Glossary of stretches

Lower body stretches

• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Calves
• Glutes
• Hip flexors
• Adductors

Upper body stretches

• Back
• Neck
• Chest
• Lats
• Shoulder
• Back (relax)

Lower body stretches

Hamstrings (back of thigh)

Technique:

• Grasp leg behind knee
• Pull leg into chest
• Slowly straighten leg
• Repeat with other leg

Quadriceps (front of thigh)

Technique:

• Stand on one leg with other leg pulled up to backside
• Grasp ankle and ease into stretch
• Keep knees together
• Keep upright posture
• Repeat with other leg

Calf (back of lower leg)

Technique:

• Lean into wall and lift one leg off the ground
• Lean into stretch
• Keep leg straight
• Repeat with other leg

Lower body stretches

• Hamstrings
• Quadriceps
• Calves
• Glutes
• Hip flexors
• Adductors

Upper body stretches

• Back
• Neck
• Chest
• Lats
• Shoulder
• Back (relax)

Lower body stretches

Hamstrings (back of thigh)

Technique:

• Grasp leg behind knee
• Pull leg into chest
• Slowly straighten leg
• Repeat with other leg

Quadriceps (front of thigh)

Technique:

• Stand on one leg with other leg pulled up to backside
• Grasp ankle and ease into stretch
• Keep knees together
• Keep upright posture
• Repeat with other leg

Calf (back of lower leg)

Technique:

• Lean into wall and lift one leg off the ground
• Lean into stretch
• Keep leg straight
• Repeat with other leg

Glutes (buttock)

Technique:

• Lie on back on the floor
• Position one leg across the opposite thigh
• Grasp leg behind thigh and pull into body
• Repeat with other leg

Hip flexors (front of pelvis)

Technique:

• Kneel on floor with cushion under knee
• Grasp foot and pull up towards buttock
• Thrust hips forward and upwards
• Stretch will be felt in thigh and across front of pelvis
• Repeat with other leg

Adductors

Technique:

• Sit with back against a wall
• Ensure backside is positioned as close to the wall as possible
• Keeping an upright posture, gently press down on knees until stretch is felt

Upper body stretches

Back (start position)

Technique:

• Kneel on floor
• Fully drop chin to chest
• Arch back upwards, pushing from shoulders
• Relaxed breathing throughout

Glutes (buttock)

Technique:

• Lie on back on the floor
• Position one leg across the opposite thigh
• Grasp leg behind thigh and pull into body
• Repeat with other leg

Hip flexors (front of pelvis)

Technique:

• Kneel on floor with cushion under knee
• Grasp foot and pull up towards buttock
• Thrust hips forward and upwards
• Stretch will be felt in thigh and across front of pelvis
• Repeat with other leg

Adductors

Technique:

• Sit with back against a wall
• Ensure backside is positioned as close to the wall as possible
• Keeping an upright posture, gently press down on knees until stretch is felt

Upper body stretches

Back (start position)

Technique:

• Kneel on floor
• Fully drop chin to chest
• Arch back upwards, pushing from shoulders
• Relaxed breathing throughout

Back (finish position)

Technique:

• From start position, slowly extend neck and look at ceiling
• Hollow out back
• Relaxed breathing throughout

Bicep (upper arm)

Technique:

• Put hand against wall at shoulder height
• Press heel of hand against wall with fingers pointing down or turned round to be asclose as can be managed to vertical
• Turn head to look in opposite direction
• Repeat with other arm

Neck – lateral flexion

Technique:

• Lean head to one side
• Continue moving head so that ear moves closer to shoulder
• Hold position
• Repeat other side

Chest

Technique:

• Sit on floor with arms outstretched behind
• With head up, slide forward until stretch is felt across chest and bicep
• Thrust chest forward to further maximise stretch

Back (finish position)

Technique:

• From start position, slowly extend neck and look at ceiling
• Hollow out back
• Relaxed breathing throughout

Bicep (upper arm)

Technique:

• Put hand against wall at shoulder height
• Press heel of hand against wall with fingers pointing down or turned round to be as close as can be managed to vertical
• Turn head to look in opposite direction
• Repeat with other arm

Neck – lateral flexion

Technique:

• Lean head to one side
• Continue moving head so that ear moves closer to shoulder
• Hold position
• Repeat other side

Chest

Technique:

• Sit on floor with arms outstretched behind
• With head up, slide forward until stretch is felt across chest and bicep
• Thrust chest forward to further maximise stretch

Lats (sides of back)

Technique:

• Lie on stability ball as shown in picture
• Stretch out upper arm
• Continue to stretch out upper arm away from body until stretch is felt in latsarea

Shoulder

Technique:

• Sweep one outstretched arm across body
• Position other arm above elbow of outstretched arm
• Apply pressure to outstretched arm
• Repeat with other shoulder

Back (relax)

Technique:

• Carefully ease back onto stability ball
• Position ball in hollow of lower back
• Allow body to completely relax across ball

Lats (sides of back)

Technique:

• Lie on stability ball as shown in picture
• Stretch out upper arm
• Continue to stretch out upper arm away from body until stretch is felt in lats area

Shoulder

Technique:

• Sweep one outstretched arm across body
• Position other arm above elbow of outstretched arm
• Apply pressure to outstretched arm
• Repeat with other shoulder

Back (relax)

Technique:

• Carefully ease back onto stability ball
• Position ball in hollow of lower back
• Allow body to completely relax across ball