Stretching: the best exercises for stretching muscles. Stretching for beginners: rules and effective exercises Improve stretching at home

Stretching is a very popular sport now. Yes, this is exactly a sport, because a lot of effort and, accordingly, energy is spent on its implementation. Plus, stretching and body flexibility exercises for beginners will help maintain the health of the body as a whole. If you search, you can find many advertisements for recruiting groups for stretching lessons for beginners. And our article was specially prepared to help you work out and stretch your muscles at home.

If you are a beginner athlete and are looking for split stretching exercises at home, then this is the place for you. Below we will step by step analyze all the necessary information for beginners.

Necessity

If you ask a girl why she needs stretching, she will immediately answer: “I want to do the splits like my friend.” Stretching is necessary for a person to gain greater flexibility of the body.

And if you perform a set of simple exercises daily to stretch your entire body, then very soon you will feel noticeable changes in your body. Proper stretching for all muscle groups has a very beneficial effect on the musculoskeletal system, good mobility is developed, blood circulation is improved, and muscle cramps are prevented.

In general, some advantages. But you need to be extremely careful so as not to overdo it and harm yourself. So let's look at how to stretch properly to protect yourself from injury.

Kinds

There are five main types of stretching. They all perform a single function, but there are some nuances that are worth paying attention to.

Active. This option is designed for independent implementation. You can watch the video at the end of the article, from which you will learn how to do stretching at home for beginners, and perform the exercises yourself.
Passive. All exercises are performed by a partner. This option needs to be taken very seriously, because only you can sense the excess and inform your partner in time.
Static. Static exercises are considered the most effective type of stretching, which is especially recommended by doctors. During execution, the body is fixed in the desired position, allowing all muscle groups to be stretched. Fixation time is from 15 to 30 seconds, maximum – 1 minute, depending on the initial data of a particular person.
Dynamic. Everything happens in motion. A simple example is lunges left, right, back, forward. Muscle stretching occurs by increasing the intensity and speed of movements.
Ballistic. Perhaps the toughest and most dangerous type of muscle stretching. Execution occurs with quick springy movements and sharp jerks. During training, muscles and joints experience enormous and rather risky stress. Most often, this option is used by real professionals, extreme sports enthusiasts, lovers of tin and hardcore, for whom everything and everywhere is not enough.

Basic Rules

Before performing any exercise, be it working with dumbbells or, as in this case, stretching, you must adhere to the basic rules:

Warming up the body. The most important step before starting any workout. The load on “cold” muscles is extremely harmful, because instead of benefit, you can get a serious injury, the rehabilitation of which will take a lot of time. You can choose any aerobic workout, be it an exercise bike, jump rope or running. By the way, if you train in the gym with hardware, then you should do a warm-up before the main exercises, and stretching at the end, precisely because after strong tension, the muscles need to relax and stretch.
Relax and be patient. This rule is important, first of all, for beginners. Stretching should be done slowly, breathing smoothly and evenly. No jerks or sudden movements, which beginner athletes love to abuse, should be present here.
The back should be straight, muscles are relaxed.
We pay special attention proper breathing: on inhalation – starting position, on exhalation (through the mouth) – stretching.
For those just starting to stretch, you can start with 5-10 seconds per exercise. Further, to improve the result, it is necessary increase duration, since without this progress will be very slow, or there will be no progress at all.
One of the basic rules is practice constantly. Especially if you are starting from scratch. Giving up everything before you even start is a simple matter, but getting into the habit of constantly studying is real work. After all, no one needs your progress except yourself.
Another extremely important point - don't stretch until it hurts. This is fundamentally wrong. This way you will only injure your muscles and will forever, at least for a very long time, discourage all desire to exercise further. Stretch slowly but steadily, increasing the range of stretches each session. You yourself will feel your limit.

Don't make mistakes

Often, beginners start stretching everything and anyhow, thinking that by quickly working out the main parts of the body, they will soon achieve the desired result. But this is far from true. In most cases, with little awareness and without the supervision of a coach or experienced partner, “green” athletes pull ligaments, not muscles. With proper training, it is almost impossible to stretch the ligaments, since they are strong and rigid shells of the joints, but due to the wrong approach, injuries to the joints and muscles occur.

