Many people have heard about the benefits of stretching. Experts recommend doing it after training. In addition, in sports it has formed into a separate direction, known as stretching. And even those who do not play sports should at least sometimes stretch to keep their body toned and healthy. This is especially true for those who work sedentary jobs and lead an inactive lifestyle. Let's look at why stretching is needed for beginners at home, and what exercises it may include.

Stretching will also give you the following: advantages:

• muscle elasticity, joint health;
• minimizing the risk of injury;
• relieving muscle tension after physical activity;
• blood circulation will improve;
• the body will become more flexible, posture will be straight;
• It will become easier for you to maintain balance and control your body;
• you will become more flexible and flexible, girls will gain grace and become more sexy.

Types of stretching

Stretching is divided into several types. They differ from each other in amplitude, duration of the lesson, as well as the time it is carried out - before or after the main training. You can choose any type you like, the main thing is regularity and effectiveness. So, there are the following types of stretching:

• Static. Very popular among athletes and yogis. Its essence is that, having stretched the muscles to the limiting position, you must stay there for 20 seconds. It is recommended to perform the exercises in several approaches, but if the pain is unbearable, you do not need to endure it.
• Dynamic. Dynamic stretching involves you being in constant motion. One of its simplest examples is a lunge forward and back with a constant change of legs. The effect can be enhanced if you increase the amplitude and distance between your legs. In fitness, this type of stretching is often alternated with strength exercises.
• Passive stretching. It is often performed with a partner—mostly an instructor or coach—who applies gradual effort. The passive partner must only inhale, exhale and relax.
• Active stretching. Classic stretching, in which you need to exert maximum effort to stretch the muscles. For example, you need to hold onto a support, lift one leg and strengthen the action using your hand.
• Ballistic stretch. This is a rather risky stretching option that is not suitable for beginners and is often practiced by fans of Japanese martial arts. Its essence is in fast, sharp and sweeping movements.

For beginners, static and dynamic stretching is suitable. You can also start with passive.

Stretching exercises for beginners require compliance with certain rules, because you should get maximum benefit and effectiveness from it, and not the opposite effect. The basic rule is that all movements must be performed smoothly, carefully and without jerking. Decide in advance which muscle group you will use and warm it up well to avoid injury.

At the beginning of the lesson, you need to pay as much attention to the muscles as possible in order to improve blood flow to their small fibers, which are very vulnerable.

• If you plan to practice at home, be sure to learn safety precautions to eliminate the risk of injury.
• If your goal in stretching is to do the splits, work not only your legs, but also your back. If it is constantly bent, the muscles will not be able to become elastic. Also keep in mind that when you stretch, you should not hold your breath, otherwise the body will suffer from lack of oxygen.
• The muscles should be as relaxed as possible during the stretching process. Also It is important to increase the training time and stretching amplitude each time. But this must be done gradually - mild pain is acceptable, but serious discomfort is contraindicated. You must learn to listen to your body and understand when to stop.
• If you work out in the gym in groups or master video stretching lessons for beginners, you don’t need to try at all costs to reach the indicators of the instructor or your neighbor on the mat. Each person’s flexibility level is different, and it also develops differently. Try to be better than you were yesterday, not better than someone else.
• Severe pain is an alarming symptom. It indicates that the load is not yet up to you, or that you are violating your execution technique.
• Don’t rush to start doing split stretches. This complex is always designed to improve the plasticity of the whole body, and not just the legs, as many people think.

Please note that stretching exercises have contraindications. These include hypertension, injuries and ruptures of tendons and muscles, spinal diseases, arthritis and arthrosis, damage to the pelvic joints, as well as some problems in the functioning of the cardiovascular system. If in doubt, consult your doctor first.

Stretching for beginners: an effective set of exercises

Stretching exercises for beginners at home don't have to be too difficult. It is better to start small, safely and comfortably increasing the load in the future. Let's consider one of the options for simple home complexes.

