Stretching exercises for beginners. Stretching: exercises for different parts of the body (photo)

A slim, flexible body, mobile joints and excellent health are all the result of stretching. Get 5 effective stretches for your back, legs and other parts of the body. Get your health back without leaving home!

Stretching, or stretching as it is called today, is a set of exercises that is aimed at increasing the flexibility of the body. If you want to improve your overall health, lose weight, and increase joint flexibility, then stretching classes for beginners are perfect for you.

An effective method for developing body flexibility is used in almost all sports areas. At the moment, the following types of stretching are most often used.

Dynamic – it lies in the fact that during a set of exercises there is no provision for stopping at a certain position. All movements are made quickly and at the highest possible speed. Despite the fact that this type of stretching is great for effective weight loss, it is considered the most traumatic, since unprepared people often get torn muscles and ligaments.
Passive is a great way to start exercising with your other half. The big disadvantage of this complex is that it is impossible to do it alone, since the method works based on interaction with a partner, who adds load with his weight to various parts of the body.
Static is the easiest stretch and is best for beginners. For many, this type of exercise can remind one of the world-famous yoga, since it is measured, and all movements during the complex are smooth and calm. Simple rules for carrying out static stretching allow it to be carried out not only in specially equipped rooms, but also at home.

A person can develop flexibility at absolutely any age. Of course, in childhood, joints and muscles are in a more elastic state and are better able to stretch and bend, but proper and constant training can develop your flexibility and improve the general condition of the body.

Where to begin?

If you are interested in body stretching, you should initially consult with your doctor, as There are several contraindications for classes:

hypertonic disease;
injuries and ruptures of muscles and tendons;
diseases of the spine;
arthritis and arthrosis;
damage to the pelvic joints;
disorders in the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

In the absence of any diseases, each person can safely choose a body stretching program for beginners that is suitable for them.

To start classes from scratch, every beginner needs to know some nuances, without which sports exercises may not bring a visible positive effect. Such recommendations can most often be heard from professional athletes.

It is important for an untrained person to know the following points:

When working out in the gym or using a video program, never try to reach the performance of the trainer or neighbor on the fitness mat. Each person has his own flexibility index, which develops gradually depending on the structure of the joints and muscles.
Exercises should not cause severe pain; if you experience unpleasant painful sensations while performing any movement, then perhaps you are performing it incorrectly or your body is not yet ready for such a load. In this case, check whether the exercise is performed correctly or reduce the load.
You shouldn’t try to do a splits stretch right away. This complex is always designed to develop the plasticity of the whole body, and not just the legs.

It is also very important to remember that you should not hold your breath during the lesson. Inhalations and exhalations should occur calmly and evenly, since normal breathing promotes a constant flow of oxygen into the muscles, which allows them to function and stretch normally.

Stretching routine for beginners

To start stretching at home or in the gym, you do not need any preliminary preparation or special diet. People who do not have serious health problems will easily start training according to the program for beginners - the main thing is internal motivation.

It is worth noting that in order to engage in any sport, you first need to choose good and correct clothes. Every person knows that for fitness and flexibility exercises, it is necessary to wear elastic training pants and a light, comfortable T-shirt.

For activities, it is best to choose fabrics made from polyester, nylon or elastane. Such materials are durable and can withstand strong stretching.

Exercises to develop flexibility for beginners are quite simple and do not require any special skills. Of course, to start working on your body, it is initially best to contact a stretching trainer. The specialist will quickly develop a program based on the physical data and individual characteristics of the body.

Classes for each person can be structured differently, but all are based on standard exercises and begin the same way with warming up the largest muscles of the body, that is, the legs and back.

It is important to know that morning or evening stretching should not be done before serious physical activity, as the muscles will be completely relaxed after training.

All exercises for stretching the body should begin correctly with the legs and back, therefore, first you need to figure out exactly what exercises are used to work on them.

Back

Each of us has seen how pets wake up. After waking up, cats and dogs actively stretch and knead every muscle. Almost all stretching workouts are learned from our smaller brothers.

Before a general set of exercises, each person initially needs to warm up a little. You can jump rope, do shallow bends to the right and left, and squat a little. In any case, warming up should only invigorate the body for further training.

There are several of the most effective stretching options for the back.