Avoid basic mistakes:

You can't stretch if you have health problems. Namely: spinal injuries, inflammation of the hip joints, problems with blood pressure, serious bruises and any injuries to the bone skeleton, especially the pelvis.
You need to stretch the muscles equally on each side, no matter what you pull, be it your legs, thighs, or calf muscles. If you stretched your left leg for 5 minutes, then stretch your right leg for the same amount. If you do it wrong, your body will, at the very least, hurt a lot.
You cannot stretch without thoroughly warming up the muscles (this has already been mentioned above).
If you go to the gym, don't even think about stretching before your workout. Stretching helps relax the muscles, and if you do the opposite, you won't be able to give your best.
Stretch in moderation. Too little is less than three times a week, too much is every day five times a day. Optimally - every day, only once.
If you hope that in a week you will get a beautiful split, then you don’t even have to start. It is a slow, calm, measured process that requires a lot of patience and diligence.

Psychological attitude

Probably every second lady thought: “Shouldn’t I try doing the splits?” Yes, everything seems simple, I scoured the Internet, found video tutorials, and off I go. But not everything is as smooth as we would like. It turns out that in order to take some kind of large-scale action, the better half must first be psychologically attuned.

Follow these rules:

Make it a habit to stretch every day, as they say - you quickly get used to good things.
Start small but steady. You need to give your body and brain the opportunity to get used to the changes.
If you suddenly missed one or two times, it doesn’t matter, just continue.
Well, imagine the end result more often.

Myths

Oddly enough, there are many misconceptions about stretching. They talk a lot, a lot of recommendations are written, and you seem to trust the Internet like an encyclopedia, but there are myths here too.

Let's dispel some of them:

They say that children stretch quickly and do the splits very quickly, and this is true. But they also say that if you are already an adult, don’t even think about it. But this is not true, everyone can stretch, but to the best of their ability.
There is information that in order to stretch, you need special starting parameters of the body. Myth. If you are just starting out, then you will definitely succeed. Just start doing the simplest exercises for beginners.
Stretching exercises cause very severe pain. This is not so, if you do everything correctly and without fanaticism, then you will only feel a pleasant muscle stretch.
Stretching does not help you lose weight. If you think about it, when performing this or that action, a certain amount of energy is expended, and accordingly, calories are wasted. And if you devote the proper time to exercise, you will also be able to lose a few extra pounds.

Warm-up

Warming up your muscles before any workout, and in this case before stretching, is not only correct, but also very important. We have already said that if you do not warm up first, you can get injured. It will also be much more difficult for you to reach out, both physically and emotionally.

We offer a special pre-workout that you can’t miss:

All parts of the body are worked from top to bottom. We start with smooth turns of the head left - right, up - down, in a circle left - right.
Next are the shoulders. Circular movements of the shoulders forward and backward, alternate swings of the arms up and down.
We warm up the back and chest muscle groups. We stretch our arms in front of us, spread them to the sides and maximum behind our back, while rounding our chest. And, conversely, we bring our arms forward in front of us, rounding our back.
Next is a warm-up for the torso. During the exercise, the pelvis remains motionless, turns left and right, and bends forward and backward.
To prepare the spine, we bend down as far as possible and rise up, rounding our back.
To stretch the muscles of the legs and hip joints, we perform alternate swings of the legs forward, backward, to the sides, also alternating legs.
To warm up the ankle joints, we perform circular rotations of the shins, kneading the feet up and down, left and right. Exercises with squats will help to work out the knee joints.

Effective stretching exercises

Where to start stretching training is a simple question on the one hand, but quite complex on the other. You can’t stretch everything; you should start small and, preferably, effective.

We offer a basic set of exercises for stretching and the spine at home.

Spine

The spine is a very important part of the body, so exercises should be selected for each person separately, according to the age and state of health of the body as a whole. For prevention, you can perform two basic exercises at home. They will help reduce the load on the spine due to an unhealthy lifestyle, that is, sedentary work, wearing uncomfortable shoes, especially for girls and women who are accustomed to wearing high-heeled shoes, as well as in the absence of regular physical activity.

Basic exercises:

To perform it, it is enough to have a crossbar or horizontal bar. It is advisable to hang on the bar for at least a minute, gradually increasing to three. If you don’t have a horizontal bar, you can replace it with another element: lying on your back while simultaneously stretching your arms behind your head and your legs down. This exercise is less effective, but also useful.
In the second exercise, attention is paid to the cervical vertebrae. To do this, it is enough to stretch your neck well to the left - to the right, up - down, sideways to the left - to the right, as if pressing against the shoulder. At each point, hold the position for several seconds. There is no need to rush, everything should be done calmly, breathing evenly, the body is relaxed, the arms are lowered down.

