How to stretch the back of the thigh exercises. Leg stretching exercises, or magical stretching. Stretching of the thigh muscle

Chest Stretch (1)

This exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles of the chest. In a standing position, extend your arms in front of you parallel to the floor, then slowly bring your straight arms behind your back. Lock and hold this position for 10 seconds, then lower your arms. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Upper back stretching exercise (2)

This exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles of the upper back. Without bending your knees, stretch both arms straight out in front of you and stretch as far forward as you can. Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Stretching the muscles of the back of both hands (3)

This exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles. Grab your right elbow with your left hand (or vice versa), then bring your hands in this grip behind your head and push your elbow back until you feel the muscles in the area stretch. Lock and hold this position for 10 seconds, then lower your arms. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Calf stretching exercise (4)

This exercise is aimed at stretching the calves. In a standing position, place your left (or right) foot in front of you, lean forward with your body and resting your hands on your protruding leg, stretch forward until you feel the calf muscles stretch. Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Back Thigh Stretch (5)

This exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles of the back of the thigh. Take a supine position, press the knee of the right (or left) leg to the chest. You should feel the muscles in the back of your thigh stretch. If it doesn't, pull your knee closer. Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Back Thigh Stretch (6)

This exercise is also aimed at stretching the muscles of the back of the thigh. While standing, place your straight right (or left) foot on the step and lean forward until you feel the muscles in the back of your thigh stretch. Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Stretching exercises for the muscles of the front of the thigh (7)

Attention!

This exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles of the front of the thigh. Grab the foot of the right (or left) foot and bring it back. In this case, the knees should be kept together, and the leg being developed should be pulled up. Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Anterior Thigh Stretch (8)

This exercise is also aimed at stretching the muscles of the front of the thigh. Take a position lying on your stomach, grab your right (or left) leg and hold in this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Stretching exercises for the muscles of the outer side of the thigh (9)

This exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles of the outer side of the thigh. Lie on your back, lift your right (or left) leg and grab the foot of the other leg by the knee, pull to the side. Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Muscle stretching exercise inner surface thighs (groin) (10)

This exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles of the inner thighs (groin area). Standing position, legs apart wider than shoulders. To stretch the muscles of the inner thigh of the right leg, bend the knee of the left leg, while the left foot is directed forward and the right foot is directed to the side. During the exercise, keep your back straight and do not bend your right leg at the knee.

Stretching exercise for the muscles of the inner thigh (groin) (12)

This exercise is also aimed at stretching the muscles of the inner thigh (groin). Take a position lying on your back, bring your heels together, bringing your legs bent at the knees to the groin, while leaning on your elbows, bend as close as possible towards your knees. Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

(12)

This exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles of the lumbar region. Take a position lying on your back, bend your knees and tilt your legs to the right, then to the left. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

Stretching exercises for the muscles of the lumbar region 13

This exercise is also aimed at stretching the muscles of the lumbar region. Lie on your back, pull your knees up to your chest and grab your knees with your hands. Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Stretching exercises for the muscles of the lumbar region (14)

This exercise is also aimed at stretching the muscles of the lumbar region. Lie on your back, pull your right (or left) knee to your chest. Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Stretching exercise for the muscles of the body (15)

This exercise is aimed at stretching the muscles of the body. Take a sitting position, lean on the palm of your right (or left) hand. On the thigh of the right leg, throw the left leg bent at the knee. In this case, turn the body in the opposite direction (to the left). Fix and hold this position for 10 seconds, relax. (Repeat exercise 2 times).

Source: http://site/volk.by/15-uprazhneniy-dlya-rastyazhki

Exercises for elastic hips

Hello! I found about your caviar, but it's not the same. To me hip exercises would not interfere to make the thighs firmer! Advise what to do so that the thighs are not flabby. Lena.

Read also: Stretching stretching exercises

—
Lena, it’s easy to train the hips, because by nature this part of the body in women is very well developed. The hips lend themselves very well to correction and quickly gain lost elasticity. Just do not overdo it - the hips are very easy to pump!

It is necessary to stretch the muscles of the thighs and maintain each position for each leg for at least 30 seconds, and preferably a minute.

Place one foot on the heel and straighten it at the knee. With your other leg, squat a little as if you were going to sit on a chair. All body weight should be on the leg you are squatting on (see picture).

When squatting, try to pull your buttocks back more. For greater efficiency you can extend the stretched leg even further and lean forward a little.

Front thigh stretch

Look at the picture - with your free hand you need to grab the toe of the foot and pull it to the buttock of the same leg, but not to the side. If you need support, use your free hand.

Keep your knees together, back straight, stomach pulled in, pull your neck up.

Outer thigh stretch

Sit on the floor, place the foot of one leg behind the outer side of the thigh of the other. Turn the body in the opposite direction to the one in which the leg was wound. (see picture)

Use one hand to keep your balance, resting on the floor. With the elbow of the other hand, try to twist the leg bent at the knee around the axis of the spine even more. Feel how this stretches the outer side of the thigh of the leg that is bent at the knee.

Repeat the same with the other leg.

Plie squat

Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, back straight, toes and knees pointing out to the sides at a 45-degree angle. Squat down so that your knees are bent to a 90 degree angle. Stay straight, don't slouch. As you rise, keep your knees slightly bent.
Do this for 3 sets of 16 reps.

Martin

Body weight - on the supporting leg. Pull the second leg to the stomach, and then slowly move it back, gently lowering the body down. The pelvis should be parallel to the floor, and the gaze and toe of the working leg should be directed to the floor. Do 3 sets of 16 reps on each leg.

Pulling the leg to the side

Get on all fours, focus on your elbows and knees. The stomach is tucked up, do not lift your head up.

Take your knee straight to the side. Keep your balance without tipping to the right or left. Then return to the starting position.
Do 3 sets of 10 reps on each side.

