Leg stretching exercises are essential to prevent muscle imbalance and posture problems associated with it. Thanks to stretching, the body gains flexibility, movements become more dexterous, and coordination of movements in everyday life and during sports improves.

A good leg stretch will come in handy for more than just showing off beautiful splits. Boxers need it for some punches, dancers - for performing dance elements, swimmers - for a correct jump into the water and fast swimming. For a person who is far from sports, stretching the muscles of the legs will help protect the joints from hardening, improve blood circulation in the legs, and make the gait easy.

There are many motives for doing leg stretching exercises, and each has their own, the methods of stretching the muscles are also different. The choice of methodology is determined by the level of training of a person and his goals.

The Beginner Leg Stretch consists of a few simple exercises that can be done regularly to get you into a good split. The main thing is regularity and caution. For successful training, it is enough to have the necessary minimum of information about and a responsible approach to business.

Stretching the legs

• Exercise 1

Bend your torso forward as low as possible, stretch smoothly, “spring” with a small amplitude, return to the starting position.

• Exercise 2

Starting position - sitting on the floor, straight legs spread as wide as possible.

Holding the lower leg with your hands, perform the lowest possible slope to the right leg, “spring” from 10 to 50 times, return to the starting position. Repeat with the left leg.

• Exercise # 3

Starting position - sitting on the floor, straight legs are shifted.

Bend as low as possible, pulling your torso to your legs with your hands, "spring" 10-50 times. Ideally, you should touch your knees with your head.

Stand up straight. Slowly move your legs out to the sides so far as to feel the tension in the inner thigh muscles. As a result, an angle of 120-140 ° should form between the legs.

Then tilt your torso down and put your elbows on the floor or slowly, without jerking, stretch to the floor. The back is straight. Feeling the tension, fix the position for 5-30 seconds.

Every day try to spread your legs wider and increase the interval of immobility.

The end result of this exercise for should be a cross twine.

Starting position - stand on the floor, keeping your body straight.

Extend your right leg backward and your left leg forward as far apart as possible. Bend your leg forward at the knee, dropping down. The angle of the bent knee should be 90 degrees. The back is straight. As soon as you feel a stretch in the muscles, relax your core, putting more pressure on your legs, and stay in this position for 30-60 seconds.

During the exercise, connect your hands to the lock behind the body, or place them on the thigh or floor.

Repeat the exercise with the other leg in front.

Starting position - standing with a straight body.

Step back to the side with your right leg, bending it at the knee and thereby lowering the torso down. The foot of a perfectly straight left foot should be completely flat on the floor and pointed toe first. When you feel a sufficient stretch of the muscles, fix the pose for the maximum possible time (up to a minute).

Repeat the exercise with a symmetrical lunge.

Starting position - standing straight, feet shoulder-width apart.

Without bending your knees, perform at least 12 springy downward bends, trying to put your palm on the floor.

Starting position - sitting on the floor with bent knees and feet tightly pressed together. Palms on the feet. Elbows rest on knees.

Slowly press on your knees with your elbows, tilting your torso forward. The back should be straight at all times. Having reached the maximum possible stretch of the muscles, fix the position for a few seconds, gradually bringing the tension time to a minute.

Repeat the exercise several times.

Starting position - sitting on the floor with straight legs shifted.

Stretch your arms forward as far as possible. Lock in position of maximum tension.

Repeat the exercise several times.

Standing straight, use your arms to bend one leg at the knee so that the heel is pressed against the buttock. You can lean against a wall with one hand to maintain balance. In this case, the knees should be in one line, and the hips should be tightly closed.

Roll the pelvis forward and upward, linger for one minute.

For more tension, bring your knee back.

Repeat with the other leg.

Lying on the floor, bend both knees, relaxing your upper body. Grasp your right knee with both hands and place your left ankle on your right knee.

Slowly pull your right knee toward you.

Repeat the exercise for the left leg.

Starting position - facing the wall, resting your palms on the wall.

Take your right leg back half a meter without lifting your foot off the floor. If you feel tension in your calves and ankle, pause for one minute.

Repeat the exercise for the other leg.

This set of exercises should be performed daily or at least three times a week. This home stretch will benefit everyone.

Video: leg stretching exercises

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

Warm up before stretching

When you stretch after a workout, the 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: twist the joints, make bends and turns of the body.
2. 5-7 minutes of cardio: jogging or exercise Jumping Jacks, Climber, jogging in place with high knees,.

