Learn How to Stretch the Correct Way

Before we start, you need to keep these in mind:

1. Never be painful in stretching, just discomfort:
Similar in building muscle endurance and muscle strength, building muscle flexibility needs baby step. Listen to your body for pain when you stretch. If you do feel it, back off a little before you get injured. Discomfort is different than pain.
2. Never rush the stretching session:
When your muscles are not warmed up and you snap in and out of the stretch, it will cause the muscle to recoil back to its shorter size. It will do more harm than good. The best way to do it is to count to 20 going in and 20 also going out the stretch.
3. Always synchronize your breathing with that stretch:
This is especially done many times in yoga. Also called P.N.F stretching. Take a full breath in when you are in a position of doing the stretch, and breathe out as you move into the full stretch. If you think you can do further without hurting yourself, take a deep breath in again and stretch further. Repeat cycle and breathe through the discomfort.
4. You’ll be surprise how 7 minutes stretching session everyday make a big difference for your body, so enjoy the stretch!

When is a good time to stretch?

The answer is anytime (unless when you are driving, of course): before and after strenuous activities, everyday, or just for fun.

1. Static stretch: Stretching when you are holding a certain pose for a period of time. This type is really focuses on getting the specific muscle to lengthen at its full range of motion. It should be done before or after work out. When performed in the middle of a workout might interfere with your performance.

2. Ballistic stretch: Stretching when you are constantly moving at a period of time. “Shake it” that’s the idea of ballistic stretch. Usually doesn’t focus a specific muscle but general area of muscle groups. This type of stretch is not going to get a full length of the muscles but rather warming up the muscles. It’s perfect to do this stretch in the middle of a work out to keep up with the performance. Shake your arms, when your arms get fatigue in the middle of weight lifting.

Stretches:

Neck and Shoulder:

Easy: When shower in the morning (implement moist heat) roll your neck slowly from side to side. Make sure shoulders are relaxed.

Moderate: Three parts of the stretch to target three different areas of the neck and shoulder. To stretch left side, grab your left wrist with your right arm. Pull the left wrist to the right. Part one: Slowly with your eyes looking straight forward, pull your right ear closer to your right shoulder. Part two: Slowly turn your head down, as if you are looking toward your shoulder. This will target the back area of the left neck and shoulder. Part three: Slowly turn your head toward the ceiling, as if you are looking away from your shoulder. This will target front area of your left neck and shoulder. Repeat at the right side.

Middle Chest:

Find a door opening. Lift both arms at the shoulder height against the frame of the door, with bent elbows above the shoulder at 90 degree angle. Put either left or right feet in front of the other, than lunge forward keeping the elbow at 90 degree angle. The more you lunge, the more intense the stretch feels.

Upper and Lower Chest:

Reach both arms above your head with straight elbows. Hold it. Then reach back still with straight elbows. Hold it.

Stomach:

Cobra position in yoga: On your stomach, lift and support your upper torso with both straight arms. Do not shrug your shoulders, and look up. Lower torso touches the floor or mat.

If this is too much strain for your lower back, lift your thighs and knees off the floor or mat. Push them up with your toes or back of your feet. Also known as upward dog position in yoga.

Upper Front Thighs (quads):

To stretch the right quad: Place the right thigh against the mat or floor, with the right knee bent upward. Step the left foot on the floor making more than 90 degree angle at the left knee. Make sure left knee is not going further forward from the left toe. At this point your right knee is against the floor. If this is too uncomfortable for you, pad your knee. Slowly lunge forward. Adjust the location of your right quad if you need to. The more you lunge, the more intense the stretch will be. If this stretch is too intense or you keep losing balance, support your body with both hands. Stretch on the other side.

Lower Front Thighs (quads):

Stand up tall, or prop yourself with a stool if you need to. Bend left knee so the left heel will touch the left buttock. Hold it either with one or two arms. Make sure left knee and right knee are aligned when you do this stretch. Do the right side.

Shin:

Seated on the floor with both legs straight, point your toes away from you straight. Then turn the toes slightly inward and point them again (this will stretch different area of shin muscles).

Calf:

Left calf: Stand up against the wall, step half of the left sole. The right foot is behind the left foot. Push your body forward toward the wall. Left foot is flexed with toe up. Do both sides.
If you cannot find a wall, you can do this with a towel. Straighten both legs and loop the towel right through the bottom of your feet. Then pull the ends of the towel with both hands by leaning backward. The more you lean, the more intense the stretch will be. Be careful with this stretch, because you need to control your distance so you won’t stretch too far.

Middle Back Thighs (hamstring):

On your back, straighten your both legs. Place your interlocking fingers around both knees. Pull the straight knees toward your head as far as you can go.

Inner Thighs (abductor):

Cobbler Pose: For beginner, sit with your heels or feet touching each other. Knees are bent and inner thighs faced up. Pull the heels closer to the buttock, making a kite shape. Open up your soles like a book, so both soles are facing up. Push the thighs down toward the floor with your elbow as far as you can go. For advance, for deeper stretch, bend your hip with straight back. To get the most intense stretch, collapse the upper torso toward the floor with both arms above the head. Creep and reach up the floor with your fingers to get the most stretch.

Outer Thigh (adductor):

Lay on your back. Lift left knee up toward your chest with both hands. Place the both hands on the outer side of the left thigh. Then push the left thigh slowly toward the right so your torso is twisting to the right. Collapse the left knee on the floor. Then spread both arms on both side of the body at shoulder height. Collapse the shoulders, arms and forearms. Do the other side.

IT Band stretch: Stretch the left side. Place your left palm against the wall. Body is always standing parallel to the wall (not tilted to the side). Place your left foot in the back of your right foot. Drag the left foot to the right side of the body. Hip will thrust to the left, but never to the back or to the front. Maintain the parallel of the body. The further the left leg and the closer the bottom of the left foot to the floor are the more intense the stretch will be. Do both sides.

Buttock:

Superficial muscles: Lay on your back. Bend both knees and hug them with your arms.
Deeper muscles (piriformis, etc): Lay on your back. Make a figure 4 with your left ankle on top of right thigh. Bend the right thigh so the right heel is touching the right buttock. Loop your hands around the right shin. With both hands, pull in the right knee toward your head. Do the opposite side.

Lower Back:

Child pose in yoga: Bend your knees and tuck them into your body. Collapse your chest on the upper thighs. Spine needs to be in neutral position (not tilted to the side). Face is looking at the floor or mat. Lower torso stays in place whit you reach your arms above your head. Fight for extra distance by reaching further away on the floor or mat.

Side Lower Back:

Child pose in yoga: see above, with additional move. To stretch your left side, drag your right hand to the right side as far as you can go. Follow the right hand by placing your left hand on top of the right hand. Do the other side.

Upper Back and Arms:

Part one: Straighten left arm across the front of the body at the shoulder level. Chin is up. Left elbow is straight. Then hook the left elbow with the right forearm. Using the right forearm, pull the left arm in toward the chest. Do the other side.
Part two: Lift your left arm over your head. Bend it at the elbow as if you are going to scratch your back with your left hand. Put your right fingers or hand over your head around the left elbow. Pull the left elbow to the right. Do the opposite side.

Forearms:

Part one: Stretch your left side. Straighten your left elbow at shoulder height with left palm down. Then collapse your left wrist. Pull in your left wrist with your right hand toward you. Do the other side.
Part two: Then flip the left hand so the left palm is facing up. Collapse the left wrist again, and pull it in with your right hand.