Sitting on the floor with your legs fully extended and relaxed, your torso slowly leans forward until painful sensations appear in the muscles of your legs. Afterwards, the back is calmly straightened. Tilts are repeated from 5 to 15 times.
Sitting on the floor, the legs are connected to each other so that the feet are as close to the torso as possible, and the arms are crossed behind the head. In this position, turn the torso in different directions.
Standing on the floor with your feet together, perform deep forward bends.
In a standing position, your feet are shoulder-width apart and your arms are crossed behind your back. The back is bent back from 5 to 15 times.
Hands and feet on the floor, moving the lower back up and down.
Lying on your stomach, your head and shoulders are raised above the floor.
From a standing position, stand on the “bridge”; if you lack dexterity, the exercise can be done from the floor.
Lying on your stomach, grab your shins with your hands and try to “stretch up”, imagining a ring.
Lying on your stomach with your arms and legs spread out like an asterisk, you need to roll with your right leg to reach your left hand and vice versa. During the exercise, the torso does not come off the floor.

You can do them both in combination and selectively, the main thing is that you feel comfortable and pleasant during classes.

Legs

Stretching the legs begins with developing the plasticity of the thigh muscles. To work your hamstrings, you need to lie on your back and pull your right or left leg towards you. During the exercise, the legs should remain straight and the pelvis should not lift off the floor. The movements should be swaying. Stretching is carried out alternately for one and the other leg, for 1-2 minutes.

To stretch your gluteal and gluteal muscles, sit on the floor with your feet touching each other. The legs are pulled as close to the body as possible. During this exercise, you bend forward with a straight back. This can also be done as if “hovering” in one position. After bending forward, keep your back straight for 30-60 seconds.

The inner thigh muscles are also stretched with the help of another exercise. While sitting on the floor, straight legs must be spread in different directions to their maximum width. In this case, bends forward, right and left are also performed. During such a stretch, you need to try to make each bend deeper than the previous one. However, it is worth remembering that bending over should not cause severe pain.

Exercises to stretch the outer thigh muscles: you sit on the floor, bending your left leg under you; the right leg, bent at the knee, must be thrown as far as possible over the left leg, and the knee pulled to the chest. You should remain in this position for about one minute, after which you need to change legs.

Many people who have been to gymnasts’ performances have seen how girls, standing on one leg, stretch their leg behind their back, making a kind of “ring”. This exercise allows you to stretch the front of your thigh muscles. Of course, an untrained person cannot repeat this after professional athletes, since they develop body plasticity over the years. Beginners begin to do this exercise while lying on their side. If you are lying on the left side of your body, then you need to stretch your right leg with your right hand. The time to perform this stretch is 1 minute for each leg.

Leg-split

Any girl in her life has at least once wanted to do the longitudinal splits, but over time the desire remains, and the opportunity to realize the dream looks more elusive. Simple exercises for stretching the legs will allow a person to do the splits at any age.

Split stretching exercises occur in stages

1. Dynamic gymnastics: this complex includes swings and rotations of the legs in different directions. To achieve maximum effect, such stress on the muscles must be stopped after fatigue appears in the legs. It should be remembered that a tense and tired muscle constantly contracts and cannot be stretched.

The active warm-up also includes bending forward, backward and to the sides. It is advisable to do all exercises without stopping and change them after 10-15 repetitions.

2. Ballistic load: includes a more serious impact on the leg muscles. All exercises occur on the verge of the pain threshold, and should lead to a greater increase in pain. This complex includes exercises with lunges. You take a very deep step forward, while the remaining leg behind you should be straight. Afterwards, with springy movements you should deepen your step. This exercise is done for a minute on each leg.

Ballistic load also includes rolls. To perform them, you need to squat on one leg, and the other needs to be extended to the side. You need to sit in this position for about 15 seconds, and then slowly and smoothly move without using your hands to the second leg.

This set of exercises also includes bending. Sitting on the floor, you need to spread your legs as wide as possible and alternately bend towards them, lingering over each knee for 10-15 seconds.

Each exercise aimed at developing flexibility requires a certain amount of willpower, since the effect can only be achieved through pain.

Gymnastic stretching includes not only a complex for developing flexibility and plasticity, but also active walks and work on problem areas of the body.