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

How and how much to stretch

With these exercises, you will be able to do a self-stretching session and stretch all the muscles in your body well. However, this will take about 60–90 minutes. For quick stretches, choose one to two exercises for each muscle group involved in your workout.

To stretch your muscles well, hold each pose for 30 seconds to two minutes. You can keep still or spring gently. Sudden movements are fraught with injury, so leave them for another sport.

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

Neck stretching exercises

Tilt your head back, pulling the front of your neck. From this position, tilt your head to the left. For more effect, place your left palm on the right side of your head, but don't 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 by making a double chin. In this case, the neck remains straight, the back of the head tends upward. You should feel in the back of your neck, especially at the base of your skull.

Exercises to stretch the shoulders

4. Stretching the front of the shoulders

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

5. Stretching the middle of the shoulders

Grasp the opposite elbow with your hand, bring your shoulder to you and pull it down. Repeat with the other hand.

6. Stretching the back of the shoulders

Grasp your right hand with your left above the elbow, press it to the 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 the back.

Repeat on the other hand.

7. Triceps stretch

Go to the wall, lift your left elbow up, put your forearm behind your back. Pull the 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. Stretching the biceps

Grasp the door handle, counter or other support, turn your back to it. Extend your arm with your elbow up and move the 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 the elbow looks up, and the other from below - the elbow looks to the floor. Try to connect your wrists behind at the level of your shoulder blades.

Change hands.

10. Stretching the extensors of the wrist

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 transfer your weight to your arms, stretching your forearms. To enhance the effect, try clenching your fists.

Breast stretching exercises

11. Stretching the chest in the doorway

Approach the doorway, rest your elbows on the jambs and push your chest forward, chest 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, simulator or other support, turn your left shoulder to it. With your right hand, grab a stand high above your head, move your pelvis to the right and down, stretching the entire right side of the body.

Repeat on the other side.

14. Stretching the muscles of the lower back

Sit on the floor with your right leg forward and your left leg back. Bend your knees at a 90-degree angle or slightly more. Put your right hand on the floor, raise your left over your head. Pull the left leg down and back, tilt the body forward and twist towards the right leg.

Change your legs.

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Grasp the lower legs with your hands from the inside, put your wrists on your feet. Lean forward as low as possible.

Sit on the floor with your buttocks touching your heels. Bend forward, lie on your knees with your stomach and extend your arms.

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

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

Lie on the floor on your back, arms by your side, 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.

Exercises for stretching the press

Get on your knees, push your chest up, stretching your spine, and then lean back with your hands on your heels. Try to bend in the chest. Do not throw your head back, look up.

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

Stand up straight with your feet together. Raise your arms and bring your palms together over your head. Bend in the chest and tilt the body back. Tighten to avoid a strong arch in the lower back.

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

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

Repeat the exercise on the other side.

Exercises to stretch the buttocks

25. Prone stretching

Lie on the floor on your back, raise your legs bent at the knees. Place your left ankle on your right knee. Press your right knee against your left to deepen. Repeat with the other leg.

Get on all fours with the ankle of your right foot on the knee of your left. Pull your pelvis back to deepen the stretch. Repeat with the other leg.

27. Seated Stretch

Sit on the floor, stretch your legs forward, and straighten your back. Bend one leg at the knee, grab the lower leg with your hands and press it to your chest. The lower leg should be parallel to the floor, the forearms lie on top and press it against 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 position on the floor, try placing your foot on a dais.

Stretching the front of the thigh

Calf stretching exercises

48. Stretching against the wall

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

Change your legs.

Stand up against the wall. Put your right toe on the wall, take your left leg a step and a half back. Bend your left knee, increasing the stretch. Change legs and repeat.

Sit on the floor with your legs straight in front of you. put one leg on the thigh of the other. Grasp the foot with the opposite hand and pull the toe.

Change your legs.

We all know about the benefits of stretching, which is needed both for girls who want to sit on the split, and for bodybuilders who are actively involved in heavy weights. Stretching the leg muscles is especially important to help prevent muscle imbalance, posture problems, gain flexibility, and improve dexterity and coordination. Stretching the legs is necessary for absolutely everyone who plays sports. And those who are far from it should do it to improve blood circulation in the legs, prevent hard joints, improve gait, and so on. Simple leg stretching exercises will be useful for absolutely everyone. The main thing is to do them regularly and correctly.