Squat with leg raise

The legs are slightly wider than the shoulders, the feet are parallel to each other, the knees are slightly bent, the buttocks and stomach are tightened, the back is straight.

Squat as if you were sitting on a chair. At the bottom, the thighs are parallel to the floor, and the knees are exactly above the toes. During the lift, shift your body weight to the supporting leg, and lift the free leg to the side as high as possible, directing the heel to the ceiling. Now sit down again, and then lift your leg to the other side.
As usual, 3 sets of 16 exercises.

Source: https://www.sympaty.net/20081129/uprugie-bedra/

Stretching the back of the thigh

Stretching the back of the thigh - medium difficulty.

Performance

• Initial position. Lie on your back, then lift your head and shoulder blades off the mat, as if doing a crunch. Raise one straightened leg up and clasp it with your palms in the ankle area. Raise your other leg slightly so that your lower back is in firm contact with the mat. Both legs are fully extended at the knees, the toes are slightly pulled back.
• Exhalation. Pull in the stomach a little more and pull the hands of the upper leg towards the forehead in two successive movements that occur simultaneously with two active exhalation impulses.
• Inhale. Without bending your knees, change their position and transfer your hands to the other leg.
• Exhalation. Pull the other leg in the direction of the forehead, following the same breathing pattern as in the previous movement. Repeat the hamstring stretch 10 times (5 times with each leg), changing the position of the legs on the inhale and stretching the muscles on the exhale, and then return to the starting position.

Main working muscles

Muscles that flex the spine: rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique.

Muscles that flex the leg at the hip joint: iliopsoas muscle, rectus femoris, tensor fascia lata, pectineus muscle.

Accessory muscles

Abdominal muscles that stabilize the spine: transverse abdominal muscle.

Muscles that extensor the leg at the hip joint: gluteus maximus, posterior thigh muscles.

Muscles that extensor the leg at the knee joint: quadriceps femoris.

Muscles that perform plantar flexion of the foot in the ankle joint: calf muscle, soleus muscle.

Muscles that flex the arm at the shoulder joint: anterior bundle of the deltoid muscle, pectoralis major muscle (clavicular bundle).

• In the 1st phase of the hamstring stretch, pull in your abdomen hard and contract isometrically to keep your upper body suspended, keep your pelvis stable, and keep your lower back and sacrum firmly in contact with the mat throughout the exercise, and especially when changing legs.
• Keeping your power center stable, fully straighten both legs. They should form straight lines due to the work of the muscles that extend the leg at the knee joint and plantar flex the foot at the ankle joint.
• At the beginning of the 3rd phase of the hamstring stretch, when changing leg position, use the hip flexors to lift the lower leg and the hip extensor muscles to lower the upper leg. When the upper leg goes over the vertical line, the hip flexors must prevent it from falling under the force of gravity.
• In phase 4, focus on keeping your bottom leg at a constant height above the mat while your top leg pulls up towards your head. This movement dynamically stretches the posterior thigh muscles. Pulling up the upper leg is carried out due to the muscles that bend the arm in the shoulder joint. At the same time, the elbows are bred to the sides.
• Try to keep your shoulder blades in a neutral position, without spreading them apart or lifting them.
• mental image. Imagine that the legs move like scissors. The movement should be made only in the hip joint.

Read also: Gymnastics for cervical osteochondrosis according to Bubnovsky

Notes

The hamstring stretch is very similar to the single leg stretch. The only difference is that in this case both legs are straightened.

By pulling the extended upper leg to the chest, you dynamically stretch the hamstring muscle group, which is often tight.

When you lower your leg, you have to tighten your abdominal muscles more to keep your pelvis and lumbar spine stable.

Modifications

If the muscles of the hamstrings are very tight, the hands can be placed closer to the thigh or the leg slightly bent at the knee, pulling it in the direction of the head.

Option

The hamstring stretch can also be done with the lower leg on the mat. This limits the posterior tilt of the pelvis and provides better stretching of the posterior thigh muscles.

Source: http://site/sportklas.ru/view_articles.php?id=281&style=pilates

Stretching - muscle stretching exercises

Stretching (stretching) can become a major part of your training regimen. Stretching helps to increase the flexibility and range of motion of the joints.

Before you start stretching, you need to warm up - five to ten minutes of light activity. It's even better if you stretch after your workout.

Stretching should be gentle. Don't make sudden movements.

If you feel pain, then you are stretching too hard.

Hold the stretch position for about 30 seconds, then do the same on the other side.

If you have a problem area, or stretching helps relieve pain or discomfort, you can repeat the stretch in that area. If you have any medical conditions or injuries, talk to your doctor or fitness instructor about what kind of stretching is right for you.

calf muscles

The calf muscles are located along the back of the leg. To stretch the calf muscles:

• Stand at arm's length from a wall or stable fitness equipment.
• Place your right foot behind your left foot.
• Slowly tilt your left leg forward, right knee straight, right heel remaining on the floor.
• Keep your back straight, hips pointing forward. Point your feet neither in nor out.
• Change legs and repeat the exercises.
• For a deeper stretch, bend your right knee slightly while tilting your left leg forward.

Biceps femoris

The biceps femoris runs along the back of the thigh. To stretch the biceps femoris:

• Lie on the floor near the outer corner of a wall or doorway.
• Raise your left leg and place your left heel against the wall. Keep your left knee slightly bent.
• Gently straighten your left leg until you feel a stretch in the back of your left thigh.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.
• Swap legs and repeat the exercise.

As your flexibility increases, stretch more, gradually moving closer to the wall or doorway.

Quadriceps

The quadriceps femoris, or quadriceps, occupies the front surface of the thigh. Quad stretch exercise:

• Stand next to a wall or with a stable exercise machine to lean on.
• Grab your hand around your ankle and gently pull your heel up and back until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh.
• Tighten your abdominal muscles so that your stomach does not bulge forward and keep your knees close together.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Change legs, repeat the exercise.