Popular myths about stretching

Before you start stretching, you need to learn as much as possible about it. There are many misconceptions about this type of activity. These include the following:

• Myth 1. Stretching requires special abilities. This may be true for professional athletes and gymnasts, but those who practice purely for themselves do not need any talents. It is enough to start doing the simplest stretching lessons for beginners, gradually increasing the load.
• Myth 2: It is impossible to start stretching as an adult. Many people believe that stretching exercises should begin in childhood, and that they are no longer available to adults. This is wrong. Yes, children are indeed more flexible and mobile in terms of joint mobility - it’s easier for them. (Find out everything about it from the article) However, in fact, you can start training at any age. Of course, you won’t do the splits right away from scratch - you’ll have to try, again, starting with light loads.
• Myth 3: Flexibility exercises always cause pain. This is fundamentally wrong. The pain can be mild and pleasant. Under no circumstances should you stretch to the point of serious discomfort - stop at the state of tension.
• Myth 4. Stretching will not make you lose weight. Actually it is possible. Of course, it does not burn as many calories as cardio, but, as with any physical activity, there is an energy expenditure. Accordingly, this promotes weight loss.

1. Exercise for the back “Cat”

Get on all fours. Smoothly arch your back up, then also smoothly bend it down. Hold each end position for a while.

2. Exercise for stretching the buttocks

Lie on your back. Bend one leg at the knee, pull the other towards your chest, keeping it as straight as possible.

Another exercise for the buttocks is to sit on the floor, bend one leg, and try to lean forward towards the other leg.

3. Calf stretch

While standing, lunge with one leg and bend your knee. Make sure that your feet are well pressed to the floor. Repeat the same for the other leg.

4. Exercise for the front of the thigh

In a standing position, bend one leg at the knee and pull it towards the buttock. Do the same for the other one.

5. Chest stretching exercises

For the chest, use the following simple exercises:

• Place your hands behind your back and lift them up in this position.
• Stand up straight, keep your back straight. Raise your hands up in the lock, begin to stretch.

6. Lateral thigh stretch

You need to sit down, bend one leg at the knee, and move the other to the sides. Now bend to the side. For the other side we repeat similar steps.

7. Ab exercise

Lie on your stomach with your hands on the floor. Raise your upper body.

To get started, this complex will be enough. Over time, the load will become too light for you, and then you can begin to perform more complex stretching variations, increasing the load and amplitude.

Stretching for beginners on video

The complex proposed above is just one of the options. There are a large number of stretching exercises that are suitable for beginners. Stretching for beginners on video will help you learn more about it. Choose the most suitable complex for yourself, perform it regularly and follow safety precautions. Then you soon noticed that both your health and your figure are constantly changing for the better.

By alternating and combining these simple techniques, you can quickly, significantly and safely improve your stretching.

1. We work out regularly. The best schedule is 6 times a week.

2. We take into account biorhythms. In the evening, the body lends itself to stretching much better than in the morning. In the morning the body is more stiff.

3. We monitor the mood. For effective stretching, the body must be relaxed. And in order for the body to relax, the mind must be calm. Irritation, stress, anger, resentment, anxiety, worry, etc. – an inappropriate emotional background for such practice. Before training, we bring the mind and feelings into a calm state. If this does not work, we postpone stretching until better times.

4. We're not in a hurry. Stretching does not tolerate fuss and haste. We do everything slowly, and in no case force anything. When doing stretching, it is especially important to follow the rules of injury safety, because any injury, even a minor sprain, will force you to limit your practice for several days or even weeks and will nullify all achieved results.

5. Let's warm up. Warm muscles are much more elastic. Even a simple hot shower before exercise will noticeably improve your stretching. An intense 15-minute warm-up with warming up the whole body will immediately significantly increase the range of movements. If you play sports, be sure to take time to stretch immediately after your workout - you will be pleasantly surprised by the results.

6. We arrange the asana correctly. Initially, poor body position limits stretching capabilities and increases the risk of injury. And although sometimes incorrect adjustment of the asana creates the illusion of greater amplitude, this does not happen due to improved flexibility, but due to body distortions. But that's not what we want.

7. We avoid pain. We do nothing, overcoming the pain. First, because the involuntary neuromuscular mechanism is triggered, the pain automatically leads to muscle spasm, making stretching almost impossible. Secondly, pain is an alarm signal that the body gives us to warn us of danger.

8. Let's relax. We enter the asana and take the maximum accessible body position with a feeling of slight tension in the stretched muscles. We fix this position and try to relax as much as possible. We do this gradually, focusing attention on small areas of the body, starting from the periphery. For example, when stretching the thigh muscles (in a sitting or lying position), we first relax the toes, then the ankle joint, calf muscles, knee, etc. This technique helps: we take a deep breath and, as we exhale, imagine that the air is leaving through the relaxed area of ​​the body. You can also rub and massage the stretched muscles.

As soon as the muscles relax and the tension passes, we slightly increase the amplitude and repeat all over again. If the muscles categorically refuse to relax, we reduce the amplitude.

