Lower Body Stretches: General Exercise & Fitness Discussions

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

Stretching is very important to do before and after workouts to keep your muscles loose. It is important to warm up you muscles before stretching. A short 5 minute warm up on a stationary bike is sufficient.

Here are a few examples of lower body stretches that are good to do. For each stretch listed below hold the positions for 30 to 60 seconds. Each stretch should have a tight feeling, never pain!

Lay down on your back, pull knee to chest and raise your head to the knee. When you feel the stretch, hold. This will stretch your gluteus maximus.
From a standing position grab your foot and raise the leg until a stretch is felt and hold. This stretches your quadriceps.
Sit down on your gluteus maximus. Lean forward and grab your ankle and pull your body forward until you feel a stretch. This stretches your hamstrings.
Lay down on your back and grab your leg below the calf and pull your leg to your head until you feel a stretch. This also stretches your hamstrings.
Lay down on your back and while keeping your shoulders flat, gently pull your knee across your body to the floor. This stretches your illiotibial band.
Sit on your gluteus maximus with both legs extended out in front of you. Pull the knee and ankle of one leg to the chest until the stretch is felt and hold. This will also stretch your illiotibial band.

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I have been stretching a lot more lately and I really feel it's been helping me in my recovery time. I am not nearly as sore and I have more energy due to about 30 minutes of stretching every day. The key is consistency and doing it every day!

crosewood · **Site Rank:** Healthy Friend

in my case, i stretch after each muscle group after i work them out. removes the tension and i always feel like i can do more when i do this.

tammy · **Site Rank:** Site Admin

crosewood wrote:

in my case, i stretch after each muscle group after i work them out. removes the tension and i always feel like i can do more when i do this.

That's a good idea too... as long as you are keeping your muscles loose, you'll be in better shape in the long run!

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

For the longest time I didn't stretch before or after working out... I used to get lower back pain a lot. Now that I stretch regularly and often, my back pain has been significantly reduced. I think the stretch that helps my back the most is the hamstring stretch. I really feel that it helps and I wish I would have started doing this earlier.

marie · **Site Rank:** Healthy Associate

Stretching has helped me too. It is amazing how much my body hurts if I don't stretch.

Y's Guy · **Site Rank:** Moderator

I have been stretching consistanly now for about 2 months and I have seen a marked improvement in my stretching too! I used to only be able to get about a foot away from my foot... not I can touch my toes in the hamstring stretch!!!

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