As important as strength and cardio work are for a well-balanced workout, flexibility work is just as important. Reduce tightness, and make your activities more efficient and safe by making them more effective and safe.

Sasha Cyrelson, D.P.T., clinical director of Professional Physical Therapy in Sicklerville, New Jersey, tells SELF that tight muscles can put too much strain on the joints next to them, or they can get hurt. They get shorter and less flexible as they get older, says the woman, also a doctor. Taking care of our muscles is necessary to keep doing what they love without having to hurt ourselves.

1. The hamstrings are stretched while standing.

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, your knees bent, and your arms at your sides.
• Make sure your head, neck, and shoulders stay relaxed as you bend forward at the hips, lowering your head toward the floor.
• When you do this, put your arms around the backs of your legs and hold for anywhere from 45 seconds to two minutes.
• Bend your knees and roll up when you finish.

2. The Piriformis Stretch

Deep inside, the piriformis muscle helps rotate the hips. It’s on the outside of the butt. Its main job is to turn outside, says Atkins. Deep internal rotators, which are small but do a lot of the work at the hip, are often not given the attention they deserve. So, “if the piriformis is tight, it can cause pain in the sciatic nerve,” Carlson says. It can help prevent or treat sciatica by stretching this muscle.

• To do this, place your right foot flat on the floor and cross over your left.
• Place your right hand on the ground behind you.
• Taking out the spinal rotation if it hurts your back can help. Instead, use your left hand to pull your right quad in and to the left.

3. With a Spinal Twist, Lunge

Atkins says that this stretch is called the World’s Greatest Stretch (WGS) in the fitness world. As a physical therapist, Dan Giordano says, “It’s important to help people who have posture-related pain or who spend a lot of time sitting.” He’s the co-founder of Bespoke Treatments Physical Therapy in New York City and Seattle. “It helps open your hips and move your thoracic (mid-back) joints more freely,” he says to SELF.

• Stand with your feet together.
• Then, take a big step forward with your left foot. This will make you stand with your left and right feet out of line.
• The Bend your left knee and drop into a lunge, keeping your right leg straight behind you with your toes on the ground, so you feel a stretch at the front of your right thigh.
• Take your right hand off the ground and twist your body to the left as you raise your left arm toward the ceiling.
• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.

4. It helps to stretch your triceps.

• Bend your right elbow and reach with your right hand to touch the top middle of your back with your hand.
• With your left hand, reach up and grab just below your right elbow.
• Switch arms and keep going.

5. Figure Four Stretched out.

“This only stretches the piriformis and iliopsoas muscles, which are your hip rotator and flexor muscles, as well as the IT band. Because of this and the way the pose is passive, it is a great and gentle way to help relieve the pain and symptoms of sciatica, and knee pain “yoga teacher John Murray and co-founder of Lyons Den Power Yoga tell SELF that yoga is good for your body and mind.

With your back against the floor, lay there.

• Place your left foot on top of your right quad.
• Lift your right leg off the ground. It’s time to grab the back of your right leg and gently pull it toward your body.
• When you feel a good stretch, stay there.
• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.
• Switch sides and do it again.

6. 90/90Stretch

Atkins says that this modification of pigeon pose helps with both internal rotation of one leg and external wheel of the other. It’s suitable for people who have very tight hip flexors, she says. This means the front thigh is safe on the ground in a way that doesn’t cause too much stress.

• To do this, you should sit with your right knee bent at 90 degrees in front of you, your calf perpendicular to your body, and your sole facing to the left. Keep the right foot bent.
• Keep your leg on the ground.
• Place your left knee on the left side of your body, and bend the knee so that your foot is facing you behind. Keep your left foot bent.
• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.

7. Frog Stretch.

SELF: “Most of us sit with our legs crossed, which can make our hips tight and cause lower back pain.” Lacee Lazoff, a personal trainer and instructor at The Fhitting Room in New York City, says this can cause tight hips and lower back pain. If your hips or groin are hurting, this stretch is perfect for you to do right now.

• Begin on all fours.
• Place your knees farther apart than shoulder-width apart.
• Make sure that the inside edges of your feet are on the floor. Turn your toes out.
• Move your hips back towards your heels.
• You can move your hands to get a deeper stretch if you can.
• Hold on for 30 seconds to 2 minutes at the same time.

8. The butterfly stretch

• Lie on the floor with your feet together, and your knees bent at the sides.
• Then, hold on to one of these things. Engage your abs, and slowly bring yourself down to the floor, lowering yourself as far as possible while pressing your knees down.
• If you can’t bend over, push your knees down.
• Hold it for about 30 seconds to two minutes when you do this stretch.

