You might not want to be an Olympic gymnast, but there are many good reasons to become more flexible, especially if you work at a desk. There are many different kinds of stretches that can make a big difference in your daily life, like stretches for your arms, hips, and joints. Portia Page, C.P.T., a personal trainer, Pilates instructor, and Balanced Body Educator, says, “Our bodies become sore and immobile because of a mix of muscle tension, poor circulation, inflammation, and not moving enough.” “When we stay in one place for too long, like sitting at a desk or lying on the couch, our muscles get tight and the fascia, which is the connective tissue around muscles, can get stiff and dry.” Joints also lose their range of motion and muscles may get shorter or weaker if they don’t move around enough.
Meet the Expert: Portia Page, C.P.T., is a personal trainer, Pilates teacher, Balanced Body Educator, and Prevention fitness expert.
Page says that people who are more active can also be affected by not being flexible if they go too hard or too fast without warming up or cooling down. She says, “Over time, without stretching or mobility work on purpose, stiffness builds up, which makes you less flexible, causes bad posture, and even chronic pain.”
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Prevention lists the best stretches below that can help with pain and make you more flexible and able to move more. These stretches will also help you stay safe while doing cardio or strength training. Gently lean into each position to see how it feels for your body. You can use a mix of active stretches and static holds.
What can I do to make myself more flexible?
“Full-body, deep stretching should be done at least three to five times a week, if not every day, to feel real, long-lasting benefits like more flexibility, less stiffness, and better mobility. Page says, “I suggest doing it every day to make it a habit.” “Being consistent is important. Even just five to ten minutes a day can add up to a big difference over time. Stretching is not a luxury; it’s something you should do every day to keep your body healthy, just like brushing your teeth.
Page goes on to say, “For best results, do active stretches (moving through ranges of motion) along with static holds (holding a stretch for 30 seconds or longer). Try to breathe deeply while you do them to help relax.” The more you stretch, the easier it will be for your body to move freely, easily, and freely.
You will need a strap, an exercise band, a foam roller, and a yoga mat, as well as a lacrosse ball or massage ball.
Hold times: Unless the instructions say otherwise, try to hold each position for at least two minutes. For example, the neck stretch should only take about 30 seconds. If two minutes seems too hard at first, just hold it for as long as you can. Try to stretch longer than you did last time each time you do it.
Pro tip: Don’t push your body too hard. You shouldn’t feel any pain while doing these stretches. And don’t worry too much about where you should be feeling the stretch. This can be different for each person, though. Do the stretch as best you can and pay attention to where you feel tight. If you need to, make any changes that are suggested. Trust that your body is letting go of what it needs to so you can feel better.
1 Fanning Your Toes
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Targets: the muscles in the foot itself
How to do it: While sitting or lying down, spread your toes as far apart as you can and then relax. You can also flex and point your foot while doing this exercise to work on your ankle mobility even more. Do this 10 to 15 times on each foot.
2 Foot Dome
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Targets: the thick tissue at the bottom of your foot called the plantar fascia
To do it, get a lacrosse ball or golf ball and put the middle of your foot on top of it. Wait as long as you want. You could also use the ball to massage away any stress. To do this, roll your foot back and forth on the ball, especially in places that hurt a little. Do the same thing on the other foot.
3 Banded Calf Stretch
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Goals: the calf muscle and the Achilles tendon
Grab a yoga strap or exercise band and lie down on the floor. Keep your right leg bent and flat on the floor. Put the band around the ball of your left foot and lift the leg up. Keep your left knee slightly bent. Bend your left foot and pull the band toward you until you feel a stretch. Do the same thing on the other side.
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4. Dog Facing Down
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Targets: hamstrings, hips, and calves
To do it, get on your hands and knees, then lift your hips up and back through your arms. Push the tops of your thighs back and try to straighten out your legs as much as you can without locking them out completely. Hold for as long as you want.
5. The Double Leg Glute Bridge
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Targets: hip flexors
To do it, lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the mat. Lift your hips and squeeze your butt. Keep it up for three seconds, then bring your hips down to the floor. Do it 10 to 15 times. This is a great stretch to do as a dynamic warm-up before working out, by the way.
6. Glute Bridge with One Leg
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Targets: hip flexors
This is a harder version of the double leg glut bridge. Here’s how to do it: Put your right leg bent and your left leg straight in front of you. Then lie down on your back. It doesn’t matter how high you lift your left leg off the ground. Squeeze your butt and raise your hips into the air. Go back down to the ground and do 10 to 15 more reps on each leg. This is another dynamic stretch that works well as a warm-up before a workout.