When starting to stretch, you should not immediately choose a large number of exercises for yourself. For untrained people, to begin with, it is best to identify 5-7 basic exercises, and, having already worked them out, add new ones.

When doing stretching gymnastics, choose a general set of stretching exercises, supplementing it with small physical activities: dumbbells, jump rope, squats, etc.

Stretching for beginners is a convenient and easy way to monitor the health of the body and look well-groomed.

Stretching for beginners at home

Stretching for beginners is a great way to increase the body's performance, improve your appearance and get rid of many diseases. Simple plastic exercises can be easily done at home without buying unnecessary exercise equipment. The only thing you may need for home workouts is a gymnastics mat. This sports accessory will help you conduct successful and fruitful workouts. It is worth noting that without a mat it is almost impossible to carry out ballistic stretching for the splits, since often the legs slip on the floor coverings and you can get seriously injured during training.

Stretching exercises will bring many pleasant moments into your life. Women who constantly engage in this type of gymnastics can completely rid themselves of pain during menstruation, as well as restore its normal and stable cycle.

A set of stretching exercises also helps relieve back pain and restore the functioning of the cardiovascular system. This type of activity also brings a feeling of calm and tranquility. Thanks to stretching, men and women of all ages can normalize their sleep, restore their metabolism, and begin to feel 100%.

Video

You need to stretch after warming up. This way you can deepen the stretch without injuring your muscles and ligaments.

Warm up before stretching

When you stretch after a workout, your muscles are already warmed up and no additional warm-up is required. If you decide to arrange a separate stretching lesson, first do a few exercises:

Joint warm-up: twirl your joints, bend and twist your body.
5-7 minutes of cardio: running or Jumping Jacks, Rock Climber, running in place with high knees, .

Once you've warmed up a bit, you can start stretching.

How and how much to stretch

With these exercises, you can arrange an independent stretching session and thoroughly stretch all the muscles of your body. However, it will take about 60–90 minutes. For a quick stretch, choose one or two exercises for each muscle group involved in the workout.

To give your muscles a good stretch, hold each pose for 30 seconds to two minutes. You can remain still or gently spring. Sudden movements can cause injury, so leave them for another sport.

We will give exercises for stretching from top to bottom: neck, shoulders and arms, chest and back, abs, buttocks, thighs, legs.

Neck stretching exercises

Tilt your head back, stretching the front of your neck. From this position, tilt your head to the left. For greater effect, place your left palm on the right side of your head, but do not press hard.

Place your right hand on the left side of your head. Tilt your head forward and to the side, increase the pressure with your hand.

Repeat on the other side.

Place one hand on the back of your head and the other on your chin. Lower your head, making a double chin. At the same time, the neck remains straight, the back of the head tends upward. You should feel it in the back of your neck, especially at the base of your skull.

Shoulder stretches

4. Front Shoulder Stretch

Place your hands behind your back, clasp your wrist with one hand and the other. Bend your elbows and lift your wrists higher. Push your chest forward and feel the stretch in the front of your shoulders.

5. Mid-Shoulder Stretch

Grab your opposite elbow with your hand, press your shoulder towards you and pull it down. Repeat with the other hand.

6. Back Shoulder Stretch

Grasp your right arm with your left above the elbow, press it to your body and straighten it, lower your right shoulder down. With your left hand, pull your right hand up, lifting it with your elbow. Feel the tension in your backside.

Repeat with the other hand.

7. Triceps stretch

Go to the wall, lift your left elbow up, and place your forearm behind your back. Lower your left shoulder blade down. To check that it has actually dropped and will not rise during the stretch, place your right hand below your left armpit.

Repeat on the other side.

8. Biceps stretch

Grab a doorknob, counter, or other support and turn your back to it. Turn your elbow upward and move your body slightly forward.

Repeat with the other hand.

This pose allows you to simultaneously stretch the triceps of one arm and the front of the shoulder of the other. Place one hand behind your back from above so that your elbow points upward, and the other from below so that your elbow points to the floor. Try to bring your wrists together at the level of your shoulder blades.

Switch hands.

10. Wrist Extensor Stretch

Sit on your knees, place your hands in front of you so that the backs of your hands touch the floor and your fingers point towards each other. Gently shift your weight into your hands, stretching your forearms. To enhance the effect, try clenching your fists.