Stretching for the legs: benefits and features

Stretching will help improve your flexibility. Doing it regularly, you will soon notice that all leg exercises are much easier for you. It also greatly enhances the capabilities of your own body. Calorie consumption increases, while in fact you conserve the body's energy resources, respectively, you get less tired. With good stretching, the risks of destruction and diseases of the ligaments and joints in the legs are significantly reduced.

Home stretching is as follows:

• Static ... These exercises are useful for both beginners and those who have been leading an active lifestyle for a long time. Their essence is that you need to be fixed for some time in the position of maximum stretch, so that the ligaments and muscles have time to stretch and get used to this position.
• Dynamic stretching. Assumes that you will be stretching in constant motion. May include various swings, rolls, and other similar exercises. Usually, dynamic stretching is only recommended after the person has mastered the static one.

It is important that the exercises to stretch the leg muscles are done correctly.Follow these guidelines:

• Train in a comfortable environment. You should completely relax and get the most out of your exercise.
• The muscles need to be able to get used to the new condition, so it's important to take your time and pay attention to static stretching. It is recommended to stay in one position for at least half a minute.
• Stretching warmed up muscles prevents the risk of injury and helps to improve the effectiveness of the exercise. Beforehand, you can jump, run - do a light warm-up to improve blood circulation.
• There is no need to rush and chase quick results. You need to stretch gradually, regularly improving your results. If you overdo it, you can seriously damage your muscles and ligaments and cause at least severe pain. Serious injury is also possible.
• Stretching should be done before and after the main workout - then the muscles will remember this state best, and the effectiveness of other exercises will improve due to stretching.
• It is important to stretch regularly, otherwise, during the break, all previously achieved results may be nullified.
• During exercise, do not hold your breath - it should be smooth, measured, deep. At the starting position, with each exercise, you need to inhale, the stretching itself is done as you exhale.

During the stretching process, sharp movements are not allowed. You need to stretch smoothly, while the muscles should be relaxed. Pain is not allowed - only a slight pleasant burning sensation. If you feel them, it means that the load is too great.

Best leg stretching exercises

The following exercises can help improve your leg stretch at home. They can be useful for both beginners and those with a specific background. Performing them regularly, you will soon notice a clear change for the better.

Exercise 1.

Sit on the floor, spread your straight legs as wide as possible. Tilt your torso forward as low as possible. Stretch smoothly, the range of motion should be small. Then return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise several times.

Exercise 2.

The starting position is the same - sitting on the floor, with straight legs as wide apart as possible. With your hands, grab the shin of one leg, bend as low as possible in the leg.You need to "spring up" 10-20 times ... Then return to the starting position and do the same for the left leg.

Exercise 3.

Sit on the floor with your legs straight. Now you need to bend as low as possible, pulling the body to the legs through the arms. Do10-50 springy movements ... Ideally, you should touch your knees with your head. But at first, do the exercise as best you can - bend over as hard as you can.

Exercise 4.

It is an attempt to sit on a side split, which is the goal of many stretching. You need to stand up straight. Slowly move your legs to the sides to feel the tension on the inner thigh. As a result, an angle of 120-140 degrees should form between the legs. Now you need to tilt your torso down and put your elbows on the floor. Slowly, avoiding jerking, reach for the floor, keeping your back straight. Feeling the tensionlock in this position for 30 seconds. When doing this exercise regularly, you should try to spread your legs wider every day, increasing the interval of stillness. The end result of this exercise is a full cross twine.

Exercise 5.

The main purpose of this exercise is to stretch the back of the thigh. You need to stand on the floor, keep the body straight. Extend your right leg backward and your left leg forward so that they are as far apart as possible. The leg in front must be bent at the knee. Come down. The knee should be bent at right angles. Keep your back straight. Feeling the stretch in the muscles, relax your core a little and increase the pressure on your legs.Hold this position for 30-60 seconds. During the exercise, the hands must be connected with a lock at the back of the body, or placed on the thigh or on the floor. Then you need to repeat the exercise, changing the position of the legs.

Exercise 6.

Stand up straight. Step back to the side with your right leg and bend it at the knee, lowering the torso down. The foot of the left foot, which should be perfectly straight, should be completely flat on the floor and pointed forward with the toe. When you feel a sufficient stretch of the muscles, fix the position as much as you can. Then do symmetrical lunges with alternating legs.