Hip flexors

The hip flexors, which allow you to raise your knees and bend at the waist, are located at the top of your thighs, just below pelvic bones. Hip flexor stretch exercise:

• Kneel on your right knee with a folded towel under your kneecap.
• Place your left leg in front of you, bending it at the knee, and place your left hand on your left leg for stability.
• Place your right hand on your right thigh so as not to bend at the waist. Keep your back straight, tense your abdominal muscles.
• Bend forward, transferring body weight to the right leg. You will feel a stretch in your right thigh.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Iliotibial tract

The iliotibial tract is part of muscle tissue, which runs along the outer surface of the thigh to the knee. Stretching exercise for the iliotibial tract:

• Stand next to a wall or stable machine for support.
• Cross your legs so that the left leg is in front of the right, at the ankles.
• Stretch your left arm above your head, stretch to the right side. You will feel a stretch in your left thigh.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Lower back

Stretching from the knee to the chest engages the muscles of the lower back. Do not perform this stretch if you have osteoporosis because it may increase your risk of spinal compression fractures.

How to do this stretch:

• Lie on your back on a flat hard surface with your heels on the floor.
• Gently pull one knee toward your chest until you feel a stretch in your lower back.
• Pull your knee as close to your chest as possible while being comfortable.
• Keep the other leg relaxed, in a comfortable position. You can bend your knee or stretch your leg.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.
• Change legs and repeat the exercise.

Back of the shoulders

If the backs of your shoulders are tense, you may develop problems with your rotator cuff muscles, especially if you play golf or play sports such as tennis or baseball. Shoulder flexibility exercise:

• Extend the left arm perpendicular to the body, hold it with the right hand, above or below the elbow.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.
• Change hands and repeat the exercise.

Neck muscles

Stretching the muscles of the neck. To stretch your neck muscles:

• Tilt your head forward and slightly to the right.
• With your right hand, gently pull your head down. You will feel a nice, light stretch along the back of your neck on the left side.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.
• Repeat the exercise on the opposite side.

Upper back

Stretching the muscles in your upper back can promote good posture. To stretch these muscles:

• Stand freely, stretch your arms in front of you, parallel to the floor.
• Squeeze your shoulder blades together with your elbows slightly bent. You will notice that your arms stretch a little wider as you do this.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds.

Repeat the exercise if you wish.

If your thigh muscles are weak, you may experience weak hip movement. In turn, this can lead to pain in the hips, knees and back...

In the course of a regular workout, many people neglect exercises that focus on building hip strength.

However, this is extremely important as weak thigh muscles can cause a cascade. negative changes in your mobility. If your thigh muscles are weak, you may experience weak hip movement.

In turn, this can lead to pain in the hips, knees, and back.

How to relax tense thigh muscles

There are several primary muscles in your hips that deserve to be strengthened. Your gluteus maximus(which is located on the back of the thigh or buttocks) and gluteus medius, which is the main muscle on the side of your thigh, are two of them.

You should also pay attention to the bending parts of the thigh - rectus femoris and iliopsoas especially if you sit at your desk for many hours.

Sitting for long periods of time can cause your hip flexors to contract and become tight, leading to posture problems and back pain. Additionally, weak hip flexors can contribute to foot, ankle, and knee injuries.

Sitting is the main culprit for hip strain, because muscles rarely stretch (although they can also become tight from exercise).

To stretch and strengthen your thigh muscles, try this exercise, created by Suzanne Bowen, creator of BarreAmped, an internationally trained barre technique voted Best Technique Workout by Fitness Magazine and Natural Health Magazine in 2015-16.

You will need a chair or chair for support. kitchen table. Start in a kneeling lunge position with your right leg forward and your left leg bent at the knee at a 90 degree angle. Your left knee should be a few inches below your left thigh.

1. Shift your weight a few inches onto your right leg until you feel a slight stretch in your opposite thigh.

If you have very tight hips, you may not be able to do more. (Protect your front knee, making sure it doesn't go past your toes.) For a more advanced stretch, straighten your left leg behind you and then shift your weight forward.

Keep your back straight and lean forward a few inches from your hips and feel the stretch in your right hamstring.

Hold each position for two to five deep breaths, then switch sides.

8 More Stretches for Tight Hips

1. Happy baby (opens hips)

• Start lying on your back. Bend both knees and hold the outer edges of your bent legs with your hands. Keep your hands on the outside of your legs.
• Gently use your upper body to evenly push your knees down to the floor below your armpits. Try not to tense your shoulders or chest, but keep everything relaxed.
• Stay in this position for five deep breaths.

2. Extended Wide Squat (stretches both hips at the same time)

• Place your feet slightly wider than your hips. Bend your knees and lower your hips down towards the ground. If your heels aren't touching the ground, roll up a towel or mat and place it under your heels for support.
• Bring your palms together in the center of your heart and press your elbows tightly to your knees. This will help open up your hips even more.
• After five breaths, release your hands to the floor and away from your legs to increase the stretch in your hips and lower back. Wait five more breaths.

3. Open lizard (for hip flexors and outer thigh)

• Come into a lunge position with your right knee forward. Lower your left knee to the floor and place your hands on the ground under your shoulders.
• Slowly lower your right knee to the right so that you rest on the outside of your right bent leg. Keep your arms straight while pressing your chest forward to increase the stretch.
• Hold this way for five breaths and then repeat on the left side.

4. Wide leg split (stretches the hips, hamstrings, and inner thighs)

• From the wide squat, place your hands on the floor in front of you and place your feet apart, making sure your heels are wider than your toes. Keep the soles of your feet on the ground to protect your knees.
• As your hips drop, you can support yourself on your forearms and then move down to your shoulders. If your shoulders are on the ground, turn your head to the side and rest your cheek on the ground so you don't bruise your chin.
• Stay in this position for five deep breaths, then bring your legs together.