Chest stretching exercises

11. Chest stretch in the doorway

Go to the doorway, lean your elbows on the doorframes and push your chest forward, pectoral muscles.

Place your hand on the wall, lower your shoulder and turn in the opposite direction. Repeat with the other hand.

Back stretching exercises

Stand next to a rack, exercise machine or other support, turn your left shoulder towards it. With your right hand, grab the rack high above your head and move your pelvis to the right and down, stretching the entire right side of your body.

Repeat on the other side.

14. Stretching the lower back muscles

Sit on the floor, move your right leg forward, left leg back. Bend your knees at an angle of 90 degrees or slightly more. Place your right hand on the floor, raise your left above your head. Pull your left leg down and back, tilt your body forward and twist towards your right leg.

Switch legs.

Sit on the floor, bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Grasp your shins with your hands on the inside, place your wrists on your feet. Lean forward as low as possible.

Sit on the floor, buttocks should touch your heels. Lean forward, lie on your stomach on your knees and extend your arms.

Get on all fours, then move your pelvis back and up so that your body resembles an angle. Your arms and back should be stretched out in one line, your knees can be bent, and your heels can be lifted off the floor. The main thing is that your back remains straight, without rounding in the lower back.

Grab a low horizontal bar and hang freely, relaxing your body. Feet should remain on the ground. Relax them, bend your knees slightly.

Lie on the floor on your back, arms along your body, legs straight. Raise your legs and then throw them behind your head. Hands rest with elbows on the floor, hands support. Do not lean on your neck, the fulcrum is your shoulders.

Abdominal stretching exercises

Get on your knees, push your chest up, lengthening your spine, and then lean back, placing your hands on your heels. Try to bend in the thoracic region. Don't throw your head back, look up.

Lie on the floor on your stomach, place your hands under your shoulders. Push yourself up, your pelvis rises, your legs remain on the floor. Lower your shoulders, bend in the chest.

Stand straight with your feet together. Raise your arms and join your palms above your head. Bend your chest and tilt your body back. Tighten to avoid strong arching in the lower back.

Stand up straight, raise your arms above your head, clasp your fingers and turn your palms up. Stretch up and bend first to one side and then to the other.

Lie on the floor on your back, arms out to the sides, palms down. Move your pelvis to the left, lift your left leg, bending it at the knee, move it behind your right leg and try to place your knee on the floor. Turn your head to the left and relax.

Repeat the exercise on the other side.

Exercises for stretching the buttocks

25. Lying stretch

Lie on the floor on your back, raise your knees bent. Place the ankle of your left foot on the knee of your right. Press the knee of your right leg onto your left to deepen it. Repeat with the other leg.

Get on all fours, place your right ankle on your left knee. Push your pelvis back to deepen the stretch. Repeat with the other leg.

27. Seated stretching

Sit on the floor, stretch your legs forward, straighten your back. Bend one leg at the knee, grab your shin with your hands and press it to your chest. The shin should be parallel to the floor, the forearms lie on top and press it to the chest, one hand covers the other.

Repeat with the other leg.

Sit on the floor, bend one leg at the knee at a right angle and move it forward, take the other back and straighten it. You can lean forward and place your forearms on the floor.

If you have difficulty doing this pose on the floor, try placing your foot on an elevated platform.

Exercises to stretch the front of the thigh

Calf Stretching Exercises

48. Stretching against the wall

Press the toe of your right foot against the wall, take your left foot a step and a half back. The feet are pressed tightly to the floor, the left leg is straight. Try to reach the wall with your right knee, this will stretch the muscles of your left leg.

Switch legs.

Stand close to the wall. Place your right toe on the wall, take your left leg a step and a half back. Bend your left leg at the knee, increasing the stretch. Switch legs and repeat.

Sit on the floor, stretch your legs straight in front of you. Place one leg on the thigh of the other. Grab your foot with your opposite hand and pull your toe up.

Switch legs.

Useful tips

If you don’t pay attention to sports at all, or do it every day, or only on weekends, you probably know how important it is to have a good stretching. By directing blood flow to your muscles and helping your joints do the best they can, stretching improves your posture, increases your endurance, and reduces your risk of injury.