Exercise 7.

Leaning forward. Stand straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Makenot less than 12 springy downward slopes trying to bend as low as possible, ideally place your palms on the floor. It is important not to bend your knees.

Exercise 8.

This is an inner thigh stretch. You need to sit on the floor, bend your knees and press them tightly against each other with your feet. Place your palms on your feet, rest your elbows on your knees. Slowly press your elbows on your knees, tilting your body forward. In this case, the back should remain flat. When the muscles are stretched as much as possible, fix the position for a few seconds. Over time, adjust the maximum stretch time to a minute. Repeat several times.

Exercise 9.

Another exercise aimed at stretching the back of the thighs. You need to sit on the floor, straighten and move your legs. Stretch your arms forward as far as you can. In the position of maximum tension, linger for a while. Repeat the exercise several times.

Exercise 10.

Aimed at stretching the front of the thigh (quadriceps). You need to stand up straight, with your hands, bend one leg at the knee so that the heel is pressed against the buttock. You can lean against the wall with one hand to keep your balance. In this case, the knees should be in one line, and the hips should be tightly closed. Twist the pelvis forward and upward, lock in this position for a minute. You can retract the knee to increase tension. Repeat the same for the other leg.

Exercise 11.

Aimed at stretching the hips and buttocks. You need to lie on the floor, bend both legs at the knees, relax the upper body. Grasp the right knee with both hands, place the ankle of the left leg on the right knee. The right knee should be pulled smoothly towards you. Then the same thing is repeated for the other leg.

Exercise 12.

Helps to stretch the ankle. You need to stand with your face against the wall and rest your palms on the wall. Take the right leg back about half a meter, without lifting the foot off the floor. You should feel tension in your ankle and calves. Hold this position for a minute. Repeat the same for the other leg.

Exercise 13.

Provides stretching of the calf muscles. You need to stand with the front parts of your feet on a step, leave your heels free, bend your legs slightly at the knees. Now you need to rock bouncyly, dropping your heels as low as possible.

Exercise 14.

Aimed at stretching the hamstrings and calves. You need to put your feet shoulder-width apart, bend forward so that the angle between the body and legs is straight. Place your palms on the floor. Now the weight of the body needs to be transferred to the hands, to relax the legs. Bend and unbend your knees alternately, first of one and then the other leg. Try to keep your heels on the floor. You can also do this exercise so that both legs work at the same time, as when walking.

These exercises can help you stretch your legs at home. It is important to do them correctly and regularly. There are also special machines for stretching the legs. They can be found in gyms or purchased for home workouts. When you start stretching regularly, you will notice clear improvements in your body and health.

Good day to all beginners and actively continuing! Today we will get acquainted with such a phenomenon as stretching and stretching exercises. After reading the article, you will learn how useful muscle stretching is, what mistakes are made when performing them, and most importantly, how to properly relax your muscles.

So, everyone clung to the blue screens, we start.

Stretching exercises: what, why and why

Statistically, most people attending a gym / fitness room are exercising unconsciously. Those. they come in, download their daily training program into their brains, and complete it on autopilot. Due to the fact that the main scourge of modern society is a total lack of time, usually no time is spent on various preludes in the form of hitching and muscle stretching. And indeed, why waste your precious time on some kind of auxiliary - stretching exercises, because from this the muscles will definitely not grow, and everyone knows that. This philosophy is typical for most of the gymnasts and fitness young ladies. Moreover, I constantly encounter her in my rocking chair. Whether this is correct, and what place should the "utility room" occupy, we will discuss further.

If you have ever watched the training of professional bodybuilders (even through youtube), you probably noticed that they pay a lot of attention to the correct "rolling" into the training process. That is, they perform various pulling exercises that, it would seem, have nothing to do with bodybuilding. So why is this happening? know some secret, a secret? More yes than no.

So, stretching (stretching) is a set of specialized exercises aimed at developing muscle flexibility and joint mobility.

The main types of stretching are:

• static - stretching the muscle at a certain point and holding it in this position;
• PNF stretching - you stretch and contract muscles;
• passive - the partner helps (participates) in stretching;
• active - stretching without assistance;
• ballistic - you use bouncing to force the muscles to pull deeper;
• dynamic - you stretch your muscles in a controlled motion at an increasing speed.

