Whether it's from yesterday's challenging workout, the 2 mile walk you took at the zoo, or just the every day stuff that is making your muscles tight - this post is for you.
I am a BIG believer that stretching helps us in endless ways - both physically and mentally.
I start and end my day with a short stretch session and my body loves me for it.
Here are 7 of my favorite stretches to do when my muscles are tight and calling for some relief...
(1) Glute Bridge
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat.
Raise the balls of your feet off the floor and press your lower back into the floor. This is your starting position.
Push through your heels and lift your hips as high as possible, contracting your hamstrings and glutes for a two-count at the top of the move.
Reverse the move to return to the starting position.
Make it harder: Perform the same move with an exercise band looped around your knees, and drive your knees outward at the top of the exercise.
(2) Glute March
Lie flat on your back with your knees bent, feet flat, lower back pressed into the floor, and arms by your sides, palms down.
Push through your heels and lift your hips as high as possible. This is your starting position.
Keeping your hips high, lift your right knee towards your chest, contracting your left glute and hamstrings as hard as possible.
Lower your right foot to the floor and repeat the move with your left leg.
Continue alternating sides.
(3) Foam Roller Walkout
Place a foam roller crosswise near one end of an exercise mat.
Lie on your back with your legs bent and your feet resting on the foam roller, about shoulder-width apart. This is the starting position.
Taking small steps, slowly “walk” the roller as far as you can down the mat.
Pause briefly, contracting your hamstrings as hard as possible, and then reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
(4) Slider Leg Curl
Lie face-up with your arms by your sides (palms down), knees bent, and heels on a pair of exercise sliders.
Squeeze your glutes as you raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. This is the starting position.
Keeping your core engaged and hips in line with your knees and shoulders, push your heels forward until your legs are almost straight and your butt is within a couple of inches of the floor.
Pause, and then reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
Too tough? Limit your range of motion, not straightening your legs quite as much.
(5) Dumbbell Sumo Deadlift
Stand tall with your feet more than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed outward at a 45-degree angle, and a heavy dumbbell positioned vertically on the floor between your legs.
Keeping your chest up, back flat, and core engaged, push your hips back and grab the top end of the dumbbell in both hands. (This isn’t a squat, so only bend your knees enough to allow you to grab the weight — your butt should remain higher than your knees.)
Stand up, thrusting your hips forward as you lift the weight.
Reverse the movement to lower the weight back to the ground.
(6) Dumbbell Good Morning
Stand tall with your feet hip to shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell against your upper chest.
Pull your shoulder blades back and down, as if pressing them into your back pockets, and keep them there throughout the movement. This is the starting position.
Keeping your back flat and core engaged, push your hips back and hinge forward until your torso is nearly parallel with the floor.
Pause, and then reverse the movement to return to the starting position.
(7) Kettlebell / Dumbbell Swing
Stand tall with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and a kettlebell (or dumbbell) about two feet in front of you on the floor.
Keeping your back flat and core engaged, push your hips back and grab the kettlebell’s handle with both hands in an overhand grip.
Now “hike” the kettlebell back between your legs before thrusting your hips forward and swinging the kettlebell up to shoulder level.
Push your hips back and hike the kettlebell back between your legs to begin your next rep.
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