However, when you do yoga, Pilates, or simply do stretching exercises, do you know which muscles you are actually stretching? And are you doing these exercises correctly?

When playing any sport, it is very important to have at least basic knowledge of how our body works. You need to understand what you can and cannot do, as well as which muscles work when performing a particular exercise.

Today we bring to your attention pictures by yoga expert and creator of the book “Encyclopedia of Pilates Exercises” Vicky Timon and author of Mazlo’s Body Maintenance program James Kilgallon.

1. Camel Pose

This exercise stretches your oblique and rectus abdominis muscles. If you have any problems with your neck, then there is no need to tilt your head back. Also, while performing this exercise, feel your spine, try not to load it.

2. Wide forward fold

This exercise is also called the transverse fold. This is where you stretch the adductor muscles. This stretch will allow you to relax your hamstrings and adductors and open up your hips.

3. Frog

This exercise is a very deep stretch of the adductor muscles of the groin area. When you feel that your muscles have relaxed, try to open your knees even wider and try to stay in this position for a few minutes.

4. Side lunges stretch the corresponding adductor muscles.

5. The butterfly exercise also stretches the adductors (adductor muscles).

6. Exercise to stretch the forearm extensors.

7. Neck Flexor Stretch.

This exercise is aimed at stretching the sternocleidomastoid muscles. They are also called the sternocleidomastoid muscles.

8. Neck Rotator Stretch Exercise.

Develops the same muscles as in the previous paragraph.

9. Exercise for stretching the dilators of the neck.

10. Arm stretching exercise for the lateral neck flexors.

Stretching exercises

11. Hip flexor stretch.

This exercise involves the quadriceps and lumbar muscles.

12. Exercise to stretch the forearm extensors.

13. Lateral shoulder stretch, which stretches and engages the lateral deltoid muscles.

14. And this exercise for stretching the neck in a standing position will help you engage the trapezius muscles.

15. This is a spinal extension exercise with stretching of the latissimus dorsi muscles.

16. Wall stretch for the latissimus dorsi muscles.

17. Child's pose will also help you stretch your latissimus dorsi muscles.

18. This standing position stretches your calf and soleus muscles.

Stretching the leg muscles (stretching) is required by professional athletes for running, hitting, jumping, and increasing their results. Properly selected stretching exercises are needed after intense strength training in the gym or at home, which tone some parts of the body while leaving others unattended. Exercise will help you stay in shape longer and prevent muscle and tendon imbalances. When performing strength exercises to pump up your biceps or abs, it seems logical to use the muscle groups in your legs. An expander will definitely come in handy.

Before performing leg stretching exercises, it is recommended to prepare the muscles - warm them up with an intense warm-up, preventing stretching. Try to do the following exercises:

Jump rope at home for ten minutes, warming up your body parts.
Fifteen-minute jog, foot warm-up - toe/heel.
Perform leg swings 20 times, stretching the groin muscle.
Sit down fifty times (preferably), step on your foot.
Stretch your arms with jerking movements.
Bend your torso to the right and left (20 times each), stretching your back.
Walk in place, even out your breathing and heart rate.

After performing standard exercises, start stretching your leg muscles at home for people of any height and build. Exercises are classified into dynamic (suitable for those who frequently perform training) and static (for beginner women and men). For training, it is recommended to use an expander - it is easier to stretch with the exercise machine.

Standard set of exercises

Effective stretching helps muscle groups to constantly stay in good shape and allows you to make your legs slender. We perform leg stretching correctly and consistently:

After warming up, sit on the floor of the house, spread your legs shoulder-width apart, and try to reach your toes. After the attempt is made, fixation and freezing in the required position for several moments. Repeat the exercises twenty times.
The legs are placed wider to the maximum possible distance without pain (standing position). Cross your arms over your chest and try to slowly bend your body forward. The goal of the exercise is to try to touch the floor with your elbow, regardless of height. Three sets of 10 times. Don't step on your knees.
To do it well, sit down on the floor at home, connect your feet together (heel to heel), and try to touch the floor with your feet in the area of bent knees. Effective exercises for beginner women and men are given.