Note:

At first, use only the static type of stretching.

Stretching Exercises: Key Benefits

The main benefits of stretching muscles include:

• increased flexibility, muscle strength and endurance, joint mobility, range of motion, sense of body control;
• increased circulation by sending oxygen and blood to the muscles;
• building muscle and strength by stretching the fascia (connective tissue covering muscle, tendon, nerve and bone).
• reduction of injuries (accelerating their healing) and ,
• removal of muscle and joint tension (clamps), muscle relaxation;
• blood flow helps to flush out decay products and set the muscle for a new approach;
• makes strenuous activities easier by training muscles.

Note:

Light stretching causes a slight increase in muscle temperature, which in turn raises the threshold for fiber breakage. It also improves the function of energy-generating enzymes, which are very important during training, because they give the human body more energy for exercise.

As you can see, stretching provides many benefits, both short term and long term. Bottom Line: Stretching Exercises (done properly) are the most effective way to fully connect your mind and body (to establish a neuromuscular connection), and therefore must be included in the.

Stretching exercises: theory

Now let's take a look at the basics of stretching.

# 1. Stretching your muscles doesn't release growth hormone

No, it is not an activity that triggers synthesis, but it prepares the entire body well for such release exercises.

No. 2. Stretching helps fight hardening of the arteries

Scientific studies have shown that prolonged stretching (in the form of yoga) with moderate aerobic exercise and diet control can lower cholesterol and significantly reverse hardening of the arteries in adults (before 20% regression) if they have a similar illness.

No. 3. New research and new rules

Many coaches say that there is never too much stretching. However, the results of recent studies show that athletes in active sports (football, basketball, etc.) lengthy stretching procedures should not be performed immediately before the game, as this temporarily slows down muscle activation. Prolonged stretching (about 20 minutes) reduces strength for up to one hour after stretching and slightly weakens muscle activation.

Now let's dig a little deeper into the science and see how stretching affects muscle growth?

Undoubtedly, professional bodybuilders know many secrets in building impressive volumes, and one of them is stretching. It plays an important role in building muscle mass and here's why.

Every muscle in your body is encased in a special sac of tough connective tissue known as fascia. It is important for keeping the muscle in place.

Not many people know, but fascia can inhibit muscle growth. Just imagine the situation - you actively work in the gym, eat abundantly, your muscles want to grow, but they do not have such an opportunity, something is holding them back. And this is something - a tough fascia that prevents the muscle from expanding. This can be compared to squeezing the large breast of a pillow into a small pillowcase.

Takeaway: Muscle size will not change no matter how well you exercise or eat. the connective tissue around your muscles is tightly compressed.

The best example of this is the calf muscles. The lower leg is simply riddled with fascia, thanks to the enormous walking work and heavy lifting responsibilities. It is because of the “hammering” on the fascia that many athletes fail to develop impressive calves. Stretching exercises are the way out in this situation.

In the process of stretching (under certain conditions) You can stretch the fascia and give the muscles more room to grow. I will now reveal one of the top secrets of bodybuilders - the key to effectively stretching the fascia is. The best time to stretch is when your muscles are full of blood. During extreme pumping, the muscles press on the fascia (from the inside, as if bursting it)... During this time, you seriously increase the pressure on the fascia, which can cause it to expand.

Note (secret):

One of the main reasons that Arnold Schwarzenegger had incredibly developed chest was that he ended her workout with dumbbell spreads - an exercise that emphasizes the stretched position of the pectoral muscles. He bombed his chest in pumping mode (beat her to capacity with blood), and then lay down on a horizontal bench and did the spreading, keeping the stretch in the lower phase. This allowed him to acquire an XXXL breast :).

Fascial stretching is somewhat different from normal, but it is this (the first) that gives the most impressive results. When you stretch the fascia, you should feel powerful pulling pains and pressure — this muscle is working against the fascia. Make sure you are not stretching in such a way as to cause the muscles to tear or injury.

You will quickly learn to tell the difference between good and bad stretches. The main rule here is stable stretching, not a feeling of acute pain. Keep each stretch at least 20 before 30 seconds. This will allow time to “touch” the fascia at the site.

Note:

Remember, if the muscles are not “pumped”, then the stretching will proceed easily and calmly, otherwise the stretching will be quite difficult.