Below is a set of exercises for which the spine will thank you:

Crawling on the buttocks. Initial – sitting on the floor. Straighten your legs, straight back, fold your arms and raise them in front of you. Next, you begin to alternately move your buttocks, taking a kind of steps, eight steps on one side and the other. Go back in the same way. Repeat 3-5 times. Try to work only your buttocks, without using your legs as a whole.
. This exercise is very effective for the vertebrae and intervertebral discs, which will allow them to be inserted into their places. Initial – sitting on the floor. Pull your knees to your chest, clasping your arms, pressing your chin to your knees. Start rocking back and forth. Try to perform the exercise at least 10-15 times.
Deflection. This element trains the lumbar spine well. To perform, lie on your stomach, place your hands on the floor at shoulder level and lift your body to the maximum, arching your spine. This exercise will perfectly complement the previous one.

Legs

This is perhaps the most worked part of the body. How to stretch correctly, we will consider below.

There are three main exercises that are used by both beginners and athletes.

By the way, leg stretching is no less important for men than for women, so men also need to include these exercises in their workouts.

Here is an effective complex for legs:

Stretching your hamstrings takes a little time, but will require some sweat. Starting position – stand straight, feet together, hands at your sides. For best performance, close your eyes and relax. Imagine your spine, and slowly, following the spine as if on a ladder, lower your body down, while clasping your hands around the back of your thigh. Do not bend your knees, try to bend down to your maximum, fix the peak point for a few seconds and slowly rise.
This exercise is very recognizable and widely used by all athletes. Sit on the floor, legs wide apart, back straight, looking straight. We begin to slowly lower ourselves down, our hands trying to reach forward as far as possible. We fix the maximum point and spring about 30 times, more if possible, then return to the starting point. The same can be done by putting your legs together, or by trying to reach for each leg separately.
Side lunges. Stand up straight, do a 45° side lunge to the side, body directed towards the bent knee, stretch, lower, feel a pleasant stretch. Do the same with the second leg.

These are the best leg stretches that will allow you to stretch quickly and effectively.

Complex for beginners

You have read a lot, asked, learned and finally are ready for classes. But now the main question remains: where to start training. Below is a simple set of stretching exercises for beginners that is suitable for every day.

How to properly do stretching and gymnastics at home:

Sit on the floor, legs together, keep your back straight, place your hands on the floor behind your back, begin to pull your toes towards you, in this way working your legs and back.
Sitting on the floor, we try to reach the toes of our feet with our hands, while keeping our back straight and not bending our knees.
We continue from the previous starting position. Now we lower our body and try to touch our chest to our legs, while we relax our back and can round it. We hold our legs with our hands and fix the position.
Lying on your back, raise your legs up, keep them straight and together. We stretch our hands to our toes, without lifting our back from the floor, our shoulder blades should remain on the floor, and our legs should not be bent at the knees. Quite difficult, but doable.
Starting position: sitting, bend one leg so that the foot rests on the straight leg. Hands on both sides of straight leg. Keep your head straight and begin to lower your chest towards your straight leg, lowering your head last.
Previous starting position. Keep your back and head straight and lower your body between your legs, while your arms are bent and your elbows rest on the floor.
It's called "Doll". We sit on the floor, legs to the sides, arms to the sides. We pull the toes of the feet towards the body. We push the pelvis forward, trying to pull the inner thigh muscles.
The well-known “Butterfly”. Sitting on the floor, bend your knees with your feet facing each other, clasp your feet with your hands, pull your hips down, you can help with your hands by pressing on your knees.

These picture exercises will help you start stretching. This set of exercises is also perfect as a post-workout stretch for girls.

Video

Beginning athletes often ask questions: how to improve stretching, how to stretch muscles, how to train stretching. The video below shows great exercises that will help make your body flexible and your muscles elastic.

Hello my readers! We have all heard many times that there are 2 types of training - strength and cardio. Each of them has its own advantages, limitations and results. But rarely does anyone remember that for harmonious physical development, body flexibility is also necessary. You say “Why?” And you’ll even most likely think that exercises for body flexibility for beginners are still difficult and you don’t need it. But today I will try to convince you.

The famous Bruce Lee once said: “Even the strongest tree is easier to break than bamboo or willow shoots bending in the wind.” No matter how much you do strength training, no matter how much you do, you will not be able to achieve grace and smooth movements without flexibility.

In addition, this is also useful because:

Helps
Improves blood supply to muscles and starts recovery processes
Develops coordination and endurance
Has a positive effect on the back muscles and spine

Well, in the end, remember how many jokes there are on the Internet, intended for men, with pictures of girls who bend well. Many men in their fantasies allow themselves to dream that their life partner has a wonderful stretch mark.

