However, when doing flexibility exercises or yoga, can you tell the muscles which are getting stretched? Can you be sure that the stretches are being performed accurately?
Keeping these points in mind, you will be able to determine which are the best stretches to meet your goals. If you are going to feel any kind of pain at any time, the kind that’s not normal, you should be able to tell exactly the muscle that has a problem so that you could change the method to prevent injury.
Make sure that the stretches are felt in the muscle’s belly. Whenever you feel strain or pressure in the joints, it means that you are pushing the limits. When stretching, you should be focused on your breath. You should try to complete the movements naturally.
It is recommended not to worry about the duration for which you hold the stretch. The focus should be to feel the muscles relaxing back to their original, resting (natural) length. It can take anything between 5 and 30 seconds. When you feel that a kind of stretch is not helping, you should bring some changes.
These wonderful illustrations were developed by Vicky Timon who is a yoga specialist and authored “Encyclopedia of Pilates Exercises”, and James Kilgallon (CSCS), who created the Mazlo’s Body Maintenance Program, made contributions in the form of specialist commentary.
1.Camel Pose
Targeted Muscles – External Obliques and Rectus Abdominus
This stretching is ideal for those who already have good amount of flexibility. It involves sitting on your heels and placing hands behind for pushing your hips up and forward. Don’t put excess pressure on the lumbar spine. Those who may have neck problems shouldn’t drop their head back.
2.Wide Forward Fold
Targeted Muscles – Adductors
This exercise helps in opening your hips and stretching your hamstrings and adductors. Keep your knees bent and maintain a straight spine. When your muscles start releasing, gradually straighten your legs. Then round out the neck and try to reach for the feet.
Make a light pull on the bottom of your feet’s balls. This will help in releasing the calf muscles too. You may also use a towel or belt if it’s not possible to reach the feet. This stretching exercise can also be done on your back by keeping your feet up on the wall.
3.Frog Pose
Targeted Muscles – Adductors
This deep groin stretch puts pressure on the knees. It is best performed on some soft surface. Firstly you should rest on your hands and knees, and then gradually widen the knees until there is a good amount of stretch on the groin muscles. There will be minor variations in the stretching when you keep pushing the hips back and forth.
4.Wide Side Lunge Pose
Targeted Muscles – Adductors
Keep your feet forward and wide while keeping the legs straight. Bend your right knee and walk your hands to the right foot, and rotate the left toes to the ceiling while sitting on the right hip. The right foot should be kept flat on the ground.
5.Butterfly Stretch
Targeted Muscles – Adductors
Get into a seated position and touch your feet soles together while sitting stall using your sit bones. Extend the stretch by putting pressure on the knees through your hands. When your feet get closer to your body, the stretch on the groin muscles will increase. Move your feet away from the hips and gradually round the upper body and this will release the back muscles.
6.Forearm Extensor Stretch
Targeted Muscles – Forearm Extensor
Pack your shoulder down and back. Rotate this shoulder externally for the best-possible position for stretching your forearm muscle. When you reach this position, put pressure on the opposite hand for starting the stretch. The stretch can be further progressed by touching your finger tips in the shape of a tea cup.
7.Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck
Targeted Muscles – Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
You should try to stretch the neck so that it is as long as possible. Gradually drop your ear to the shoulder without collapsing the cervical spine. The stretch can be progressed by remaining seated on the chair and getting hold of the bottom of the seat. This is going to create regular tension on your arm and neck, thus helping in targeting the upper traps.
8.Neck Rotation Stretch
Targeted Muscles – Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
Slowly rotate your neck by maintaining the chin at somewhat elevated position. This will help in isolating the SCM. When you desire to perform deeper stretch, put pressure using the opposite hand from direction of rotation.
9.Neck Extension Stretch
Targeted Muscles – Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
Place your hands on the hips and keep your spine long. Start tilting your head back while ensuring that the cervical spine is not collapsed at all.
10.Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck with Hand Assistance
Targeted Muscles – Upper Trapezius & Sternocleidomastoid (SCM)
Keep your neck long and gradually drop your neck to the shoulder. The cervical spine shouldn’t collapse. This stretch can be performed by sitting on the chair and grabbing hold of the seat’s bottom. This is going to help in creating regular tension on your arm and neck, thus helping in targeting upper traps.
11.Half Kneeling Quad / Hip Flexor Stretch
Targeted Muscles – Psoas & Quadracep
Begin by being in half-kneeling position. Gradually bring the right hip to the front and you will feel stretching in the front of the hip. Now hold the back foot and squeeze the back glute for increasing the stretching on the Hip Flexors.
12.Forearm Extensor Stretch
Targeted Muscles – Forearm Extensor
Pack the shoulder down and back. Rotate the shoulder externally to get into the optimal position for stretching your forearm muscle. Hold this position and put pressure on the opposite hand to start stretching. Continue with the stretching by touch your finger tips together in the shape of a tea cup.
13.Lateral Shoulder Stretch
Targeted Muscles – Side Deltoid
Move your arm across your body and put light pressure to your arm for increasing the stretching on the shoulder.
14.Standing Assisted Neck Flexion Stretch
Targeted Muscles – Trapezius Muscle
Stand while keeping your feet together. Keep your spine elongated and gradually sit your hips back and then round the upper back. At the same time you should tuck in your chine into the chest.