5. Butterfly (stretches both thighs at once)

• Sit on the ground, bend both knees and join your legs. Using your hands, open your legs like a book. Use your leg muscles to press your knees into the floor.
• Stretch your spine, pull in your navel. Relax your shoulders and look straight ahead or at your feet. Stay in this position for five breaths, and then slowly lean forward, stretching your torso towards your legs. Remember to try to keep your back straight.
• Place your hands on your legs, pressing down on your knees with your hands, or if you want to stretch them more, extend your arms in front of you. Stay in this position for another five breaths.

6. Head to knee (for hips and hamstrings)

• Sit on the ground with your legs stretched out in front of you. Bend your right knee and pull your foot toward the inside of your left thigh.
• Sitting with a straight spine, reach with both hands to the left leg and lay the torso on top of the left thigh. If you can't reach your legs, put your hands on your shins or knees. Try not to arch your back.
• Stay in this position for at least five breaths without pulling your shoulders up to your ears. Then do the other side.

7. Dove (opens knees one at a time)

• Sit with your right knee bent and your left leg extended behind you. Pull your right heel toward your left hip, or if your hips are more open, slowly move your right foot away from you.
• Make sure your left thigh is always pointing down on the mat. If it starts to open towards the ceiling, bring your right leg back towards your body.
• Stay in this position with your hands on your right thigh or both thighs, or bring your hands in front of you, allowing your torso to rest on your right knee. Hold this position, breathing for any areas of tension for at least five breaths.
• Repeat this pose with the left knee bent.

8. Double dove (intense stretch for your buttocks)

• Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of you. Bend your left knee and place your knee, shins, and leg on the floor so that they are parallel to your pelvis. Bend your right knee and place it on top so that your knees, shins and ankles are stacked. You'll know you're doing it right when you look down and see your legs form a small triangle.
• You may find that your top knee is high up towards the ceiling. It's okay, it just means your hips are tense, so stay where you are and breathe.
• To make this pose more intense, place your hands in front of your shins and stretch them forward as far as you can, pressing your chest against your legs.
• Stay in this position for five breaths, slowly release and then switch legs so that your left knee is on top.

Hip exercises can reduce knee pain

Pain in any part of your body may be due to problems elsewhere. In the case of knee pain, the problem may start in the hips.

For example, back pain syndrome (PFP), which is common in runners, occurs when the thigh bone begins to touch the kneecap while running.

According to a pilot study, this type of pain can be reduced or even eliminated simply by strengthening the hips. Participants participated in a twice-weekly hip strengthening program for six weeks with a significant reduction in pain levels.

Stretches to relieve iliotibial tract syndrome (IT)

Your IT runs along your leg and attaches to your hips and just below and outside of your knee. This helps to stabilize the knee joint during movement.

One of the most common sports injuries, especially among runners, is IT syndrome, which occurs when this ligament becomes tense and/or inflamed.

Tight muscles in the hips can be a major factor.

When your IT is tense, almost any knee movement can become painful as the IT interferes with your knee alignment.

Stretch marks that may help prevent this condition include:

Stretching with crossed legs: standing on the floor, cross your legs. Bending forward at the waist and pressing your left thumb into the floor, turn your body slightly to the left, keeping your hands on your right leg.

If done correctly, you will feel your IT stretch on the outside of your right leg. Hold the stretch for a moment, then turn your legs around and repeat on the other side.

Stretch against the wall: step back an arm's length from the wall. Step forward with your left foot and back with your right. Bend your left knee, pressing down on your right heel. Hold for 20-30 seconds, then switch legs.

If you're older, increasing hip range of motion is critical.

In older adults, decreased hip mobility is one of the main causes of falls, making regular hip exercise important for maintaining independence and health.

The exercises below will help strengthen your hips and improve flexibility - even for people with osteoarthritis of the hip.

Flexibility exercises for the hips

Holding one knee

Lying on your back, grab your right knee and pull it towards your chest until you feel a stretch. Hold for 20 seconds. Repeat on the left side.

Circumference of both knees

Lying on your back, take both knees and pull them towards your chest. Hold for 20 seconds.

"Cobra Pose"

Lie face down on the floor with your arms parallel to your shoulders. Straighten your arms, lifting your upper torso off the floor. Your lower back should be arched with your pelvis in contact with the floor. Hold for 20 seconds, then lower down

Hip stretch with abduction / adduction

Lying on your back, raise one knee to your chest. Hold the knee with both hands, move the knee from one side to the other for 20 seconds. Repeat on the other side.

External hip rotation

Lying on your back, pull your right knee towards your chest. Place your right hand on your knee and your left hand on your ankle. Gently pull your right ankle towards your head. Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the left leg.

Internal rotation of the hip

Lying face down, bend your knees 90 degrees and let your feet fall outward. Hold for 30 seconds.

Strengthening exercises for the thighs

"Clam"

Lie on your side with your feet together and your knees slightly bent. Raise your top knee as far as you can, then lower back. Repeat 15 times, then switch sides.

Bridge

Lying on your back with your feet on the floor, lift your hips towards the ceiling. Freeze for a few seconds before lowering. Repeat five times.

Emphasis on the knees

Lie on your side with your feet together and your knees slightly bent. Raise your top knee and leg. Keeping your knee up, rotate your leg up and down. Repeat 15 times, then switch sides.

Heel support

Lie on your side with your feet together and your knees slightly bent. Raise your top knee and leg. Keep your leg stationary in the air, rotate your knee up and down. Repeat 15 times, then switch sides. published .

