FLEXIBILITY EXERCISES

MUSCLES STRETCHED

Primary Chest

Secondary  Anterior (front) shoulders

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Stand directly in the middle of a single doorway.

·         With triceps parallel to the floor, place your forearms against the inside of the doorway

·         Slowly step or learn forward to the furthest comfortable position, so that you feel a comfortable stretch in the chest and anterior shoulder muscles.

·         Hold this position for at least 15-30 seconds.

MUSCLE STRETCHED

Back

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Lean forward and support your hands on a higher than waist height chair back, table or ledge.

·         Keeping you knees straight and heel down, exhale and press your chest towards the floor and flatten your back like a table.

·         Inhaling, shift your weight slightly forward to release. 
Repeat 5 times.

MUSCLE STRETCHED

  Buttocks

INSTRUCTIONS

• Stand straight with your hands resting on a chair.

• Keep your hips parallel to the chair, stomach in and buttockstucked under.

• Bend one knee and turn it out to the side.

• Inhale.

• Exhaling, press your knee farther back.

• Repeat 25 times, then on the other side.
  

Quadriceps

INSTRUCTIONS

·   Stand with your left hand resting against a wall for balance.

·   Feet slightly apart and knees slightly bent.

·    Raise your right leg towards your buttock and hold your foot or ankle and gently ease it farther up.

MUSCLES STRETCHED

Primary : Anterior (front) shoulders

Secondary : Chest

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Stand upright with shoulders back, chest out, and feet hip-width apart.

·         Slowly lift hands up and away from your body until they have reached the furthest comfortable position.

·         Keep your chest out and your chin in without hunching over.

·         Clasp your hands behind your buttocks

·         Once you feel a comfortable stretch in your chest and anterior shoulders, hold this position for at least 15-30 sec.

MUSCLES STRETCHED

Posterior (rear)-shoulders

INSTRUCTIONS

·  Stand upright with feet hip width apart

·  With one arm fully extended, draw the biggest circle you can across  your body.

·  Inhale as your arm goes up and exhale as it comes down.

·  Alternate five times each arm.

MUSCLES STRETCHED

Lats. (Latisimus Dorsi) and upper back

INSTRUCTIONS

·  With both hands, grasp a very sturdy bar, such as a rack, waist high

·  Stand with feet hip width apart.

·  Slowly squat down and lean back, while keeping arms extended forward, until you feel a comfortable stretch in your Lats. And upper back.

·  Hold in the furthest comfortable position for at least 15-30 seconds.

Upper back

INSTRUCTIONS

·  Stand with your knees bend, buttocks against wall, feet 6 inches from the wall.

·  Drop your head and shoulders.

·  Pull your stomach in as you slowly roll up by pressing one vertebra at a time against the wall.

Primary-Triceps

Secondary-shoulders

INSTRUCTIONS

·  Sit or stand with your back straight.

·  Bend one arm over your shoulder and reach down your back to feel a stretch

·  Alternatively, hold the elbow with the other hand and gently pull it behind your  
     head until you feel the stretch

·  Repeat on both sides.
    

Biceps

INSTRUCTIONS

·  Stand upright with your feet hip width apart.

·  Open your arms wide apart  and stretch them wide apart  your arm should be parallel to the floor.

·  Slowly turn away the arms from the body until you feel a comfortable stretch in your biceps.

·  Hold the position for at least 15-30 seconds.

MUSCLES STRETCHED

Lower back

INSTRUCTIONS

·  Sit straight balanced on the buttock bones, feet flexed, inhale as you reach out.

·  Exhaling, stretch forward, keeping knee straight.

·  Grasp the legs or toes, dropping head forwards. Breathe deeply.

·  Hold for 1 min and then repeat.

INSTRUCTIONS

Get down on your hands and knees, Let your abdomen slowly drop down, allowing your lower back to bend downwards and stretch.

Hold this position for 5-10 seconds.

Next slowly arch your back as much as possible and hold for at least 5-10 seconds.

Now sit back on heels with your arms extended out straight. Hold this position for at least 5-10 seconds.

Lower Back, Hamstring

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Lie on your back with your knees bent. Grasp your hands together and hold your shins.

·        Gently pull one knee toward your chest lifting your feet off the floor.
Once you feel a comfortable stretch in your lower back, hold this position for at least 15-30 seconds. Repeat.

MUSCLES STRETCHED

Lower back and hips

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Lie comfortable on one side

·         Place your top leg to the level of your hip

·         Gently bend your knees towards your chest slide your leg back to starting position; hold still and feel the weight your leg, then let it draw. Wobble to lose your body. 

·         Repeat 3 times each side.

INSTRUCTIONS

·  From a standing position, take a large step forward with your right foot until your feet are about 22 inches apart.