9. Squeeze your shoulder while you’re sitting

• As a NASM-certified personal trainer in New York City, I love this stretch because it helps correct bad posture and relieves tension in the upper back. I also like it because it’s easy to do at home.
• Put your hands behind your back.
• Make sure your arms are straight and outstretched, and then squeeze your shoulder blades into one big group.
• Do this for three seconds, and then let go of it. 5 to 10 times.

10. As you bend your knees to the side, you stretch

• Lie on the floor with your legs and back straight. Keep your core tight.
• Take your right arm above your head, put your left arm on your left leg, and bend your torso and right arm to the left.
• Make sure your hips are facing forward.
• Hold it for about 30 seconds to two minutes when you do this stretch.

11. A stretch for the hip flexors when you lunge

• Lie on your left knee. Place your right foot on the floor in front of you with your knee bent.
• In this step, bend your left hip toward the floor.
• Squeeze your butt; this will help you stretch even more.
• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.
• Switch sides and do it again.

12. Lying on your back, stretch your Pecs

People who do push-ups or rows should stretch before or after doing them, says Zack Daley, a NASM-certified personal trainer and head coach at Tone House in New York City, who says this is a good stretch for both.

13. From Knee to Chest Stretch

To do this, pull your right knee in toward you, but keep the left leg straight and your lower back pressed into the floor.

• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.
• Do the same on the other leg.

14. Sitting Neck Release

The owner of Joubert Physical Therapy in Beverly Hills says that most people forget to stretch their necks. Karen Joubert, D.P.T. When you relax your neck, it can also help the rest of your upper body feel better, from your shoulders to your spine.

Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.

15. Lying on your quads, stretch them

• Lay on one side.
• If you want, you can keep the bottom leg straight and bend the top knee, so the foot is near your butt.
• With your hand, pull your top foot toward your butt.
• Make sure you don’t rock back when you pull.
• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.
• Switch sides and do it again.

16. Pose: Sphinx

SELF talked to Shanna Tyler, a yoga instructor in New York City. She says that this pose stretches the lower back gently, making your abs work, which helps your lower backstay strong.

• Then, place the palm of each hand on the floor under the shoulder and the elbows under the shoulder. Then, lift your chest off the ground.
• To do this exercise, you should press your hips and thighs into the floor, think about lengthening your spine and keep your shoulders loose.
• Sit up just enough so that you can feel a good stretch in your back. Do not stretch too far, and if you start to feel pain or discomfort, stop right away.

17. The puppy is in a long pose

• Begin on all fours.
• Walk your arms a few inches forward and curl your toes under.
• It’s time to raise the top of your hips and move them back halfway to your heels.
• If your arms are bent, push through the palms of the hands to keep them straight.
• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.

18. Pretzels can be stretched to make them bigger

“I like the pretzel stretch because it stretches a lot of important postural muscles in one stretch, which can save a lot of time.” You’ll stretch the quadriceps of your bottom leg, your spine, and the glutes and hip flexors of your top portion while you do this.

• On your left side, put your head on your arm.
• Keep your leg and body in line as you gently move your top shoulder blade toward the floor.
• You can get more of a spinal twist with your right shoulder turn.

19. It’s called a “Bound Angle Pose.”

Murray: “This is a great stretch to do both as a gentle warm-up and at the end of a workout as a way to let go.” It’s possible to and should be changed based on how the body is feeling to stretch and relax properly. Pillows or rolled towels can be used as bolsters under your knees if you need them at first.

• Allow your knees to move closer to the floor by putting the soles of your feet together.
• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.

20. It’s called “Standing Quad Stretch.”

• Keep your feet together.
• In this step, bend your left knee and use your left hand to pull your left foot toward your butt, then let go. Keep your knees together, please.
• Squeeze your glutes to make your front legs stretch more.
• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.

21. Knees to the chest

• Pull your knees in with both hands as you lie down.
• Stay on the ground.
• Make sure your lower back is on the ground.
• Hold for about 30 seconds to two minutes, or until you feel like it.

Also Read:

• All Time 15 Most Important Exercises For Men
• 50+ Super Healthy Foods That You Need To Include in Your Diet Plan
• Healthy Foods That Are High In Iron
• 12 Simple daily habits for a happier and healthier life

Conclusion

As important as strength and cardio work are for a well-balanced workout, flexibility work is just as important. Reduce tightness, and make your activities more efficient and safe by making them more effective and safe.

The post The 21 Best Stretching Exercises For Better Flexibility appeared first on US Lifestyle.