Dr. Joseph Mercola

If you have any questions, ask them

P.S. And remember, just by changing your consumption, we are changing the world together! © econet

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We have prepared for you 21 leg stretching exercises that are suitable for both beginners and experienced athletes.

Types of stretching exercises

Exercises for stretching the muscles of the legs can be divided into several types:

Stretch type	Description
static	Especially suitable for beginners, as it is gentle on the muscles. They stretch but don't tighten. Do such exercises from 15 seconds to a minute. You can train any muscle group.
Dynamic	The essence is completely opposite to static. These movements are distinguished by dynamics, active actions. Arm raises, leg lunges, body twists.
Passive	It differs from static in that it is performed in pairs. Here it is important to feel your body and respond in time to the partner’s actions, prompt him about how hard to press or pull. This stretch allows you to stretch your muscles even better, increase the range of motion.
Active	It is in many ways similar to dynamic, but its main difference is independent actions and work with its own weight. Such a stretch often acts as an addition to another type, but it can also be independent.
ballistic	This is a specific type, not suitable for everyone. Unlike smooth movements, these exercises are performed rhythmically and intensively - jumps, jerks, sharply and with maximum amplitude.

When to stretch your muscles: before, during exercise, after exercise?

Jacob Wilson, a sports physiologist at Florida State University, says you need to stretch before your workout. However, this should not be a static form, you need to perform a dynamic warm-up. And after class - stretching to calm the body, bring the pulse back to normal (the book "Cardio or Strength" by Alex Hutchinson).

Citing the same source, Jason Winchester, a scientist at Louisiana State University, is confident that do not stretch before strength exercises. But here is a must. If such exercises are planned, it’s good if enough time passes before the main strength. You can also do them on non-training days, such as in the morning or before bed.

It is also a good option to pull the working muscles between sets in strength exercises. Not for long, literally 10-15 seconds.

Warm up before stretching

Experiments on rats at the University of Michigan showed that the muscles must be warmed up before stretching, otherwise they are severely injured. Experts advise warming up before stretching - jogging, cycling to warm up properly (book "Cardio or strength" by Alex Hutchinson).

How and how much to stretch?

Ideally, stretching the legs should take 10-15 minutes. On average, stretching lasts about 10-20 minutes. Before it starts, you should restore the pulse.

Exercises for the front of the thigh

In this section, we will look at the basic movements for stretching the front of the thigh (quadriceps).

1. Lie face down on the mat.
2. Raise your head, take your hand back and wrap it around the ankle of the same name.
3. Pull the foot towards the buttock, while the thigh should remain pressed to the floor.
4. Do the same with the other leg.

You can also use a rubber shock absorber or a jump rope here:

© Mihai Blanaru - stock.adobe.com

1. Get on one knee, as in a lunge.
2. Place your hand on your front foot. With your other hand, grab the toe of the second leg and pull it towards the buttock. Try to tighten your gluteal muscles.
3. Do the same with the other leg.

© Kzenon - stock.adobe.com

1. Take a deep lunge forward. The back leg should be straight.
2. Move the body forward, and rest your hands on the floor on both sides of the front leg.
3. The leg laid back is bent so as to reach the floor with the knee. Reach forward, resting on your knee, you will feel how the quadriceps of this leg is stretched.
4. Now repeat with the other leg.

Exercises for the back of the thigh

Exercises for stretching the back of the thigh can be performed using additional items. And also lying down, standing or sitting.

Stretching the back of the thigh with an expander

1. Lie on your back, stretch your legs.
2. Throw a rope, expander or rope on the foot of one leg, lift it as high as possible and pull it towards you. The second leg is straightened and does not come off the floor.
3. The same must be done with the other leg.

Standing stretch

1. Stand up straight and place your hands on your waist.
2. Take a step forward and tilt your torso almost parallel to the floor. The back should remain straight. Stretch forward without taking your feet off the floor.
3. If you slightly bend the back leg at the knee, the lower part of the back of the thigh will be tense, if the leg is straight, its upper part will be tense.
4. Change legs and repeat the movement.

Leaning towards the legs

1. Sit on your buttocks and straighten your legs in front of you.
2. Bend over to your feet and place your hands on either side of your legs as far as you can. You can grab your feet with your hands and slowly reach forward.

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Tilt to one leg

1. Sit as in the previous exercise, but extend only one leg in front of you. The second one needs to be bent at the knee and rest the foot on the thigh of the straightened leg.
2. Grasp the foot of the outstretched leg with your hands, lean forward and pull the toe towards you. Try not to round your back. Repeat with the other leg.

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Standing bends

1. Stand up, spread your legs wider than your shoulders (the width depends on your stretch).
2. Tilt your body down while keeping your back straight. At the end point, you need to rest your palms on the floor. The toes point forward, as do the fingers.

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1. If stretching allows you, sit in a longitudinal split.
2. Hands should be placed on the sides and transfer the weight of the body to them. No need to turn the hips and shoulders to the sides.
3. Change legs and repeat.

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Exercises for the inner thigh

Exercises for stretching the inner thigh are performed lying down or sitting. It is worth trying each option and choosing the ones that best feel the stretch in the target muscle group.

Deep squat

1. You need to sit down to a rack, simulator, door jamb, or any other convenient surface so that when you squat, you can grab it with your hands.
2. Place your feet wider than your shoulders, turn your knees and toes outward. Holding on to a support, slowly lower yourself into a deep squat until your thighs touch your calf muscles. Squats are performed with a straight back and without tilting the body.

"Butterfly on the Wall"

1. Sit on the floor on your buttocks. The back must be kept straight. If this is difficult for you, sit with support against the wall.
2. Bend your legs and press your feet together. Now, keeping your back straight, lower your knees to the floor. But don't push them with your hands.

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"Frog"

1. Lie on your stomach, then take emphasis on your forearms.
2. Spread your knees out to the sides and bend your legs at a 90-degree angle. At the same time, the toes look to the sides. Try to lower your pelvis as low as possible to the floor. If you manage to completely put the pelvis - excellent.