To properly stretch tendon tissue and muscles at home, it will take months of training the muscle groups in your calves, calves, and thighs. An expander helps to cope well with the task - they step on the simulator, grasping it when they are tall.

Complicating the task

After a week of training at home with warm-up and standard exercises, they move on to complex stretches of muscles and tendons. Gymnastics begin to increase the load at home. A chair, an expander, and an elastic band will come in handy.

High-quality stretching for losing weight on legs includes a set of exercises:

Increase training – gradual addition of new movements, prolonged freezing in one position and effective exercises in the calves and inner thighs. Correctly training body parts is a competent approach to physical exercise.

Twine for beginners

Splits help train muscles. You won't be able to sit down quickly like this. There is a set of exercises that are allowed at home for beginners: women, girls, boys and men. You can achieve good results only with an integrated approach, doing constant training at home:

There is no need to perform grueling and painful workouts, trying to quickly do the splits. Using a chair as a support, you will be able to train the muscles of your calves, lower legs, and thighs (especially in men) gradually. Try to alternately place your legs on the chair and bend, lowering your pelvis down. If you overdo it, you risk tearing the tendon tissue.

Yoga is the best stretch

After systematically performing standard exercises for men and women that help stretch and develop muscle groups and tendons of the lower leg, calves and inner thighs, try your hand at a new activity - yoga techniques help people of any height, gender and age. To avoid injuries leading to tissue ruptures, you should not stretch until it hurts, you need to train your muscles using support, for example, a chair, and be sure to do a good warm-up.

To sit on the transverse splits (yogi’s teachings call the exercise Samokanasana), perform the following steps:

The yoga technique helps to do the splits quickly, but it is imperative to perform the exercises gradually, avoiding pulling the muscles and injuring the tendon tissue. It is advisable to use an expander for tall people.

Yoga is an effective method to quickly master the cross-split technique. The technique does not allow impacts, only smooth movements, without injuries leading to tissue ruptures. Often for yoga they use a soft expander with a loop, stepping into it and performing difficult stretching movements. A special one has been developed that makes it much easier to do the splits. It is allowed to use any technique, extremely carefully and gradually.

Many beginner athletes and even professionals consider stretching to be a pampering exercise for lazy people. However, fitness instructors constantly insist that full-body stretching exercises are just as important as strength training and cardio exercises. Effective, correct stretching helps to avoid muscle tension, reduces recovery time and allows you to avoid feeling like a clumsy elephant in a china shop after strength training. Regular stretching of the shoulders and arms, as well as the back and legs, restores blood and lymph circulation, allows you to freely control your body and even stimulates muscle growth. Let's figure out how to properly stretch muscles and why such a cool-down helps set new records.

Untrained people gradually lose the flexibility of their movements, they are overcome by pain in the joints, arthrosis and osteochondrosis. Incorrect postures become so comfortable that a person can no longer sit or walk with a straight back. Easy stretching for beginners for all muscle groups, which can be performed even at home, will help to avoid pain syndromes, increase joint flexibility and reduce the risk of salt deposits.

In addition, constant viewing of mobile gadgets puts incredible strain on the neck and leads to changes in the cervical spine. Due to prolonged daily work at the computer, the chest is compressed, a burning sensation appears in the shoulder blades, and sometimes it even becomes difficult to breathe. A person assumes that he has problems with the lungs or heart, while daily warm-up, yoga or stretching of atrophied pectoral muscles and shoulders can eliminate pain, oxygen starvation and fatigue.

In the end, an inflexible body looks awkward and people in sedentary professions have a hard time in old age. Belated stretching of the back and shoulder girdle after many years of inactivity will not cure. Isn't it better to start regularly performing a set of simple exercises to prevent diseases of the musculoskeletal system?!

Stretching for strength athletes: ligaments versus muscles

Weight training increases muscle tone, shortens ligaments and makes them stiff. Ignoring stretching will result in the strength potential of the muscles exceeding the elastic capabilities of the tendons and ligaments. The load on the bone apparatus will increase significantly, and all subsequent training will take place with a greater risk of injury. Sometimes it is the stopping of progress that forces professional athletes to change their attitude towards stretching and visit a stretching class.