·  Lean into your right leg so it is bent at a 90 degree angle and your knee is directly above your ankle

·  Put your hands on the floor for support or the leg not being worked.

·  Now slowly push your hips down and forward until you feel a convertible stretch in your hips.

·  Hold this position for at least 15-30 seconds and repeat stretching the other side.

MUSCLE STRETCHED

Buttocks , Lower back

INSTRUCTIONS

·         If you are weak or have back pain, start with this buttock tightening exercise.

MUSCLE STRETCHED

Inner Thigh

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Lie on your side with your head on your hand.

·         Cross the top leg over, keeping the knee up and foot flat

·         Do not roll forward or back.

·         Keep the bottom leg straight with foot flexed.

·         Inhale.

·         Exhaling, lift the bottom leg up by squeezing the inner thigh muscle tightly.

·         Keeping the leg off the floor, continue breathing regularly and raise and lower it 25 times.

·         Repeat on the other side.

Groin (inner thigh)

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Sitting upright with the soles of your feet together and knee pointed outward .

·         Gently pull your heels towards your groin and slowly press the inside of your knees towards the floor.

·         Once you feel a comfortable stretch in your groin hold this position for at least 15-30 seconds.

INSTRUCTIONS

·  Sit with your lower back against the wall, one knee bent, the other leg stretched straight with foot flexed.

MUSCLE WORKED

Inner and outer thighs

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Lie on your back with hands clasped behind your head.

·         Bring your knees into your chest above your waist.

·         Inhale as open the knees.

·         Exhale as you extend legs wide apart.

·         Inhale to bring the legs together straight and exhale to bend the knees.

·         Feel the resistance to make hip and thigh muscles tighten.

·         Repeat 10 times.

Quadriceps, hips, hamstring

INSTRUCTIONS

·         Lie on your side with your head on your hand.

·         Bend both knees to a right angle to your body, checking the alignment at the hips.

·         Stretch the top leg straight, foot flexed with the toes in line with your waist.

·         Inhale.

·         As you exhale, lift the leg as high as you can without rolling back.

·         Inhaling, slowly lower the leg almost to the floor and repeat 15 times.
 Change sides and repeat.

MUSCLE STRETCHED

Hamstring

INSTRUCTIONS

·  Stand with one leg supported at a lower-than-waist height, foot flexed.

·  Reach up and over the extended leg to the furthest comfortable point.

·  Grasping the leg firmly, slowly bend and straighten the knee.

·   Feel the stretch in your hamstring muscle. Change the legs and repeat. Repeat    three times on each side.

Hamstrings

INSTRUCTIONS  

·    Sit upright with your right leg straight. Bend your left leg, letting the knee drop a  bit to the side but keeping the foot flat.  Rest your arms on either side of right      leg.

·    Feel the stretch in your hamstring muscles  and repeat on the other leg

 MUSCLE STRETCHED

Anterior Tibialis

INSTRUCTIONS

• Using a wall or chair as support, place your left foot behind your
  right foot, with the top of your left on the ground.

• Extend the bottom of your left shin as far forwards as possible.

• Slowly lower yourself by bending both legs.

• Once you have stretched your anterior tibialis to the furthest
  comfortable position, hold for at least 15-30 seconds.

• Switch legs and repeat.

MUSCLE STRETCHED

Calves

INSTRUCTIONS

·   Stand facing a wall with your feet slightly apart and pointing forwards.

·    Step forwards onto a bent left leg. Rest hands on the wall for balance, deepen the bend on the left leg and ease the right leg backwards.

·   Hold the stretch for 10 seconds and repeat.

MUSCLE STRETCHED

MUSCLE STRETCHED

All  Abdominal, Lower back

INSTRUCTIONS

MUSCLE STRETCHED

Forearms

INSTRUCTIONS

·   Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart

·  Your palms should be touching each other with the bottom of   your wrists facing the floor.

 ·    Slowly lower your wrists until you feel a comfortable stretch in your forearms. Hold this position for 15-30 seconds.

Muscles stretched: 

hips, buttocks, and lower back 

Instructions: 

• Sit on the floor with both of your legs extended in front of you.

• Bend your right leg over your left leg, keeping your right foot flat on the floor outside the left knee.

• Place your left elbow on the outside of your right knee, and extend your right arm behind you with your palm flat on the floor for support.

• Slowly twist your upper body to the right while looking over your right shoulder. 

• Lightly apply pressure with your left elbow on the outside of your right knee as you twist. Be sure to keep your upper body straight. 

• Once you feel a comfortable stretch in your hips, buttocks, and lower back, hold this position for at least 15-30 seconds.

• Switch sides and repeat.