Self Stretching Exercises

Stretching can be very beneficial for health when practised on a regular basis. Stretching is a vital activity required before any kind of physical exercise. But stretching every day regardless of any physical activity is important as well.

Benefits of Stretching

Some benefits of stretching are given below:-
Improves performance in physical activities.
Improves posture.
Decreases risk of injuries during workouts.
Help movement of joints through their full range of motion.
Increases flow of blood in the muscles.
Enable the muscles to work flexibly
Improves internal strength to perform regular activities

Different Types of Self Stretching Exercises

1. Chest Stretch:-

With the side of your body facing a wall, place your left palm on the wall. When doing the chest stretch keep your palm pressed firmly against the wall and maintain your hand in line with your shoulder.

Breathe out as you push against the wall and rotate your body to open up the chest. Maintain your back straight.
2. While rotating you feel the stretch in your chest and in your left shoulder.
3. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat on the right side.

The wall chest stretch helps to open up your chest and loosens your biceps and the muscles of your shoulders.

2. Gastrocnemius Stretch:-

While in a standing position, press both the hands against the wall.
Keeoing the back leg straight, push the heels down and slowly lean forward until a stretch is felt in the calf muscles.
Hold the position for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat for 2 to 3 times.
Calf stretches can help reduce knee pain and improve flexibility. The calf is made up of two muscles at the back of your lower leg. The larger muscle, gastrocnemius, starts just above the knee, and soleus , which sits underneath, starts just below the knee.

3. Kneeling Quad Stretch:-

These exercises help to stretch your quadriceps and the hip flexor muscles.

Maintain a high lunge position with your right foot forward. Then keep your left leg bent from the knee at 90 degrees and let your left knee touch the ground.
Once you’re stable, lift up your left foot, and reach back with your left arm to hold onto your left toes.
Keep your chest up, and try to feel the stretch in your quads.
Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.

4. Kneeling Back Stretch:-

This exercise helps to stretch the hip flexors and the rectus abdominis.

Kneel on a soft, comfortable surface placing your hands on your heels.
Slowly lift your glutes off of your heels and extend up and forward.
Take your head back while arching your back.
Bend backward as far as you can, aiming to reach your ankles.
Once you’ve gone as far as you can, hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds. Repeat 2-3 times per session.

5. Hip Adductor Stretch:-

While in a sitting position, place the bottom of your feet together and gently push your knees on either side to touch the floor.
Keep the back straight and feel the stretch in the hip adductor muscles.
Hold the position for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat for 2 to 3 times.
These exercises help to stretch the inside of your thighs. They work well for hip, lower back, and knee problems.

6. Cossack Squat Stretch:-

While in a standing position, spread the legs about 3 feet apart ( wider than hip-width). Your toes should be pointing out to the sides.
Squat down on one of the legs while keeping the other leg extended to the side, going as low as it feels comfortable.
Keep the back straight and feel the stretch in the hip adductor muscles. Hold the position for 10-15 seconds.
Repeat on the other side.
Repeat for 2 to 3 times.
This exercise helps to simultaneously strengthen the quads and glutes while stretching out the hip adductors.

7. Frog Stretch:-

Begin with your hands under your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips.

Slowly, spread your knees outward to the sides, keeping them in line with your hips.

Place your palms together or on the floor. You can also extend your
hands forward, resting your chin on the floor.
Try to lower your trunk toward the ground and push the hips backward as much as possible.
Hold for 10-15 seconds. Repeat for 2 to 3 times.

The frog stretch primarily focuses on the adductors of the hip and muscles of the inner thigh.

8. Calf & Hamstring Stretch:-

Stretching the hamstrings

Lengthening the spine

Improving circulation in the abdominal organs

Stimulating the nervous system

Sit on your mat with your legs extended and out in front of you. Your feet are flexed.
Draw your core in and imagine emptying the inner space of the pelvis.
Lengthen through the spine and take a deep breath in. Exhale and fold forward from the hip joints, keeping the spine long.
Don’t round your back to bend forward.
In Yoga, this posture is called Paschimottanasana.
You can place your hands on your knees, ankles, or feet. If you can’t reach your feet, place a strap around the soles of your feet and hold onto the strap.
reathe deeply and hold the pose for five breaths. To release the pose, slowly roll up to seated on an inhale.

8. Pancake Stretch:-

Sit on the floor with straight legs spread partially apart. The legs are not all the way apart like in a full straddle or full side split. The legs are partially apart, the hips are horizontally abducted, but not all the way.
You may lay on your belly, the legs get abducted maximally and the arms get under the legs.
When the legs will be less abducted, Gluteus Maximus and Piriformis which are extensor of the hip, will be stretched because the leg will flexed at
hip joint.
With wider straddle the medial hamstring will be lengthened.

9. Hanging Lat Stretch:-

Stretches the Latissimus dorsi, including spinal stability, good posture, and back and shoulder strength.

Use a secure overhead bar.
Grip the bar with an overhand grip and keep your arms shoulder-width apart.
Move your feet off the step or bench and hang keeping your body relaxed..
Hang for 10 seconds if you’re new to the exercise.

The hanging Lat works and strengthens the following muscle groups: upper back, shoulders, core, forearms hand and wrist flexors.

10. Standing Hamstring Stretch:-

Stand upright with the spine in a neutral position.
Place the right leg in front of the body and flex the foot with the toe pointing upwards. Push the heel into the ground.
Slightly bend the left knee and gently lean forward to place the hands on the straight right leg.
Hold the stretch for 10–30 seconds.
Repeat two to four times.

11. Wrist Flexion and Extension Stretch:-

Stand upright with the spine in a neutral position.
Place the right leg in front of the body and flex the foot with the toe pointing upwards. Push the heel into the ground.
Slightly bend the left knee and gently lean forward to place the hands on the straight right leg.
Hold the stretch for 10–30 seconds.
Repeat two to four times.