An important advantage of stretching is an increase in the production of the hormone somatropin, which accelerates recovery processes and muscle growth. The body gets rid of toxins faster, and more oxygen and nutrients reach the tissues. There is no stagnation in training, overexertion and spasms are eliminated.

Types of stretching

Stretching can be dynamic and fast. It is performed without pauses with a gradual increase in the scope and speed of movements. This is how, for example, football players prepare for a match: they make sharp swings of their legs to the waist, and then to the chest. This type of load is only suitable for trained professionals.

Static muscle stretching is performed smoothly with a pause at the end point. You can start with springy movements without jerking to maximize amplitude. The position is held for 10 seconds to two minutes without holding your breath. The time is chosen depending on training experience and flexibility, but most often the stretched position is held for 30–45 seconds.

An independent stretching lesson will take 1–1.5 hours. It's easier and more effective to combine 10-30 minutes of stretching with your regular workout. As a rule, they stretch from top to bottom: they start with the neck muscles and lastly stretch the legs. You need to practice stretching constantly: as soon as you stop exercising, the results will immediately begin to deteriorate.

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

Stretching is always done after a good joint warm-up and 7-10 minutes of cardio (running, jumping, etc.). It is best to stretch your muscles at the end of your workout. If you do this before strength training, then lifting weights will be harder and strength indicators will decrease.

For example, if you stretch your hamstrings before squats, you will be able to do a deeper squat. But if you stretch the front surface of the thigh, then lifting with a barbell will be much more difficult - a severely stretched muscle is difficult to contract. Therefore, you need to be careful when choosing stretching exercises between sets.

Safe complex for stretching the whole body

Neck muscle strain

Development of flexibility of the shoulder girdle

Place your hands behind your back and grab your wrist with one hand. As you bend your arms, pull your hands up and push your chest forward to better stretch your anterior deltoids.
Grasp your right elbow with your left hand at the level of the solar plexus and pull it down.
Grab your left hand with your right hand just above the elbow. Keep your left arm straight, press it to your chest and pull it up.

Arm muscle stretching

Stand with your left side to the wall and extend your left arm up. Bend your elbow as much as possible and lower your hand behind your back so that your palm is between your shoulder blades. Lean your left side against the wall and stretch your triceps.
Grasp the doorway with one hand and turn your back to it. For a better stretch, lean forward slightly.
Place one hand behind your back from below (elbow pointing straight up), and the other from above (elbow pointing down). Try to place your palms between your shoulder blades.

Stretching the chest muscles

Stand in front of a doorway with one foot forward. Rest your forearms on the doorposts and push your chest forward.
Standing facing the wall (as close as possible), place your straight arm extended to the side on the wall. Slowly turn sideways towards the wall and door frame.

Back and spine stretching

Stretching complex for the abdominal muscles

Lying on your stomach, place your palms under your shoulders and lift your body up, leaning on your straight arms. Arch your chest and reach up.
Standing straight, interlock your fingers above your head with your palms up and lean alternately to the right and left.

Leg stretching exercises

Stretching the buttock muscles

Lying on your back, raise your legs bent 90 degrees at the knees. Place the ankle of your right foot on the front surface of your left thigh (slightly below the knee). Pull your right knee towards you, deepening the stretch.
Sit on the floor. Bend your left leg at the knee and pull your lower leg toward your chest with your hands. Turn your knee to the left so that your shin is parallel to the floor.
Sitting on the floor, take your left leg back and straighten it, and bring your right leg forward and bend your knee to a right angle. You can rest your palms on the floor or lean forward with emphasis on your forearms.

Videos on YouTube, photos, lessons in GIF animations will help you learn how to do stretching correctly at home. Any visual presentation of the material allows you to quickly master everything yourself in front of the mirror. Consider your capabilities, choose an adequate amplitude and do not expect to lose weight with stretching: strength and aerobic training, avoidance of fast carbohydrates and harmful trans fats, promote weight loss.

When training, pull the muscles, not the ligaments, and be very careful with the vulnerable shoulder girdle. Do not strain your muscles, because in a relaxed state they stretch much better. Avoid severe pain and for stretching after training, choose 1-2 exercises for each muscle group from the complex. Give equal attention and equal time to each leg, arm, and half of your body. To achieve good results (increase working weight, etc.), do stretching not when the desire appears, but regularly, and preferably daily.