Stretches

Caution: What follows is a description of exercises based on my
personal experience. Before attempting any exercise, please take into
consideration your own body including your current physical condition
and any medical issues and medication taken that may affect physical
activity and your reaction to it. If you are concerned about any pain
or discomfort resulting from attempting these exercises or the
positions described, you should consult a doctor or another
professional before continuing.
*** Introduction: Flexibility is an important part of fitness.
Stretching your muscles before, during and after other exercise, will
provide you greater ease of movement and will add to your over-all
fitness. I strongly recommend including a series of stretches with
any exercise routine. Stretching can also be relaxing and refreshing
any time during the day. You may find that it relieves tension and
helps you to focus mentally and physically on your daily tasks.
*** Leg and Hip Stretches
1. Sit on the floor and bend your knees outward, placing the soles of
your feet together. With your hands or elbows, press down on your
knees or thighs till you feel the stretch. The point to this stretch
is to get your legs flat against the floor or as close as possible.
Hold this stretch for at least a minute or as long as you like!
2. Keeping one leg bent as in the previous stretch, extend the other
leg fully in front of you. Keeping the extended leg flat on the
floor, lean forward at the hips and extend your arm toward your toe.
Touch your toe or reach as far as you can and hold this stretch for at
least a minute. You can press against your bent knee with the other
hand for a more extensive stretch. Then reverse your position and
stretch the opposite leg in the same manner.
3. Lie on your back with both legs fully extended. Bend one knee and
clasp your hands around your shin, pulling your knee toward your
chest. Keep the extended leg flat on the floor with your foot flexed
(toes toward the ceiling). Hold this stretch for at least a minute,
then stretch the other side.
4. Remain on your back with both legs extended on the floor. Raise
one leg in the air, keeping the leg straight and lift as high as
possible. As before, keep the other leg flat on the floor and keep
the toes flexed toward the ceiling. Hold for one minute, then reverse
to stretch the other leg.
5. Remain on your back and bend your knees up with the soles of your
feet flat on the floor. Place your right ankle against your left leg
just above the knee, similar to the way you might cross your legs when
sitting by putting one ankle on the opposite knee. At this point, you
will still have your left foot on the floor. Lift your left foot,
keeping your right ankle pressed just above the left knee, and clasp
your hands behind your left thigh, pulling it toward your body. When
positioned properly, you will feel this stretch in your right hip.
Hold this stretch for one minute and then change up to stretch your
left hip.
I start every exercise with the routine of 5 exercises described
above. It takes about 10 minutes.
*** Calf and Thigh Stretches
1. In a seated position, flex your feet, pulling your toes up toward
the ceiling and back toward your leg as far as you can. You will feel
this stretch in your calves. Then extend your toes pointing toward
the floor. Repeat this series of 2 stretches, holding each for a
count of 15 seconds. This is a good stretch before taking a walk.
2. For a more extensive stretch of your lower leg muscles, stand
facing a wall and take a giant step back with your left foot. Flex
your right foot and place your toes against the wall. Position your
left foot flat on the floor at a comfortable distance to maintain
balance and provide a stretch. Then lean in toward the wall. Reverse
and stretch the opposite leg in the same manner. This is good to do
before getting on the treadmill or doing some other form of
cardiovascular exercise.
3. For the next stretch, you will need to stand on one foot. If this
is difficult for you, then stand next to a wall so that you can keep
one hand on the wall for balance. Lift your left foot as though you
are trying to touch your heel to your butt, and grasp your ankle in
your left hand. Pull on the ankle so that you feel the stretch in
your thigh. Hold this stretch for one minute and then stretch the
right leg. This is a good stretch to do after you have given your
upper legs a good workout.
*** Technique to Prevent Shin Splints
I learned this little gem of a technique from a massage therapist who
happened to be getting a Seeing Eye dog the same time as I a number of
years ago. He said this is what he teaches competitive bicyclists to
do so they can keep on biking. It really works!