1. The position is similar to the previous exercise, only one leg is now straightened. Again, try to lower the pelvis to the floor.
2. Repeat with the other leg.

Fold forward

1. Sit on the floor on your buttocks and spread your legs to the sides as wide as possible. Toes point up.
2. Lean forward, extending your arms and resting your palms on the floor. Try to lower your stomach as close to the floor as possible. Don't bend your knees.

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1. If stretching allows you, spread your legs to the sides in a transverse split.
2. Do not take the pelvis back, it should be on the same level with the knees and feet. With a good stretch, you can lean forward and lean on your forearms. If you find it difficult to do this, rest your palms. Strive to pull the pelvis towards the floor.

© Amelia Fox - stock.adobe.com

1. Lie on your back so that the pelvis is flush with the wall and the legs are perpendicular to the floor.
2. Spread your legs and let them drop to the sides under your weight. Toes point down.
3. Try to stay in this position for a few minutes.

Exercises for the outer thigh

Exercise near the wall can be performed even by untrained people. And what is done while standing requires some preparation. But at the same time, the press is stretched.

Abduction of the thigh against the wall

1. Stand against the wall with your right side. Rest your right hand on it.
2. Cross your right leg over your left and squat down. The leg brought back should slide along the floor to the left without bending at the knee. Keep your body straight.
3. Turn to the wall on the other side and repeat.

Standing stretch

1. Cross your left leg behind your right in front. The right hand is on the belt, the left is freely lowered down.
2. Lean towards the lowered hand. You can also bend over with your arms raised above your head.
3. Repeat for the other leg.

Calf exercises

This simple exercises that can be performed without having a sufficiently developed stretch.

Stretch against the wall

1. Stand facing the wall at a distance of a small step, rest against it with the toe of your right foot and palms, put the other foot one step back. The feet are pressed to the floor and do not come off throughout the exercise.
2. Lean forward so that the right knee rests on the wall. At the same time, the left one remains straight, it is her lower leg that is stretched.
3. Repeat the movement for the other leg.

Heel wall stretch

1. Stand in a position similar to the previous exercise, only now put the toe of your right foot on the wall and lean on the heel. Both legs are straight.
2. Move your body forward by bending your right leg.
3. Change legs and repeat the exercise.

1. Sit on your buttocks with your legs straight.
2. We bend one leg at the knee, put the foot on the thigh of the other leg and pull it to the pelvis, helping with the hand. Pull the sock towards you.
3. Do the same with the other leg.

Are there any contraindications for stretching?

Despite the good purpose, stretching is contraindicated. Possible reasons:

• serious problems with the spine;
• significant bruises of the limbs;
• microcracks in the bones;
• incomprehensible and constant pain in lumbar spine;
• inflamed hip joints;
• high blood pressure.

Stretching should be done with caution during pregnancy. But here everything is individual, there are no direct contraindications.

Conclusion

It is not worth neglecting the complex for stretching muscles. This is necessary and helps the body cope with stress and relax the muscles.

Any of us secretly or clearly dreams of the ideal shape of the legs. And we want the legs to be not just slender, but also toned, strong, and also “sculptural”. For some, the dream remains a dream, while others begin to go ahead to this dream. Therefore, they exhaust themselves with all kinds of diets and long workouts in gyms Or start running in the morning.

The result, as a rule, does not make you wait long - the legs become slimmer. But for some reason, lightness in the legs does not increase. Do you know that leg stretching exercises will help you not only gain ease of walking, but also restore elasticity to your muscles, which means adding elasticity and sculpture to your legs? If you decide to lose weight, then stretching (stretching) should become an indispensable component of the whole process.

Any set of workouts in the fitness center necessarily includes stretching. However, you can stretch your legs for health and beauty benefits at home. To do this, it is not at all necessary to adhere to any particular training program. You can choose a set of exercises that will bring benefits and pleasure. Yes, yes, stretching is one of the few types of gymnastics that is actually pleasant to do. We offer you just such a complex that can be added to the usual morning exercises, or perform these exercises at home (even lying on the couch) at any convenient time.

Stretching the inner thigh

1. It is this exercise that can be done lying on the couch. But it is better to lie on the floor face up, and raise your legs at a right angle to the body. To maintain this angle and not “drop” your legs, lie with your booty against the wall (at a distance of fifteen centimeters) and keep your legs parallel to the wall. So, starting position: lying on your back, legs up (legs and back straight). Start spreading your legs to the sides until the first feeling of discomfort. Hold for thirty seconds and return to the starting position. Spread your legs again, linger for half a minute and bring your legs together. Perform at least ten approaches in one session.

   Gradually (day by day) increase the width of the spread of the legs. But do not try to push them as wide as possible immediately. Stretching exercises should be performed smoothly, and the load should increase gradually. No discomfort in stretching is simply unacceptable. And the main secret is the delay in the position of maximally (but pleasantly!) Stretched muscles and subsequent relaxation.

2. Sit on the floor with your feet together and your knees out to the sides. Pull in your stomach and begin to slowly lean forward until you feel the stretching of the muscles of the inner thigh. Hold this position for thirty seconds and relax. Perform at least ten inclinations in one session.

Stretching the front of the thigh

1. Stand up straight with your feet together. Bend one leg at the knee, bringing the heel to the buttocks. Grasp your toes with your hand and pull your leg back and up until the first sensations of discomfort. You will feel how the muscles of the upper thigh are stretched. Hold this position for thirty seconds and lower your leg. Repeat the same with the other leg. Perform ten sets for each leg, and to maintain balance, you can lean on the wall, table or back of a chair (chair) with your free hand.
2. Get on your knees in a lunge position: the knee of one leg rests on the floor, the second leg, bent at the knee at a right angle, stands on the floor with the foot. Pulling your stomach in, gently lean forward until you feel a slight stretch in the front of the thigh. Hold and return to the starting position. Repeat ten sets for each leg.