To summarize all this fucking part, one set of stretching after each set that you do to a muscle group, in addition to the obvious benefits in developing flexibility, can have an incredible effect on the size of your muscles and their further ability to grow.

Well, it's time to move on to the practical part, namely ...

How to Stretch Your Muscles: The Best Stretching Exercises

I would like to start this sub-chapter with a visual component that clearly demonstrates the phenomenon of muscle stretching. Compare two images showing one muscle group - the biceps brachii.

As you can see, the first is much shorter and slightly bent over, the second is a stretched, long biceps. It turns out that the longer it is, the more space for growth, so it can grow more powerful (taller, more voluminous).

Not many people know how to properly stretch muscles, and all this is due to ignorance of the basic postulates and recommendations, which include:

• warming up (rise in body temperature) before anaerobic training and stretching is a basic rule;
• all major muscle groups need to be stretched (especially active are those that you have to work on in training), systematically moving from one to another;
• stretching must be carried out after warm-up and after training, and if there is a pumping style work, then after each set;
• studies have shown that the best stretch retention time is a period of 30 seconds;
• you must approach the extended position slowly and carefully, without sudden movements;
• breathing when stretching should be slow and deep;
• only after 4-6 weeks from the start of stretching, your body will agree to increase flexibility;
• 3-5 minutes of stretching after training will "wash" the floors of the lactic acid residues from the muscles and return them to normal routine for daily activities.

As examples of stretching exercises, we will consider two types of stretching: active with weights and static. Let's start in order.

# 1. Active stretching with weights

It consists in the fact that you carry out your usual training program, but with a little "BUT" - the muscles work only in a fully stretched position. The following visual will serve as a good example:

Setting dumbbells on an inclined (angle up) bench for stretching the muscles of the chest.

Lats Dumbbell Pullover.

Seated Barbell Curl (Scott Bench) for biceps.

French press for triceps.

Shrugs for shoulders and traps.

For hamstrings and lower back.

Lunges for quads.

Calf Raises.

Each of these exercises will allow you to lose weight all the way down and really feel a deep stretch in the target muscles with each rep. Stretching effect can be increased by delaying (for a few seconds) in the bottom position.

Note:

Human muscles are able to stretch up to 150% its length.

The next in line is ...

No. 2. Static stretching

A classic of the genre familiar to most people in the gym / fitness room. You do static stretching to the point of discomfort, and then hold the state of "stretching" for 30 seconds. Once your body gets used to this procedure, it will increase its pain threshold, allowing you to stretch deeper and longer.

Here are some exercises you can do in your workout. (before / after / during):

Pectoralis major and minor (turn of the body, failure of m / y supports, extension with a Swedish wall).

Back muscles (hanging on the crossbar, tilting the body to the side with holding the support, prayer on your knees).

Muscles of the neck and shoulders (bends to the sides, horizontal adduction, lock behind the back).

Arm muscles: biceps and triceps (vertical stretch, hanging on the bar with a supinated grip, hyperextension of the arm behind the head).

Arm muscles: forearms and hands (frontal extension of the fingers, flexion of the fingers from the lock position, flexion of the fingers with the other).

Legs muscle group: quadriceps (knee flexion, hip flexion with knee support) and hamstrings (hip extension with extended knee).

Muscle group of the leg: muscles of the lower leg (seated pull of arms to legs, stretch with an emphasis on the heel).

(rotation of the hip while lying on the floor, adduction of the hip while standing, flexion and internal rotation of the hip).

(seated / kneeling hip abduction, with emphasis on the knees).

Abdominal muscles: straight / oblique (lying on the stomach with an emphasis on the elbows, lateral slope with support for the support, bridge, side bends with holding the body bar).

Actually, these are all stretching exercises. , which I would like to tell you about, and which you will have enough for your eyes to properly perform slugs :).

Afterword

Many people underestimate stretching and rarely use it in their training program. However, you, my dear readers, now know what its strength is, and why this tool should be in the arsenal of people who want to build good muscle volumes.

That's all for this, I'm glad that you spent this time usefully and made one more step towards your goal - the embossed body of your dreams!

PS. Do not forget about feedback through comments, I am always glad to hear from you.

PPS. Did the project help? Then leave a link to it in the status of your social network - plus 100 points to karma, guaranteed.

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Everyone wants to be flexible and plastic, but by nature this is not given to everyone. However, you can improve your stretch with exercise at any age. Especially many are interested in how to sit on a longitudinal and transverse twine. Today we will talk about stretching the legs.

