Quadriceps:
Position: standing on one leg, bend the other leg up and pull it slowly with both hands until your foot touches your buttock. Pull until you can feel it stretching.
Tip: contract your abdominals to avoid pulling on your pelvis and keep your knees fairly close together.
Hamstrings:
Position: sitting down with your legs stretched out, the backs of your knees touching the floor and the tips of your toes pointing towards you, slowly bring your chest down and try to touch the tips of your toes. You can start doing this exercise by touching just one foot.
Tip: breathe deeply, make slow movements, make sure the backs of your knees remain touching the floor and bring your chest back up slowly. Variation: you can also fold one leg behind you, but that requires more suppleness.
Adductors:
Position: sitting down with your back straight and your legs bent in front of you with the soles of your feet together, hold your feet with both hands and then press gently on your knees with your elbows until you can feel the muscles stretching.
Tip: bend your legs as much as possible so that your feet are close to your pelvis, and gradually increase the pressure on your knees.
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Buttocks:
Position: sitting down with your back straight, with one leg stretched out and the other one bent with your foot across the knee on the other leg. With your elbow on the side that your leg is stretched out, slowly pull the bent knee towards your shoulder.
Tip: breathe deeply, keep the knee and foot of the opposite leg touching the floor and point your toes upwards.
Shoulders:
Position: standing up, pull your elbow up towards the opposite shoulder with your other hand. Pull until you can feel it stretching.
Tip: pull gradually and follow the axis of the shoulder. Variation: you can also do this exercise with your arm stretched out.
EXERCISE FREQUENCY:
For each of these positions you should stretch for 5 to 10 seconds while breathing deeply, and repeat each exercise at least 10 times.
©photo : Mike Steegmans-Paradiski |