7. Stretching the hamstrings while sitting
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Target areas: lower back and hamstrings
How to do it: Sit down with your legs straight in front of you. Sit up straight and then reach for your toes (or as far as you can) without letting your back curve. You can keep your knees bent a little. Hold for the amount of time you want.
8 Standing Forward Fold
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Goals: hamstrings, hips, and calves
How to do it: Stand up and reach for your shins, toes, or the floor. If your hamstrings are very tight, bend your knees. Take a break and breathe here.
9. Standing Quad Stretch
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Focus on your quads and hip flexors.
How to do it: Put your feet right under your hips. Put your right hand on your right ankle and lift it up. To keep your balance, look at a spot on the floor and/or raise your left arm. To make the stretch more noticeable, squeeze your right butt cheek. Do this on the other side.
10 Stretch for the Standing IT Band
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Target areas: lats, hips, and IT band
Start by standing with your feet together. Put your right foot behind you and your right arm over your head. Move your hips to the right and hold them there. Do the same thing on the other side.
11 Stretching the hips while kneeling
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Targets: the front of the hip flexors, the quads, and the groin
How to do it: Kneel on the floor with your left leg up and your right shin on the ground. If this is uncomfortable, put a cushion under your right knee. Move your hips forward and picture yourself pushing your pelvis into the floor. Keep your front knee from going past your big toe to keep it safe. Lift your arms toward your ears and your chest toward the ceiling to open your chest even more. Hold it, then do it again on the other side.
12 Pigeon Pose
Pause Icon: Hips flexors and deep lateral rotators (the muscles that turn the femur or thigh bone) are the targets.
How to do it: This is the easiest one to get into from a downward-facing dog position. Start there, then lift your left leg up in the air and back behind you. Then, while bringing that leg forward toward your chest, bend your knee. Put your left leg on the floor and try to keep your shin as parallel to the front of your mat as possible. Put your right leg straight behind you or bend it at a 90-degree angle. Put your forearms on the mat and lean over your left leg. Hold it for as long as you want.
Figure Four Stretch 13
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Targets: the muscles in the outer hip and glutes
To do it, lie on your back and put your left ankle on top of your right thigh, just below the knee. Grab behind your right leg and pull your legs gently toward your chest. Bend the left foot to protect the left knee. Do the same thing on the other side.
14 Butterfly
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Hits the hips, groin, and lower back
How to do it: Sit up straight on your mat with the bottoms of your feet touching. Move your feet away from your body to put less strain on your knees. Take hold of your feet with both hands, then lean forward from the hips and lower your torso toward the floor. If this hurts your lower back, keep your spine straight and only go as low as you can without bending your back.
15 Stretch for External Hip Rotation
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Targets: external hip rotators
To do it, lie on your back with your knees bent and your legs up in the air. As you reach for the floor, keep your shoulders on the mat and turn your knees to the right. Hold for as long as you want, then switch sides.
Stretch for Internal Hip Rotation 16
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Goals: the lower back and upper glutes
How to do it: Lie on your back with your knees bent so they point up. Lift your left leg and put your ankle above your right knee or outside your right thigh. Keeping both shoulders on the floor, turn your hips to the left until you feel the stretch. Hold for as long as you want, then switch.
17 Clamshells with a Resistance Band
Pause Icon Targets: glutes
How to do it: One of the best ways to ease tight hips is to activate your glutes. And that’s where resistance bands come in handy! Take one and lie down on your left side. Knees should be bent. As you lift, squeeze your right glute and turn your right knee up and back. Wait a second, then lower your right knee back down. Do it 10 to 15 times, then switch sides and do it again.
18 Hurdler
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Hips, hamstrings, and lower back are the targets.
How to do it: First, sit on your mat with your legs straight out in front of you. Put your left leg in so that your left foot is touching the inside of your right thigh. Sit up straight and then reach down your right leg as far as you can without letting your back bend. You can bend your right knee a little bit. Hold for the time you want, then switch sides.
19 Cat-Cow
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Goals: back, spine, and abdominal muscles
To do it, get on your hands and knees with your wrists under your shoulders and your knees under your hips. For cat: Take a deep breath and lift your back into the air while pulling your bellybutton into your spine. As you move into cow, let your belly drop toward the mat, lift your chest, and look up at the ceiling.
20. Twist while sitting
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Targets: hips and spine
How to do it: Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you to start. Cross your right leg over your left leg, and keep your right knee bent toward the ceiling. Then, while your right arm is on the inside of your right thigh, turn your torso to the right. Keep the twist and hold it. Go to the other side.
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