Hamstring Exercises

Sit on the floor with your legs stretched out and apart. Turn the torso in one leg, grasp the ankle with your hands and begin to slowly lean forward, trying to touch the knee with your forehead. You most likely won't succeed the first time. Do not despair. Bend as low as possible until the first feeling of discomfort and linger in this position for half a minute. Return to the starting position and repeat the tilt to the other leg. Perform at a time under ten slopes to each leg.

Important! When bending over, try to stretch the muscles of the lower back, not the back, and keep your back straight (do not hunch). Gradually, you will be able to bend lower and lower, and ideally, you will easily lie down with your stomach and chest on your leg, touching your knee with your forehead. By the way, this exercise helps to get rid of the stomach.

Stretching the back of the thigh

Stand straight, put one foot on the heel and straighten it at the knee. Start bending the other leg at the knee, as if you want to sit on a chair. In this case, the weight of the body should be on the leg that you bend. Hold in the position of light tension in the muscles of the back of the thigh and straighten the leg. Repeat the same for the other leg. For greater effectiveness of the exercise, take your butt as far back as possible, and extend the stretched leg further.

Stretching the calf muscles

Place your palms and knees on the floor and straighten your legs so that your knees remain slightly bent in weight (lean on your toes). Keeping straight position body, lower the heel of one foot to the floor. Hold and return to the starting position. Lower the heel of the other leg, pause again and return to the starting position. Keep your stomach in and repeat ten stretches for each leg.

Exercises for the thighs and buttocks

Lie on your back with your legs up and your knees bent at right angles. Put your right foot on your left knee, grab your left thigh (below your knee) with your hands and gently pull your leg towards you. Repeat the exercise for the other leg. Perform ten sets for each leg and keep your upper body relaxed while doing so.

There are different exercises for stretching the legs, and the complex offered to you includes only a few of them. You can perform the whole complex or choose exercises for the most problem areas. In any case, these exercises will return elasticity to the muscles of the legs, and lightness to the legs. Movements will no longer be constrained, and excess fat will gradually “melt”. So enjoy the exercises themselves and the result: with magical stretching, this is possible. Good luck!

It seems to me that almost half of the adults practicing splits are faced with a stretch in the back of the thigh. Most often, discomfort occurs under the ischium, in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe tendon connecting the muscles of the back of the thigh and the ischium, sometimes lower - halfway from the thigh to the knee. Such an injury does not seem to be a dangerous injury and does not interfere in ordinary life, but it can turn stretching into a difficult struggle with oneself for a long time.

Areas where the effects of a hamstring strain are most commonly felt

We will discuss the causes and consequences of traumatic sprains, how to solve this problem and how to prevent it. Below you will find not only tips, but also exercises for different stages of recovery.

Sad statistic.

Injuries to the tissues of the hamstring are one of the most common injuries that occur during stretching. This is partly due to the fact that every day we sit on top of these muscles for hours, and they spend almost most of their lives in a compressed state: as a result, they suffer from impaired blood circulation, lymph flow, loss of internal tissue mobility, and elasticity.

The hamstring spends most of its time in an inactive and compressed state, which requires attention and care when stretching.

And suddenly their owner wants not just a caring stretch to offer them, the owner wants a twine - an advanced gymnastic exercise, not realizing that he will stretch his muscles not even from scratch, but from “minus three”. That is, the state of the tissues is quite neglected and it is necessary first to bring them to the “zero” level, from which it is already possible to more or less actively pull.

Moreover, if the second leg had gone back enough, then the front leg would not have to be so much stretched. But after many years of sitting at school, college, at work, in transport and restaurants, hip mobility is lost. Here, only one leg looms in front of the owner’s nose when trying to split, so the owner expects a feat from her, and the success of the entire project begins to depend only on the maximum tension of the back of the thigh. How, in your opinion, will the muscle group “crushed by life” react to such an unbalanced load? Typically, the body lets you know you're wrong by including a "stretch reflex": a momentary reflex muscle contraction to prevent further stretching of that part of the body.

In addition, having been injured once, many do not calm down, but continue to go the same way, without changing their attitude towards stretching, eventually turning this problem into a chronic one. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle in our time is also difficult to change, so the detrimental effect on the injured muscle group continues, preventing recovery. Scars sometimes form in the tissues, and the scars will no longer stretch, these areas lose their elasticity seriously and for a long time, if not forever. Therefore, before you rush to sit on the twine, think about it: in a hurry, you risk never sitting on it - is it worth it? There is a golden rule in stretching: the slower you go, the further you will be.

Pulling a muscle is not very pleasant, but there are many valuable lessons to be learned from this and begin to better understand your body.

There is an exit!

So, if it fell to your lot to face such a nuisance, do not despair, but act according to the plan:

Recovery.

For a short period of time, it is better to refuse to stretch the injured part of the body. For how long - it depends on the severity of the damage, but, as a rule, from 1 week to 1 month. During this period, take care of other parts of the body. There is a high probability that you received a sprain due to the fact that other muscles were weakly involved in the stretch: calf muscles, for example, muscles and tissues of the foot, psoas muscle, thoracic spine, and maybe even hands - everything is interconnected in the body, some Something unobvious can be very important.

Remember that the body produces tissue cells that match your regular exercise. If you continue to stretch, your body will be set to produce more elastic structures. The properties of new cells in the area of ​​damaged tissues will depend on what stresses the body usually experiences. Sowing at home for a month with a good reason “I have an injury” will signal to the body that there is no need for elastic tissues yet. I know that I have written the same thing several times now, I just really want you to understand and remember it.

Active recovery.