What is the use of stretching for the body (stretching)

Proponents of stretching (from the English. Stretch - to pull) are convinced that it benefits the body and is important not only to surprise others. Some people firmly believe that there is no benefit to stretching. But how are things really going?

The most important benefit of stretching is the marked improvement in flexibility. This can help you do some strength exercises at full strength, making them more effective.

Also, stretching has shown itself well as a rehabilitation practice for people, for example, suffering from pain in the neck or knees.

However, contrary to popular belief, stretching does not prevent injury if you do it before training.

In addition, research has shown that stretching before the main workout can even decrease strength performance.

But after the main active workout, it's time to do some stretching. This will help stretch and relax the muscles in your body and prevent or reduce pain after exercise.

Simple Beginner Leg Stretching Exercises

The best efficiency and safety is shown by static stretching, since in these exercises the position is fixed and held for some time without any movements. Dynamic stretching can be more traumatic for ligaments and joints.

Many static stretching exercises are yoga asanas (postures). Let's get to know them.

It doesn't matter what stretching exercises we look at, they will be beneficial for both women and men.

There are a lot of variations of this exercise, from the simplest to those that only professionals can do.

We start with the simplest option.

Execution technique:

1. We kneel down and lower the pelvis to the heels.
2. We spread the knees to the sides as much as the current stretching capabilities allow.
3. We linger in this position.

If this pose is not difficult, we complicate the exercise.

Execution technique:

1. We get on all fours, we spread our knees to the sides, as far as the current level of stretching allows.
2. After that, we unfold the legs so that the inner side of the lower leg lies on the floor. The shins are parallel to each other. The socks look to the sides.
3. In this position, it is permissible to gently sway back and forth to deepen the stretch.

The goal is to completely lay the inner side of each thigh on the floor.

Another fairly simple, but no less effective version of the frog exercise is squatting.

Execution technique:

1. We squat down, feet are at the width of the pelvis, socks look to the sides.
2. Lower yourself so that your thighs touch your calf muscles.
3. Keep your back straight, try to roll your tailbone back a little.
4. We bring our hands together, joining the palms, the elbows rest on the inside of the knees.
5. Thus, it turns out that you push your knees to the sides with your elbows. If everything is correct, you will feel a stretch on the inner thigh.

These exercise options, with regular exercise, will allow you to sit on a side split.

There are more specific variants of the "frog".

Advanced frog pose

In this variant, the task is to put your feet on the floor. Of course, this option is only suitable for advanced people with a good level of stretching.

First you need to practice.

Execution technique:

1. We lie down on our stomach, stretch both legs.
2. With a breath, raise the body.
3. We bend one leg at the knee and pull it up to the buttock of the same name.
4. With the hand of the same name, we clasp the foot and gently begin to press to the floor.
5. We do the same with the second leg.

And gradually we try to do the exercise with both legs at once.

Side lunges for beginners

Another good enough exercise for stretching your inner thigh muscles is side lunges.

Execution technique:

1. We stand straight, the back is straight, the gaze is directed forward.
2. Legs are about shoulder width apart.
3. We take a wide step to the side and bend the leg at the knee.
4. In this case, the knee should not go beyond the toe.
5. We bend the body to the leg and touch the floor with our hands.
6. In this position, you need to linger for 30-60 seconds and repeat on the second leg.

Butterfly pose - gymnastics not only for women, but also for men

Another borrowed yoga exercise for the inner thigh is the butterfly pose.

In fact, doing it yourself is ineffective, since it is not possible to apply the necessary pressure on the legs. It is worth asking someone to gently press on your hips for the best impact.

Execution technique:

1. We sit on the floor with a straight back.
2. We pull our legs to ourselves, as far as possible, and connect the feet.
3. Clasp your palms around your feet and pull them towards you, while trying to put your hips on the floor.

When the level of stretching becomes better, you can tilt the body forward from this position and try to reach the floor with your forehead.

Stretching from a sitting position - developing muscle flexibility

Seated bends are difficult for those with poor stretching. It is easier to perform bends while standing. But this is an effective exercise and shouldn't be discounted.

1. We sit on the buttocks, stretch our legs - this is the starting position.
2. Try to keep your back straight in this position. If the stretch is not very good, you will already feel a stretch under the knee.
3. Place your palms next to you and rest them on the floor as if you want to push off, trying to tilt the body forward. Pull the socks towards you. Hold this position for a little while.

