This is a gentle stretch that doesn’t put much pressure on your spine.
You may feel a slight pull in your biceps and your shoulders.
Your triceps are the long muscles on the back of your arms. These don’t get stretched much, so it’s important to focus on them as you stretch.
When you lift weights, you hold a lot of tension in your wrists. It’s important to stretch them out afterward to avoid injury.
Stretching your shoulders will give you a better range of motion when you work out.
You may also feel a slight stretch in your shoulders. As soon as you feel the stretch in your chest, stop leaning forward and hold the position.
Your obliques are the ab muscles on the side of your torso. They engage when you use your core during full body movements, like deadlifting.
This is also called the cat stretch.
Although it can be tempting, don’t bounce in place as you hold the stretch. This can put strain on your muscles and cause serious injury.
Your hamstrings are the largest muscles in your legs, so it’s important to stretch them well after you exercise. Pull your leg in towards you very slowly and gently to avoid straining or pulling a muscle.
You can also do this stretch standing up by reaching behind you and pulling your leg up in the same position. However, it can be hard to balance on one leg, so you may need to hold onto a wall or a chair for support.
The butterfly stretch can be difficult if you’ve never done it before. Go slow to avoid pulling a muscle in your groin.
You may also feel a stretch in your lower back.
This is a great way to increase your mobility in your hip flexors for squats and lunges.
Bouncing is especially dangerous when stretching your hamstrings or calves, as those muscles are thin and can easily be stretched to a painful position.
The best way to increase your flexibility is to stretch more often, not to stretch deeper or lower.
Stretching your entire body will help you increase your flexibility and mobility over time, which is why you should still throw in some stretches in muscle groups you didn’t use.
Stretching after your workout will help lower your heart rate, making it a great way to cool down.