9. We're tense. After the muscles have relaxed in a stretched position, we strain them with all our might and hold this tension for 8 to 15 seconds. We maintain a static body position and do not move. Muscles must contract isometrically, i.e. motionless. Let go of the tension and immediately stretch, increasing the amplitude. This is a very effective technique called post-isometric relaxation (PIR). PIR allows you to overcome the resistance of muscle reflexes that prevent stretching. You can repeat the entire sequence of relaxation - tension - stretching 2 - 3 times. The effect will be significant. As an example, let's try to tense the gluteal muscles for 10 - 15 seconds in uttanasana (forward bending). The tilt amplitude will increase. (We follow injury prevention techniques for the lumbar region: press the stomach to the hips, do not fully extend the knees before this becomes possible.)

10. We engage antagonist muscles. When some muscles in the body contract, other muscles designed to produce the opposite movement automatically relax. For example, when we tense our hip flexors (quadriceps, etc.), our hip extensors (hamstrings) automatically relax. In this way, the body optimizes its work so that when moving it does not waste additional strength to overcome the resistance of antagonists. We can use this phenomenon to improve stretching. To do this, we simply tense the antagonist muscles with a conscious effort while stretching. Continuing the example with uttanasana: we strongly strain the quadriceps of the thigh (the anterior group of thigh muscles) and the abdominal muscles, drawing in the stomach.

11. We stretch the right and left sides in turn. If the asana allows (as a rule, this technique is suitable for symmetrical asanas), we change the position of the body so that the force shifts first to one side, then to the other. For example, in upavishtha konasana we move first to one leg, then to the other, then return to the center. Photo 1, 2.

12. Breathe. The following technique helps to increase the amplitude of stretching: take a deep breath, taking in a full chest of air, and hold your breath for 5 – 10 seconds. We exhale and at the same time as we exhale we try to stretch more. This technique works great in twists.

13. We use muscle locks - bandhas. Another good technique is to use muscle locks. In the practice of stretching, mulabandha is mainly relevant for us - tensing the muscles of the perineum and pelvic floor and uddiyana bandha - drawing in the abdomen and pulling the diaphragm up. In particular, uddiyana bandha is effective for increasing the amplitude of forward bends, both in a standing and sitting position.

14. Use hand levers. In some cases, you can help yourself with your hands, using them as leverage. For example, when bending forward, we move our arms behind our backs, clasp our hands together and pull our straight arms up (towards the head).

Unfortunately, using leverage increases not only the effectiveness of the stretch, but also the risk of injury. Therefore, when using such techniques, you need to be especially careful and take your time.

15. “We take help from a friend.” A partner's help will come in handy when using post-isometric relaxation. For example, consider supta padangusthasana - lying on your back, raise your straight leg up and pull it towards you, stretching the muscles of the back of the leg. We pull the leg towards us as far as possible and ask the partner to fix the leg in this position. We begin to strain the muscles of the leg, as if trying to lower it to the floor; the partner resists, preventing the leg from falling. We hold this position for 8 - 10 seconds, after which we relax the muscles and pull the leg towards us, and the partner helps fix the leg in a new position with greater amplitude.

Such techniques are possible in many asanas, but only experienced practitioners are suitable for the role of a partner, and, to be completely honest, experienced yoga instructors.

16. We use props. If there is no partner, sometimes you can replace him with props. For example, in the same supta padangusthasana we put a belt on the leg and push it down. We pull the belt towards ourselves, providing resistance to the movement of the leg and preventing it from falling.

Props also help compensate for flexibility deficits by relieving tension in the muscles being pulled. For example, in janushirshasana, if the knee does not lower to the floor, the hip adductors (inner thigh) are forced to resist gravity and, instead of relaxing and stretching, contract. A “brick” placed under the thigh allows you to relieve tension from these muscles and makes it possible to stretch them. We use a belt if it is not possible to reach the foot with our hands.

Standard blocks for yoga - “bricks” - can be replaced with a stack of books and, as the muscles relax and stretching increases, reduce the height of the stack, removing a book at a time.

17. Increase muscle strength. Stronger muscles strain less when tense, relax more easily, and are more amenable to stretching. If, despite all efforts, progress in stretching is unsatisfactory, we strengthen the muscles and increase their strength.

18. Always finish stretching with strength exercises. Intense stretching disrupts the coordinated work of muscles, resulting in poor coordination of movement in the next few hours after training. To prevent this, we end the workout with strength exercises on the target muscle group.

18. The body will say “thank you.” Stretching exercises relieve muscle and emotional tension, promote general relaxation, improve body awareness, joint mobility and overall well-being, and increase the range of available movements; In the long term, they improve coordination and help prevent injuries. Movements become more harmonious and correct, posture and the condition of internal organs improve.

Olga Prilepova, doctor, certified yoga teacher; author's websitewww.namaste.md

Photo: kinoyoga/instagram.com

© Bojan - stock.adobe.com

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 leg muscles can be divided into several types:

Type of stretch	Description
Static	It is especially suitable for beginners, as it is gentle on the muscles. They stretch, but do not tense. Do these exercises for 15 seconds to a minute. You can train any muscle groups.
Dynamic	The essence is completely opposite to the static one. These movements are characterized by dynamics and active actions. Raising your arms, lunging your legs, twisting your body.
Passive	It differs from static in that it is performed in pairs. Here it is important to feel your body and react in time to your partner’s actions, to tell him how hard to push or pull. This stretching allows you to stretch your muscles even better and increase your range of motion.
Active	It is in many ways similar to dynamic, but its main difference is independent actions and working with your own weight. This stretching often acts as a complement to another type, but can also be independent.
Ballistic	This is a specific type and is not suitable for everyone. Unlike smooth movements, these exercises are performed rhythmically and intensely - jumping, pushing, sharply and with maximum amplitude.

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

Jacob Wilson, a sports physiologist at Florida State University, says stretching before exercise is important. However, this should not be a static form, you need to do a dynamic warm-up. And after classes, stretch to calm the body and bring the pulse back to normal (book “Cardio or Strength” by Alex Hutchinson).

Citing the same source, it can be noted that Jason Winchester, a scientist at Louisiana State University, is confident that Don't stretch before strength training. But this is a must. If such exercises are planned, it is good if enough time passes before the main strength exercises. You can also do them on non-training days, for example in the morning or before bed.

It is also a good idea to stretch the working muscles between sets of strength exercises. Not for long, literally 10-15 seconds.

Warm up before stretching

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

How and how long to stretch?

Ideally, stretching your legs should take 10-15 minutes. On average, stretching lasts about 10-20 minutes. Before it starts, you should restore your 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, move your hand back and clasp your ankle with it.
3. Pull your foot toward your buttock, while keeping your thigh 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 down on one knee, as if in a lunge.
2. Place your hand on your front leg. With your other hand, grab the toe of your other foot and pull it towards your 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. Lean your body forward and place your hands on the floor on either side of your front leg.
3. The leg laid back is bent so as to reach the floor with the knee. Stretch forward, pushing your knee, you will feel the quadriceps of that leg stretch.
4. Now repeat with the other leg.

Exercises for the back of the thigh

Hamstring stretching exercises can be performed using additional objects. And also lying, standing or sitting.

Hamstring stretch with expander

1. Lie on your back, stretch your legs.
2. Place a jump 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 leave the floor.
3. The same must be done with the other leg.

Stretching while standing

1. Stand up straight and place your hands on your waist.
2. Take a step forward and tilt your body almost parallel to the floor. The back should remain straight. Stretch forward without lifting your feet off the floor.
3. If you slightly bend your 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. Switch legs and repeat the movement.

Tilt to feet

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

© DragonImages - stock.adobe.com

Bend 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.

© Bojan - stock.adobe.com

Standing bends

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart (the width depends on your stretch).
2. Bend 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.

© fizkes - stock.adobe.com

1. If stretching allows you, sit in a longitudinal split.
2. Your arms should be placed at your sides and your body weight should be transferred to them. There is no need to turn your hips and shoulders to the sides.
3. Switch legs and repeat.

© Vitaly Sova - stock.adobe.com

Exercises for the inner thigh

Exercises to stretch the inner thigh are performed while lying or sitting. It’s worth trying each option and choosing those that best feel the stretch in the target muscle group.

Deep squat

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

"Butterfly at the Wall"

1. Sit on the floor on your buttocks. You need to keep your back straight. If this is difficult for you, sit with support against a wall.
2. Bend your legs and press your feet together. Now, keeping your back straight, lower your knees towards the floor. But do not press on them with your hands.

© stanislav_uvarov - stock.adobe.com

"Frog"

1. Lie on your stomach, then rest on your forearms.
2. Spread your knees out to the sides and bend your legs at a 90-degree angle. The socks look to the sides. Try to lower your pelvis as low as possible to the floor. If you can completely put the pelvis down, great.

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

Forward fold

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

© Syda Productions - stock.adobe.com

1. If stretching allows you, spread your legs apart into a cross split.
2. Do not move your pelvis back; it should be at the same level as your knees and feet. With a good stretch, you can lean forward and lean on your forearms. If it is difficult for you to do this, rest with your palms. Strive to pull your pelvis towards the floor.

© Amelia Fox - stock.adobe.com

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

Exercises for the outer thigh

Even untrained people can perform the exercise near the wall. And what is done while standing requires some preparation. But at the same time the abs are stretched.

Hip abduction against the wall

1. Stand against the wall with your right side. Place your right palm on it.
2. Place your right leg behind 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 your other side to the wall and repeat.

Stretching while standing

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

Exercises for shins

These are simple exercises that can be performed without sufficiently developed stretching.

Stretch against the wall

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

Heel Wall Stretch

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

1. Sit on your buttocks, legs straight.
2. Bend one leg at the knee, place the foot on the thigh of the other leg and pull it towards the pelvis, helping with your 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 sometimes contraindicated. Possible reasons:

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

Stretching should be done with caution when pregnant. But everything is individual, there are no direct contraindications.

Conclusion

You should not neglect the muscle stretching complex. This is necessary and helps the body cope with stress and relax muscles.

Regardless of your activity during the day, the regularity and availability of fitness in your life, body stretching is a healthy habit that absolutely everyone needs. After stretching, blood flows to the muscles, thereby allowing the joints to perform the entire range of motion. Stretching also improves posture and makes us more efficient at sports, while reducing the risk of pain and injury.

When doing yoga or stretching separately, do you know which muscles you are stretching? And are you stretching correctly?

1. Camel Pose

We stretch the muscles: rectus abdominis and external oblique abdominal muscle. This pose is great for people who are already quite flexible. Sit on your heels and bring your arms back, holding your heels and lift your body higher. Watch your neck, don't throw your head back too low.

2. Wide spread of legs to the sides

We stretch the muscles: the adductor muscle of the thigh and biceps of the thigh. This exercise perfectly opens the pelvis. If it’s hard, then start with your knees slightly bent and keep your back straight. As soon as it becomes easier, begin to straighten your legs and tilt your body forward, preferably without slouching your back. Work your foot a little, contract your foot towards you, and then extend your toe. To propel yourself forward, use a belt or towel. You can also lie on your back, press your legs against the wall and spread them to the sides.

3. Frog pose

We stretch the muscles: groin muscles. Your knees should be on a soft surface. Spread your knees as wide as possible without causing any sharp pain. Do everything smoothly, work a little with your pelvis, directing it forward and backward.

4. Wide deep lunge

We stretch the muscles: groin muscles. Start with your feet wide, then slowly move your hands to your right leg, bending your right leg at the knee. Lower your pelvis lower, trying to land right next to your heel.

5. Butterfly pose

We stretch the muscles: groin muscles. You need to sit on both ischial bones, bring your feet together, and stretch your head toward the ceiling. Try to bring your feet as close as possible, thereby making the groin muscles more elastic. Then move your feet further forward and lean your torso forward to stretch and relieve tension in your back.

6. Forearm extensor stretch

We stretch the muscles: forearm extensor. Start with the correct shoulder position. Lower your shoulder and move it back a little, then lift your arm a little, lower your hand down, and gently press your hand with your other hand.

7. Neck Curl

We stretch the muscles: sternocleidomastoid muscle. Tilt your head to the side, pull your ear as low as possible towards your shoulder. There should be a feeling of smooth muscle stretching, without pain or sudden movements. Try to stay in this position longer, at least 10 seconds. You can put the opposite hand behind your back. You will immediately feel an even better stretch.

8. Neck twists

We stretch the muscles: sternocleidomastoid muscle. Begin to slowly turn your head to the side while keeping your chin up. To intensify the stretch, press slightly with your hand.

9. Tilt your head back

We stretch the muscles: sternocleidomastoid muscle. First, you need to stick your head up, lengthening your neck, and then gently tilt your head back. This movement must be done very carefully. With increased mobility of the cervical vertebrae, their displacement, hernias and osteochondrosis, it is better to exclude this movement.

10. Lateral tilt of the head using the hand

We stretch the muscles: the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the upper part of the trapezius muscle. Try to keep the tilt as long as possible, lowering your ear to your shoulder. To intensify the stretch, place your opposite arm behind your back.

11. Quadriceps and psoas muscles

We stretch the muscles: quadriceps and psoas muscles. We start with a kneeling pose. Then we extend our leg forward and place it on our foot. We take the opposite foot with the same hand and pull it towards the buttock.

12. Stretch the forearm extensors
We stretch the muscles: forearm extensors. You need to lower your hand down and move it back. After this, pull the brush to the side to further increase the tension.

13. Extend your arm in the opposite direction

We stretch the muscles: deltoid muscle. We stretch our arm in front of us and move it in the opposite direction, help with the other hand for better stretching of the muscles.

14. Forward Neck Bend

We stretch the muscles: trapezius muscle. Place your hands on the back of your head, then lower your chin down and bring your elbows together.

15. Stretch your back

We stretch the muscles: latissimus dorsi. Grasp the horizontal bar with your hands, and then lift your legs off the floor. Pleasant stretch for the chest and back muscles.

16. Stretch your back by holding the wall

We stretch the muscles: latissimus dorsi. Grasp the corner of the wall with both hands. Begin to pull your torso and hips to the side.

17. Child's pose

We stretch the muscles: latissimus dorsi. Get on all fours. Then slowly pull your hips back toward your heels, sit on your heels, and lower your forehead to the floor. You can spread your knees wider and also arch your back more, thus further stretching your hips and pectoral muscles.

18. Emphasis on the heels, toe support higher

We stretch the muscles: soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. You can do this exercise on the edge of a step. Rotate your ankles slightly, in and out, to actively stretch your calf muscles.

19. Longitudinal twine.

Take a wide lunge back. Then smoothly straighten your knees and spread your legs wider. Be attentive to your feelings.

20. Touching your toes with straight legs.

We stretch the muscles: hamstring, calf muscle, thigh biceps. Sit on your sit bones, straighten your legs, keep your back straight. For the best stretch, try to lean forward while keeping your back straight.

21. Stretch your legs one at a time

We stretch the muscles: hamstrings, hamstrings, calf muscles. Place one leg in front of you, bend the other slightly at the knee. Place your hands on your hips and lean forward with a straight back.

22. Deep squat

We stretch the muscles: gluteal muscles. This exercise has a great effect on our entire body. If it’s difficult to do it right away, then practice and do everything smoothly. You can first try the option of lying on your back.

23. Seated King Pigeon Pose

We stretch the muscles: buttocks. You need to sit on your sit bones and stretch your legs. Then we bend the leg at the knee and pull it towards the chest.

24. Stretching the calf muscles while leaning against the wall

We stretch the muscles: soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. We stand against the wall, straighten one leg back, and press the heel into the floor.

25. Pull the external oblique muscles

We stretch the muscles: external oblique abdominal muscle. Grab the wall with both hands and pull your body in the other direction.

26. Rotate the pelvis while lying on your back

We stretch the muscles: the gluteal muscle and the abductor surface of the thigh. This exercise is an excellent preventive measure for a sedentary lifestyle. Lift one leg, cross it across your body, place your knee on the floor and both shoulders on the floor. Breathe deeply with a well-opened chest.

27. Bend to the side with a towel

We stretch the muscles: external oblique muscles. Take a towel in your hands, stretch it to the sides, and then tilt your body to the side. At the same time, keep your pelvis in one position and do not arch your back at the lower back.

28. Triangle pose

We stretch the muscles: external oblique abdominal muscle. Place your legs wide, arms extended to your sides, then move your body to the side and then touch the floor with one hand and pull the other up. Hands are on the same line, the back is new, the body is parallel to the floor.

29. Rotate the body away from the wall

We stretch the muscles: pectoral muscles. Grasp the wall with one hand, and then turn your body by hand, feeling the stretch in the pectoral muscle area.

30. Paired pectoral muscle stretch

We stretch the muscles: pectoral muscles and back muscles. Lie on your back, raise your arms up, and the second person pulls your arms.

31. Seated Pigeon Pose

We stretch the muscles: tibialis anterior muscle. Sit with your legs extended, then bend your knee and place your ankle over your knee. Flat back, straight second leg.

32. Shoulder stretch while lying on your back

We stretch the muscles: subscapularis muscle. Lie on your back, bend it at a right angle to the side. Touch the back of your hand to the floor. If your hand doesn’t reach the floor, then your muscles are tight and your joints are stiff.

33. Downward facing dog near the wall

We stretch the muscles: pectoral muscles and back muscles. Place your hands against a wall or wall bars and try to arch your back and stretch your chest down. Legs straight, pelvis higher.

34. Paired pectoral muscle stretch

We stretch the muscles: pectoral muscles. Lie on your stomach. Pull your arms back, the second person pulls your arms, lifting your body higher.

Stretching exercises improve muscle recovery after strength training. They are an essential part of a weight loss, health, or strength training plan. Athletes, dancers and ordinary office workers need to stretch their muscles. Physical inactivity, unnatural posture when working at a computer, “walking” while sitting in a car - all this strengthens muscles, deprives joints of a natural range of motion and requires a person to include stretching exercises in the training program. You can stretch every time after strength training or cardio, devoting 30 seconds to the main muscle groups, or you can do stretching training on one day. For beginners, exercises are shown in a natural amplitude, without “springs” and pushing the body into a pose through pain. You can perform these movements at home yourself.

In short, stretching is the only chance for the body to compensate for all the overloads and axial loads that we experience during strength work and everyday activity. Only during stretching do the joints not experience compression, which is the best prevention of inflammation. In addition, stretching improves mobility in everyday life and relieves pain.

The advantages of stretching are:

• Relieves muscle stiffness, gives the opportunity to move freely;
• Helps with plasticity and grace even for those who have obvious problems;
• Improves mobility in joints;
• Helps you perform strength exercises with the correct technique;
• Provides muscles with blood and oxygen for recovery;
• Relaxes the central nervous system;
• Strengthens ligaments and neuromuscular connections;
• Works with coordination of movements;
• Helps you move more smoothly and accurately in dance and martial arts;
• Corrects postural imbalances

The average person knows only one type of stretching - this is when a person himself stretches a muscle, calmly and smoothly. Few people know, but in addition to this, there are exercises that are not at all associated in the minds of the masses with stretching, but are nonetheless stretching. So, by type, exercises can be divided into:

• Ballistic stretch- these are fast sweeping movements that can be seen in the arsenal of fighters and gymnasts, it is prohibited in fitness, since with low joint mobility and lack of control over the center of the body it can lead to injury;
• Passive stretching– a trainer or massage therapist stretches the client’s muscles while he is simply trying to relax. Despite the cute description, it is painful and unpleasant. The success of the event depends entirely on the qualifications of the trainer and the ability to relax;
• Active– we stretch ourselves “the old fashioned way”, taking a stretching pose and putting pressure on the muscle group being stretched, the most popular type of stretching, available to beginners, at home and for self-learning;
• Static– in general, this is synonymous with active stretching in a static position. But in Russian-language sources the phenomenon is associated with the training of yogis and gymnasts. In fact, any exercise in which movement occurs only due to the natural stretching of the muscles can be called static;
• Dynamic– stretching exercises are movements performed in full amplitude, but without weights. An example is a warm-up before an aerobics class, where the client shifts weight from one leg to the other, or performs a series of deep squats to warm up the legs. Dynamic stretching also includes types of stretch, when muscle tension is slightly weakened in order to then strengthen it due to greater amplitude in the muscles.

Beginners should not stretch aggressively in a ballistic or dynamic style. Dynamic elements are allowed, but they must be performed in an anatomically natural plane and under control. For example, you shouldn’t “push” yourself into a cross split on the floor; you can only spring a little in a position where your legs against the wall are raised up and spread to the sides.

Important: beginners must follow a simple rule - stretching is performed either after training or after a thorough warm-up. When warming up, you should gently raise your heart rate with simple aerobic exercises, and then perform a series of movements that involve the whole body. Universal warm-up – abdominal exercises, push-ups and squats.