   
   

4. Now stretch your body towards your feet.

   
   

5. If this is easy for you, place your chest and abdomen on your hips and remain in this position for 20-30 seconds.

   
   

6. After that, return to the starting position, pull one leg towards you so that it rests its foot on the inner region of the other leg, and the knee looks to the side, and again stretch, bending forward. Wrap your arm around your outstretched leg. Hold this position.

   
   

7. If possible, you can lie on your stomach on an outstretched leg.

   
   

8. Repeat the same on the other leg and return to the starting position.
9. Now spread your legs to the sides as much as the stretch allows and tilt your body forward.
10. If it works well, we try to lower the body to the floor between our legs.

    
    

11. If it doesn't work out very well, you can put your hands on your palms behind and gently push yourself forward.
12. We linger in the incline for 20-30 seconds and straighten up.
13. Now we stretch our body not to the center, but to the right leg, trying to also lie on it with our stomach.

    
    

14. After that, we change the leg.
15. We straighten our back and begin to reach not with our stomach to the leg, but sideways. The task is to wrap your hand around your foot.

    
    

16. We change the leg.

You can do 2-3 such circles to more effectively stretch the ligaments and muscles.

It is best to do these exercises either in pairs, as a joint stretch, or with someone else's help to help you stretch.

Stretching from a standing position is also suitable for an unprepared person.

Stretching while standing is usually easier and more comfortable even for an unprepared person with not very good flexibility, so it is better to start stretching while standing, and then move on to other exercises.

1. We get straight.
2. Take a deep breath and bend down with a round back. Relax and allow your neck, head, arms and body to be in a comfortable, loose state. Feel a gentle stretch in the spine and linger in this position.

   
   

3. Take another breath and reach with your hands to the floor, trying to put your entire palm on the floor.

   
   

4. Then grab your knees and place your chest and stomach on your hips.

   
   

5. If nothing works at all, place your hands on your shins and stretch gently in a comfortable position.

   
   

6. We straighten up, take a deep breath and repeat the whole circle again.
7. After that, we spread our legs wider than our shoulders and bend forward to touch the floor with our toes.

   

8. If you can, place your entire palm on the floor.
9. The important challenge here is to strive to do everything with a straight back. Yes, with a rounded back you can bend deeper, but as a result, the quality of the stretch will decrease.
10. A good stretching exercise from this position: we bend down until at least fingers touch the floor and begin to rearrange our hands, as if stepping forward from the legs, and then returning to the legs.
11. Now we bend over to the right leg, trying to also stretch with a straight body.
12. We straighten and repeat on the other leg.

Lunges - Deep Stretch

We looked at mainly exercises that stretch the inner thigh well. When done regularly, they will help you sit on the side splits. Be careful if you have or have any knee problems

For convenience, in the initial stages, you can put something under your leg so that it relaxes in this position, and does not strain

If you manage to completely sit on the floor, then the next step is to unfold the pelvis so that you sit not half-sided, but straight.

To get out of the split, we lean on our palms and bend our right leg. Gently collect the legs.

We repeat all the same on the second leg.

This exercise is also borrowed from yoga and is good for stretching on a longitudinal split.

Follow these tips and your workouts will become even more effective:

1. Stretch regularly to get noticeable results. 3-4 times a week will be enough.
2. The stretching complex (suples) is best done in the evening, not in the morning. The muscles warmed up and stretched during the day, so it will be easier to perform the exercises.
3. You need to do it for at least 30 minutes. We hold each position from 15 seconds to 1 minute.
4. Before stretching, it is advisable to warm up the muscles: do swings, squat, otherwise you can pull the ligaments and muscles of the leg.
5. Static stretching is safer than dynamic stretching, but that doesn't mean you can't help yourself by swaying. However, here you need to understand the measure: there should not be sharp jerks with a large amplitude (watch the training video).
6. You shouldn't feel a lot of painful tension in your legs. You don't need to stretch until it hurts.
7. The most important thing is to try to relax in every position. It is only when you relax that the muscles begin to stretch.

If you are not very flexible by nature and are sure that it is too late for you to do stretching, and nothing will work out, this is a misconception. The older a person is, the longer it may take for them to see visible results, but anyone can improve their flexibility.