This post has been updated since it was originally published on October 8, 2021.
If you aren’t stretching daily, now would be a good time to start because as it turns out this low impact exercise form can actually have a number of benefits that improve your wellness beyond just flexibility. Stretching, aside from lengthening your muscles and improving the ease of which they move, can also bolster your workouts moving forward, allowing your muscles a better range to function within which can help to strengthen your athletic performance and even create better results from your gym session.
Whether you’re looking to improve your recovery after tough workouts or boost your output on leg day, we checked in with Director of Training & Development at CLMBR, Christa Dellebovi, and Tonal Coach & Certified Healthy Lifestyle Coach, Allison Tibbs for the best lower body stretches to practice daily. This is what they suggested.
Figure 4
The figure four stretch is ideal for loosening tight hips and glute muscles and can be done at any time before or after a workout to increase mobility in the legs. “Start standing up, then cross one ankle over the other thigh just above the knee. Sit back and down, keep your chest lifted and your knee pressed out,” explains Dellebovi. “Hold for 20 seconds, opening up the hips. This can also be done seated, crossing the ankle over knee.”
Stretching can be useful particularly before exercising to increase blood flow and improve the ease of movement, so both experts suggest practicing the motions daily in order to get the best results out of your body while lengthening your muscles.
Seated Twist
The seated twist not only helps stretch your legs and glutes, but can also relieve tension in the lower back which may improve your overall quality of life. Particularly if you’re feeling tight after a workout, this stretch can be great to loosen your muscles as you work towards recovery. “Start sitting on the floor with legs extended. Keeping your left leg straight in front of you, cross your right leg over your left. Bring your right arm behind you, left arm to right knee,” says Dellebovi. “Slowly twist to the right and hold for 20 seconds.”
If you’ve been sitting at work for most of the day, practicing this stretch when you get home can also help to provide increased comfort so you aren’t suffering from lower back pain moving forward.
Forward Lunge
This stretch is great to practice before running or any mobility workout as it increases flexibility and reduces any tightness that may have set in throughout the day prior to exercise. “Start in a kneeling position, then bring one leg up. Placing your foot on the floor, making a 90 degree bend in the knee. Place your hands on your front knee or on the floor on either side of your front foot,” explains Dellebovi. “Press forward, keeping your chest open. Hold for 20 seconds.” This move will help to loosen your hip flexors which also lengthening the hamstrings and glutes as well.
A key component to avoiding injury in your workouts is continued stretching, so integrating some of these moves before and after exercising can help to ultimately preserve your body and allow you to achieve the best results.
Lying Hamstring Stretch
Another great hamstring stretch, this move will also help to lengthen and tone your legs while increasing your range of motion when done repeatedly. “Lay on the ground on your back, lift one leg to a 90-degree angle while keeping the other leg straight. Interlace your hands just below the crease of the back of your knee and slowly begin to bend your knee then straighten your leg back to starting position,” says Tibbs. “Repeat for 5 to 10 reps allowing for an active stretch in your hamstrings.”
Another thing to remember about your muscles is when you fail to stretch them over a period of time, they will begin to tighten and shorten which can decrease your range of motion and even boost your risk of injury. Therefore, even just five minutes of stretching each day can have a profound effect on your body.
Quad Hip Stretch
Stretching tight hips can also help to improve your leg strength and muscle mobility. This stretch is a multi-faceted move which can help to target both your quads and hips, allowing for a better and more effective workout session or recovery. Tibbs explains, “In a half-kneeling position, with your front knee over your ankle, forming a 90-degree angle, slowly push your hip of the kneeling leg forward. Lean forward, while keeping your back straight, and reach the arm opposite to your front foot forward and up toward the sky. Return back to the starting position and repeat for 5 to 10 reps, then switch sides.”
Side-Lying Leg Raise
One good thing about this exercise is that it can be done from the comfort of your own bed. According to an article published by Livestrong.com, "This move is similar to the hip abduction, but the fact that you can't tap your heel on the bed as you move your leg laterally takes this exercise up a notch in difficulty."
They advise, "Lie on your side with your hips stacked on top of each other. Flex your top foot so your toe is pointing forward. Lift your top leg as far as you can while keeping your heel slightly behind your body and your toes pointing forward. Bend your bottom knee if you need extra stability. Slowly lower your top leg to return to start. Perform this exercise three times per day for a total of 10 reps per leg."