In a seated position, find the top of the muscle that runs along the
outside of your shin. It's about 3 inches below your knee and just to
the outside of the long bone. You can make it more defined for the
purpose of finding it by flexing your foot. Press both thumbs at the
top of this muscle and keeping as much pressure as you can, slowly
drag your thumbs all the way down to your ankle. If you don't have
enough thumb strength, you can use the tips of your other fingers or a
clenched fist using your knuckles. The point is to press in on this
muscle with a constant pressure all the way down. Repeat this motion
three times on each leg. I am very prone to having this muscle
tighten up painfully when walking for any length of time, and this
technique really keeps it from happening 9 times out of 10.
*** Back Stretches
1. Kneel on the floor and sit back on your legs with your butt over
your feet. Lean forward as if to put your face on the floor while
maintaining this kneeling/sitting position and stretch both arms over
your head. When you are fully in this stretch, your legs from your
knees to your toes are on the floor, your butt is over your ankles,
probably not touching, but hovering as closely as you can manage, your
stomach is over your thighs with your arms extended along the floor in
front of you with your nose almost touching the floor. This is
sometimes called the prayer position or the child's pose. You will
feel the stretch in your lower back. Hold this stretch for one
minute.
2. Lie face down on the floor and place your hands on either side of
your chest as you would do for push-ups. Press up with your arms to
lift your upper body off the floor, but keeping your hips and legs
pressed tightly down. With your arms fully extended, you will feel
the bend in your back. This is sometimes called the cobra position
and is awesome for relieving back stress.
3. Lie on your back with your legs fully extended and your arms over
your head. Lie still for a few seconds to be sure that you are
comfortably extended with your arms and legs feeling very natural and
relaxed. Then stretch your right foot down and your right hand up,
keeping everything on the floor and reaching as far as you can.
Remember, you are not lifting any part of you off the floor. You will
feel this stretch in your side. Hold for about 10 seconds and then
relax back into the previous position. Then stretch the left side.
Repeat this stretch to either side several times and finish by just
lying still and relaxed. This is a good stretch with which to finish
an exercise routine.
4. Lie on your back with your knees up and the soles of your feet flat
on the floor. Stretch your arms straight up from your body toward the
ceiling. Drop your knees to the right and twisting at the waist,
stretch your arms to the left. Hold for about 15 seconds and then
reverse the stretch. Repeat several times and enjoy the stretch in
your back.
*** Neck and Arm Stretches
1. Standing, place your hands on your hips and let your head fall back
until it rests comfortably over your back. Do not try to make it
stretch any farther than is natural for putting your head back. Then
slowly roll your head over your right shoulder, to the front, over
your left shoulder and back around to the back. This should be a
slow, smooth continuous motion with no extra exertion to increase the
stretch. Just let the weight of your head provide the stretch needed.
Make several rotations in this direction, and then reverse it. If
your neck feels particularly tight in any position, stop the rotation
at that point and let the weight of your head pull on the spot that is
tight. Then continue the full rotation.
2. Lift your left arm up and angle it across your body as if you are
trying to scratch your right shoulder blade. Your left arm will be
coming across your face and your elbow will be pointing toward the
ceiling. Then lift your right arm till you grasp the back of your
left arm just above the elbow in the crook of your right arm. Use
your right arm to pull against your left shoulder till you feel the
stretch. Hold for a minute and then reverse to stretch your right
shoulder.
3. Sit on the floor Indian style or in whatever upright position is
most comfortable. This stretch can also be done from a standing
position. Raise your left arm above your head and bend it at the
elbow reaching down behind your head and neck and as far down your
spine as you can reach. At the same time, bend your right arm at the
elbow and reach it in an upward position also behind your back with
your hand along your spine. The point here is to stretch from both
directions and try to clasp your hands at the center of your upper
back. Stretch as far as you can even if your hands don't touch. One
elbow is pointing up and the other is pointing down. You can also use
a strap of any kind, (a tie or scarf or hand towel will work), and
holding it in the hand that is reaching from the top side of your
back, grasp the strap with the hand reaching upward and work your
hands along the strap toward each other. Repeat this stretch again,
switching your arm positions.
These arm stretches are very good after a good workout with hand
weights or the exercise straps.