades together and down at the back (chest and breastbone lifting, shoulder blades dropping).
• Maintain a straight slant by keeping the pelvis firm and not allowing the bottom to protrude; otherwise, you will strain your back. You’ll feel your chest expand and your spine lengthens, as well as a stretch in your arms and shoulders. Start with 15 seconds and work your way up to 30.

SPINAL EXTENSION

• Kneel on all fours, legs in a straight line with the hips and hands (palms down, fingers flat and forwards) slightly forward of the shoulders. Legs should be hip-width apart, and arms should be shoulder-width apart. The back should be untroubled.
• Inhale. Exhale, draw the navel into the spine, and arch back as far as you can, relaxing the head and back of the neck. Shoulders should be pressed down towards the shoulder blades. Hold this stretch for five to ten seconds at a time. Relax. Rep three times more.

SIDE STRETCH COMPLETE

• Imagine a line painted down one side of your body, from your wrist to your underarm, past the side of your knee, and down to your ankle.
• Lie sideways on an exercise mat or thick blanket directly on this line, lengthening your body until your lower hip bone is parallel to the top. Arms should be extended over and under the head, just behind the ears. The head should not be pushed forward.
• Bend the lower leg at a 40-degree angle to the body for balance, aligning the knee and heel. Check that the upper body and shoulders have not dropped forward of the hips, as this will cause the back to curve.
• With the lower hand, grasp the top arm 7.5 cm (3inches) above the wrist. Flex the top leg’s foot until the heel is square with the knee and the toes and knees are facing forward. Tilt the pelvis to ensure that the small of the back is kept flat.
• Inhale. Exhale, maintain the tilt, draw the navel firmly into the spine, and lift the top leg off the ground in a straight line with (but no higher than) the hip. Check that the foot has not moved forward and that the hips have remained stable. From the nape of the neck to the tailbone, the spine should be one straight line that is aligned with the back of the head and the heel of the foot.
• Inhale. Exhale while pulling the navel in and lifting the rib cage towards the shoulders. Stretch the hip and leg in the opposite direction (pushing with a firm heel) until the waist opens up. Instead of pulling on the shoulder socket with the arm, focus on lengthening the chest upwards.
• Relax the foot and hold the position for 10-15 seconds once the stretch feels comfortable. Switch to the other side. One more time, repeat the movement.

TENDON STRETCH AND HAMSTRING

• Kneel on all fours, with legs hip-width apart and a straight line formed by the knees and feet.
• Bring one leg up in front of the hip, making sure the knee is over the heel.
• Align your hip bones and shoulders so that your hips and upper body are facing forward. Curl the back leg’s toes under the foot so that the heel and knee form a straight line.
• Place both hands (shoulders square) shoulder-width apart on either side of the front foot.
• Inhale. Pull the navel into the spine and shrug the shoulders back away from the ears as you exhale, pulling the chest forward and raising the back knee off the ground. By pressing the heel away from you, you can try to open the back of the knee. Do not jiggle your hips. You must maintain a straight slant in the back by not allowing the hips to drag down. (Doing so will cause the hip of the stretched leg to hang down, throwing your weight off balance, twisting the groin, and pinching the lower back.) This position, if executed correctly, should be quite comfortable. Pull your hold into your spine.
• Make a flat back foot. Exhale and move your hips backward (hip bones parallel) until they are directly over the back knee. Inhale, keep the navel pulled in, and exhale without changing the alignment of your legs, shoulders, and arms. Your front leg will extend, but your hands will remain on the floor.
• Inhale. Exhale, draw your navel in, align your hips, and evenly distribute your weight. Lengthen your spine and bring your chest as close to your front leg as you can while keeping your shoulders pressed back from your ears. (Any back pain indicates that your hips are uneven or that you have leaned too far forward.) The stretch in the front hamstring should be pleasant. (If you experience pins and needles or stress, this indicates that your legs have not been sufficiently warmed up or that you are over-stretching.)
• Hold the stretch for 10-15 seconds before bringing your body back to the center and bending both knees. Place the front leg under the body and relax on the floor, with the bottom on the heels and the head on the arms. Repeat the movement with different legs.

Remember

Simple stretch movements also help to build strong muscles. Holding the stretched position provides strength. Muscles may shudder if the exercise is done correctly because they are working hard. Stretching firms and lengthens the muscles, resulting in slender, streamlined muscles. When done regularly and correctly, they can help you cope with life’s stresses while also promoting a sleeker, suppler body.

Stretching improves flexibility, particularly in the spine, which houses the central nervous system and its connections to every other part of the body. Stretching causes muscles to relax, which improves circulation and allows waste to leave the tissues. As a result, it is an effective cellulite treatment.

Stretching has profound psychological benefits in addition to its physical benefits. It is well known that there is a link between emotional tension and muscle tightness. Gently lengthening the muscles aids in the removal of such tension. Nothing seems to work quite as well for releasing stress, which, if not released, contributes to fatigue and other problems.

Disclaimer

The Content is not meant to be a replacement for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any questions about a medical condition, always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider.