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Stand with your knees slightly bent and your shoulders down and relaxed. Raise you arms behind you, with your palms facing each other. Draw your palms towards each other, keeping your arms straight. Stop when you feel the stretch in your arms and chest. Hold for 10 seconds.
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Quad V (Front of Thighs) |
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Stand facing a wall. Place left hand on wall for support. Grab the front of your right ankle with your right hand. Slowly and gently pull your foot up towards your behind bending your knee so that your leg forms a V shape. Push your hips forward and keep both knees close to each other. Throughout make sure that your supporting leg is slightly bent, so that your knee is not locked. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds. Release slowly and repeat with the left leg.
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Hamstring Stretch (Back of Thighs) |
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If you find it difficult to balance, lean on a wall or a tree for support.
Step forward 2 feet with your left leg. Keep your heel on the ground, and point your toes upwards. Bend your right knee and rest your hands on your right thigh. Lean over your straight leg. Stick your bum out and keep your back flat and look forwards. Hold for 10 to 30 seconds. Swap legs gently, and then repeat.
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Shins |
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If you find it difficult to balance, lean on a wall or a tree for support.
Cross one leg over in front of the other, with the toe resting on the ground. Gently bend the supporting leg so that it pushes against the calf of the top leg. Be careful with this one, and move into the stretch slowly. Hold for 10 seconds, and then repeat with the other leg. |
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Calf |
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Lean on a wall if you need to. Stand with your legs hip width apart and step one foot back, behind you. Bend at the knee with the other leg, but keep your knee over your ankle NOT over the ball of your foot. Keep your back leg straight and your heel pushed down. Toes should be pointed forwards. Hold the stretch along the calf of the back leg for 10 seconds. Slowly swap legs and repeat.
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Knee to Chest (Lower Back, Hamstrings, and glutes) |
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Lie on your back with your legs straight out. Put a towel or mat under you to protect your back if the floor is hard, or lumpy. Bend you left knee up and place your hands below your knee cap. Gently pull your knee towards your chest until you feel a good stretch. Hold for 10 seconds, then release. Repeat with the right knee.
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Pose of the Child (Back, lats, spine and shins) |
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Kneel on a towel or mat, and place your forearms on the floor with your arms extended out in front of you. Sit on the backs of your heels and rest your forehead on the mat. Stretch your arms out and hold for 10 seconds. If you can’t manage to sit on the backs of your heels, or your forehead won’t reach the mat, don’t worry, just go as far as you can comfortably, you will gradually get more flexible. This stretch should feel comfortable to your back. If it doesn’t then check your technique, if it still doesn’t then skip this stretch.
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Side stretch |
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Plant your feet quite wide apart with your knees slightly bent, so that you feel balanced. Keep one arm by your side and reach up above your head with the other one. Stretch it up and then bend slowly to the side, sliding your other arm down your leg towards your knee. Keep your back straight, and your bottom tucked in. Try not to twist, either forwards, or backwards. Feel the stretch down your side. Hold for 10 seconds. Come back up in a controlled way, and repeat on the other side.
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Upper Body, Arms and Shoulders |
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Reach above your head with both arms. Turn your palms skywards, and interlock your fingers together. Push upwards, without locking the elbows. Pull in your stomach without arching your back. Stretch up and hold for 10 seconds. Don’t forget to breathe!
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