You know that stretching is a great way to increase your flexibility and mobility, but it can be hard to find the time for a full-on workout. Stretching at home can help relieve tension in the body and improve flexibility during your busy day. Here are six stretches you can do from the comfort of your own home, without any equipment:
Stretch your side muscles
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Bend your right knee, placing the foot on the floor and keeping the left leg straight.
- Place your right hand on a chair or wall for support if necessary.
- Reach across with your left arm, grabbing onto the ankle of that bent leg. Gently pull it toward you until you feel tension on both sides of your waistline. Hold this position for 30 seconds before switching sides and repeating three times per side.* If this stretch is too intense for you to complete comfortably, try bending over at an angle so that only one side of your back is being stretched at any given time.* If any pain arises during this exercise stop immediately and consult a doctor before continuing with any other exercises recommended by them.
Stretch the calf muscles
- Place both hands on the floor, shoulder-width apart.
- Lower your body towards the floor, keeping your knees straight and feet together. Hold for 10 seconds before returning to starting position (i.e., standing). Repeat 5 times.
Stretch your hamstrings
- Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and knees bent at 90 degrees.
- Place a towel under one foot, then slowly straighten that leg as far as you can go without lifting it off the ground or feeling pain in your hamstring muscles (you may need to move around until you find a comfortable position).
- Hold this stretch for about 30 seconds before switching sides and repeating with the other leg for another 30 seconds or so, depending on how flexible you are at first--the more often you do it each day, the better! You should feel some mild pulling in your hamstrings after doing this stretch; if not then try holding each side longer than 30 seconds until they begin to relax into their full range of motion again.
Stretch your lower back
This exercise is great for your lower back and will help keep it flexible. You should only do this exercise if you don't have any injuries to your lower back, such as a herniated disc or sciatica.
Start on your hands and knees with both feet close together on the floor in front of you, knees under hips, hands under shoulders (like a cat). Bend one knee and place it on the floor; keep hips square to the ground so that they don't move toward either side during this stretch (they should stay facing forward). Then bend the other leg so both knees are touching each other behind the body; hold for 20 seconds then switch sides. Repeat 3 times total per set with 1-minute rest between sets (you can also do 2 sets total).
Stretch your chest muscles
- Chest stretch is a good exercise for improving your posture.
- It helps to improve breathing and relieve muscle tension in the chest area.
- This pose is also beneficial for those who suffer from upper back pain, lower back pain, or shoulder problems.
Stretch your shoulder muscles
Stretch your shoulder muscles by holding your arms straight out to the sides, palms facing forward. Hold for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times. You can do this stretch while sitting or standing.
Stretch your arms and shoulders
This is a great way to get your body ready for a workout. You can do this stretch by sitting on the floor, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Or you can stretch by doing lunges--just make sure that when you lunge, you're reaching down as far as possible with each foot so that both sides of your body are equally stretched out.
This is also an excellent way to prepare for running or walking since it stretches out all those muscles in your hips and lower back that often get tight from sitting at desks all day long! If this sounds like something up your alley (and not just because we said so), try doing these exercises every morning before heading out into the world:
1) Stand up straight with one leg raised behind you.
2) Bend over slightly at waist level while keeping eyes focused forward.
3) Hold position until feeling comfortable enough before switching sides.
You can improve your flexibility at home, even if you don't have a ton of space.
- You don't need a lot of space to do these exercises.
- They can be done in the comfort of your home, without special equipment or even any extra room.
- You can do them while watching TV, listening to music, or talking on the phone with friends and family members. It's really easy: just take a moment from whatever else you are doing at the time, sit down on the floor (or use a chair if that's more comfortable) and start stretching out those sore muscles! It will feel great after just one session--and over time it will become easier as well.
Conclusion
You can improve your flexibility at home, even if you don't have a ton of space. The important thing is to just get started! If it feels too difficult, start with something simpler and work up from there. Remember that stretching does not have to be painful or uncomfortable; if anything hurts while doing these exercises, stop immediately and try again later when your muscles are less tense.