• Don't start with the splits. This is great and impressive, of course, but you can easily get injured. If the goal is a cross split, first stretch the adductor and abductor muscles of the hips, as well as the back of the legs, then stretch the legs raised upward for a while. Gradually, from workout to workout, you can move on to smooth stretching into the splits. But usually you need to devote 3 months to this work to see serious progress. For many people, the cross split is technically simpler; it requires good stretching of the back and front of the thighs, and this is what you need to concentrate on;
• Back muscles– the most underrated group in terms of stretching. Not only “cat and dog” exercises, but also reverse backbends should be in the program. A training program supplemented with good back stretching is more effective than a plan that only stretches the legs and arms. There is an opinion that it is easier for a person whose back is flexible and mobile to do the splits than for someone who does not have the ability to bend their back;
• Warm up efficiently– You don’t even need to do simple stretches without first warming up. And they do not replace warm-ups in themselves. Stretching helps to get rid of muscle tension and spasms only under one condition - a person does not stretch on cold muscles;
• Having severe pain, especially in a joint, ligament, or muscle - a signal to stop the stretching exercise. Discomfort and a slight feeling of resistance are normal, severe pain is not. You need to stretch gently, not aggressively, and not exceed the body’s capabilities in order to achieve results without “kickbacks” due to injuries;
• No need to stretch while holding your breath, perform bodyflex exercises or other gymnastics with holding your breath if the body is not ready for this. Hypoxia has a bad effect on the elasticity of muscle fibers and only the human body can “forgive” this if it does not stretch too deeply or does not hold its breath for long;
• Copying others, competitive spirit and other joys of social life during joint training should be left to those who have been training for a long time. You need to stretch your muscles, listening to your own feelings, and not force things;
• Sliding, stretching “minus”, placing pieces of fabric under your feet to glide better are also bad ideas when it comes to fitness beginners. It is worth working only with your own body until the flexibility and mobility of the joints improves and the muscles become more elastic

There is an opinion that everyone should do stretching classes. It is based on the popularity and accessibility of yoga. In fact, stretching is contraindicated throughout the recovery period after injuries, during exacerbation of hypertension, heart rhythm disturbances, during pregnancy, if there is a risk of placental abruption, and during exacerbation of chronic diseases. The wrong choice is to replace training with stretching if you have a cold or need to reduce the intensity of the activity.

Before you start training, let's dispel prejudices and misconceptions about stretching:

• Stretching as an adult is useless. Yes, it’s easier for children to stretch, but perseverance and perseverance will solve the problem for adults;
• Stretching is not necessary for weight loss. In fact, stretching exercises improve metabolism and speed up all processes, including fat burning. To lose weight, you only need one condition - a calorie deficit. Stretching also helps increase calorie expenditure. It also indirectly affects the quality of strength training and speed of movement during cardio;
• Stretching is a painful process. Not always, sometimes muscle stretching only causes slight discomfort; you need to concentrate not on it, but on breathing, and the sensations will become more pleasant;
• Stretching is not suitable for some people due to their body structure and lack of flexibility. In fact, even such people must relieve tension and muscle tension in order to avoid injury during normal training.

"Cat" for the back

Stand up straight, get down on all fours, palms under your shoulders, in the projection of the joint, knees under your hips. With an inhalation, lift the center of your back up, bend over, and with an exhalation, bend in the opposite direction, allowing your stomach to “sag.” Start with a short period, about 20 seconds in each position, and continue, increasing the stretch time.

Starting position - lying on your back, the stomach is tucked so that the natural arch in the lower back is maintained, but the back remains stable. Extend one leg perpendicular to the body, grab it with your hands and pull it towards the shoulder. If there is not enough range of motion, you can use a belt, rope, towel or belt to wrap around your leg. There should be no discomfort in the back; you need to actively stretch, but not lift your buttock off the floor. Twisting in the spine is also not allowed. It is also recommended to monitor the time spent under load, so that the stretching is symmetrical, you need to make it the same on both sides.

Variation: sit on the floor on the buttocks, bend the supporting leg so that the heel is close to the groin, bend towards the stretched thigh, grab the toe with your hands

This is a wall calf stretch. You need to lean your hands on the wall and move away from it, as if you were going to perform a lunge. The “back” leg stretches the heel back, the “front” leg bends at the knee joint.

Stand straight at the support, grab the support with your hand, transfer the weight to the same leg, grab the free leg with your hand by the ankle. Pull your heel towards your buttock and push your pelvis forward.

Clasp your hands in front of you and stretch them behind your head. In this case, you need to pull in your stomach and, as it were, lower your shoulders away from your ears, so that the trapezius muscle does not take on all the work.

Sit up straight, extend both legs forward, and place your heel to heel, bending your knees. Stretch your body forward so that your knees drop towards the floor. Hold your ankles with your hands so that they do not move apart.

Lie on your stomach and take a cobra pose, that is, push off the floor with your hands and stretch the front of your body so that your chest and stomach lift off the floor.

Stretching for beginners on video

When choosing a stretch for a video, you should first watch the complex from start to finish, and, if necessary, stop the recording to clarify the movement. Only then, after warming up, can you start practicing at home using the video. The beauty of stretching workouts is that they allow you to exercise as much as you want, even in the smallest apartment.