• Help the body speed up recovery processes, do self-massage using sports ointments. Microcirculation in tissues is very important!

• Sit on your butt as little as possible - pressing the muscles down again with body weight slows down recovery.

• Contact a massage therapist, take a course of restorative massage that improves circulation and lymphatic drainage.

• Get a roller, learn how to massage your muscles with it ().

• Do not forget about the best source for restoring the body - a healthy full sleep. At least sometimes.

One of the best restorative practices is massage. Do not forget to explain to the massage therapist the essence of the problem, so that you can choose the appropriate type of impact.

By engaging in active recovery, you will better understand what is most effective for you and will be able to resort to this method in the future, when you recover, for a quick and complete muscle recovery after exercise.

Return to stretching

It is necessary to return the injured part of the thigh to stretching exercises very gradually. This process reminds me of a case from life: a very frightened puppy wandered into our yard. What happened to him, we had no idea, but while he was in our overexposure, he completely refused any interaction, going out to eat only in the dead of night, making sure that no one was around. Of course, the puppy wanted to play and move, but instead he spent all day sitting in the booth. Then I started coming and just sitting next to the booth for several hours, taking my computer with me and working nearby. After 3-4 days, my presence began to become habitual and no longer caused panic. A week later, the puppy could already quickly crawl out for a treat and hastily bring it to him. After 10 days, we started to play a little, although any harsh movement - and he instantly hid in the house. Now this is a faithful, smart, playful dog, which, by the way, we never gave away, we kept it for ourselves. She still has remnants of that fright, but she absolutely trusts us, lives a full, active and healthy life.

What's with the dog? It's just that our instinct for self-preservation is like an animal. Having “scared” your body once, it is difficult to return it to its previous full functioning. We must tame him again, with great patience, love and understanding. Start with the lowest level of stress: minimum tension and no pressure. The optimal position here is lying on your back with your legs up against the wall. And so for a week or two. Nothing more, until the body begins to associate the process of stretching again with a calm, habitual, pleasant state for the body.

Increase the stretch in millimeters. No rush. Because one wrong move- and you have to start all over again. For 1-2 months we stock up on patience and stretch only on pleasant sensations. Your goal is positive associations, "reprogramming" the injured part that stretching is safe. As long as your body associates stretching with injury, it won't let you perform well. He needs to be completely convinced.

Try to lie as close as possible with your tailbone to the wall. If your hips rise a lot in this position, move back further, give them time and opportunity to lie on the floor. If the hips are on the floor, then try to grab one leg with a belt, bend the other at the knee to completely focus on one leg. We work with each leg for 3-5 minutes.
This exercise is convenient to perform with a doorway. One leg rests on the floor, the other is placed on the frame of the doorway, it can be either straight or bent. It is better to work out both positions. We lie down for 1-3 minutes.

hot stretch

The best state for stretching is the most heated body, when you feel real heat inside you and the temperature in the tissues rises by several degrees. If the injury does not allow you to fully move, then there is another way to warm up the body well: in hot tub.

We pour hot water, wait 5-10 minutes for the state when the body seems to melt from the heat, and very carefully, slowly, without fanaticism, we begin to stretch our legs a little. You can lean on your back and pull one leg to the body. Or you can sit up straight and start leaning forward with your body, as if on a crease. Personally, at one time this method helped me a lot: I did such a stretch almost every day for two weeks in a row, then a little less often. When you feel more confident, slowly increase the degree of stretching, but remember: the quieter you go, the further you will be!

These exercises can be done while in a hot bath. Notice the difference in knee bend and foot position. Stretch with straight and bent legs, we pull the feet both towards ourselves and away from ourselves.

Learn to stretch with resistance.

The basic principles and background information are outlined in Resistance stretching is not only safe, but also promotes tissue repair and muscle strengthening—the best thing you can do for injured body parts. Here the adage “knock out with a wedge” is true and we can treat sprains with stretching.

In general, since my eyes are not MRI capable and I cannot assess the deep tissue condition of my clients, I just make it a point to make sure everyone is pulling the hamstrings using only the resistance technique. Even if you didn't have a sprain, this The best way prevent it. And if you have already recovered from an injury, then this method will prevent its recurrence.

How exactly can you use the resistance stretch method? If we stretch the hamstring, then we need to make such an effort that will make you tighten the hamstring.

In all positions of this complex, press the foot away from you. If your foot is on the chair, press on the chair. If the foot is on the floor, we press on the floor and as if we are trying to move the foot towards us. Lying on the floor, we grab the leg with our hands or a belt, pull it towards us, and constantly resist with the leg.
You can stretch the hamstring with either a straight leg or a bent leg, both options are useful.
In all the exercises here, press down with your foot and work with your hands as if you want to move the support towards you.
Lower exercise for those who are almost recovered, continue to push down and pull the chair towards you.

When you are more or less ready for the splits, work on these versions with resistance:
a) twine with tense bent legs. Never lean forward, keep your back upright.
b) anti-twine - we work with our legs as if we want to connect them together and rise up. In this case, support will be needed to keep the body even.

Preventing the problem from reoccurring

So, when you understand the causes of the problem, you can make sure that they do not provoke a second complication. Here are the commandments of a man who won a sprain:

• With long periods of sitting, it is necessary to unload the hips, get up, move.

• To restore tissue mobility, we do massage, self-massage and.

• Before stretching problem areas, it is important to warm up very, very well. If the class is sedentary and you quickly cool down, take warm pants, knitted shorts, ballet warm-ups, etc.

• We pull the back of the thigh ONLY with resistance.

• Remember that work in the splits should be fully divided by different parts of the body, so we thoroughly warm up and stretch the ankles, calf muscles, gluteal, ilio-lumbar complex, abdominal muscles, neck and shoulder girdle.
• You can read more information about the back of the thigh.