Myths about stretching

Myth 1. You need innate abilities. Of course, for professional athletes they should be, but if you do not plan to perform in the circus, then your muscles are quite ready to perform simple training sets. And each time you will feel that you are able to bend a little more.

Myth 2. You need to do such training from childhood, and they are definitely not available after 30. Yes, it’s easier for children, they really have greater joint mobility. But the advantage of stretching is that it can be done at any age. You just need to do it gradually, without trying.

Myth 3. Flexibility exercises are always painful. Also a misconception. In no case should it be brought to the point of pain; you need to stretch to the point of tension.

Myth 4. Such training will not give you. Perhaps the effect will not be as pronounced as in the case of cardio training, but such training is also a physical activity, because during its implementation energy is spent, and the body works. This means calories are also wasted.

Such different workouts

There are a whole bunch of different types of stretching workouts. But in general, there are only 2 types of stretching training.

Dynamic, with the performance of various amplitude movements (swings, rolls). With each movement, the amplitude should increase due to inertia. Contraindicated for beginners, as it is quite traumatic.

Static. This is where you need to start training. There are no sudden jerks. It is necessary to stretch the muscles and lock in this position for 20-30 seconds to a minute. This way the muscle works smoothly. In turn, static exercises can be divided into active (independent exercise, stretching occurs under the weight of your own body) and passive (when a trainer helps).

No matter how unrealistic and difficult it may seem, flexibility exercises are also available at home. You should only

Be sure to warm up before class. The body needs to be warmed up and the waste paper needs to be prepared for work. Jog at a calm pace for 5-7 minutes and do simple bends, squats and swings
Avoid harshness. Remember, you are not in school physical education. All movements must be smooth. Feel how your body works
Don't do anything through pain. The state of tension and overcoming is normal, but pain is not. Pain can lead to injury and tissue rupture
Exercise regularly. Otherwise, your joints will lose mobility again
Don't expect tremendous results from stretching in 2 weeks. The main thing here is not speed, but quality of execution. For example, only after 3-4 months of regular exercise can you do the splits
After 1.5-2 months of doing the same exercise, your muscles begin to get used to the load. Try to complicate it or start doing a different complex
Consult a trainer before starting training. If you don’t want to do this, at least watch detailed videos on the Internet and study in pictures which muscles should work during this or that training.

Exercises for Beginners

We passed the introductory part. Now you are ready to start your workout. Below I will give a few simple exercises that can be used to create a good workout.

Exercise for the back “Cat”. Standing on all fours, gently arch your back up, then also smoothly bend it down. Lock each end position

Stretch your buttocks

We lie on our back, leave one leg bent at the knee, and pull the other to the chest, keeping it as straight as possible.

Sit on the floor, bend one leg, try to lean forward towards the other leg.

Calf muscles

While standing, lunge forward with one leg and bend it at the knee. Make sure your feet are pressed to the floor.

Anterior thigh

While standing, bend one leg at the knee, clasping it with your hand, pull your leg towards your buttock.

Rib cage

Join your hands behind your back and lift the lock up
Standing, back straight, raise your arms up in the lock and stretch

Lateral thigh

From a sitting position, bend one leg at the knee and move the other to the side. Bend to the side.

Press

Lying on your stomach, place your hands on the floor and lift your upper body.

For the first lessons, these exercises will be quite enough. Gradually you need to increase the amplitude, load and introduce more complex stretches. And don’t forget: no sudden movements! Throughout the entire session, control your breathing; it should be smooth and deep. You should enjoy your actions, then you will be not only in excellent physical shape, but also psychologically!

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– it’s not just beautiful, but also sexy. In addition, a good one tones the body, makes it stronger and is a prevention of many diseases of the musculoskeletal system, especially if you have a sedentary job. Let's try to figure out how to quickly do the splits if your childhood and youth have already passed, and you can only practice at home.

A little theory

Before you start stretching, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with our anatomy and find out which ligaments are stretched during stretching, what processes occur in the body, and what features the body has. Knowing all these nuances, you can most effectively influence your...

In addition, stretching also involves fascia (a special “case” in which each muscle is enclosed), tendons and joints. Some of them stretch, others do not, but have “tolerance” to stretching or are able to open.

Before you start doing stretches at home that will help you do the splits, let's get acquainted with some anatomical features.

when stretched, the muscle lengthens due to the fact that it grows new segments in its structure. This is a gradual process, so stretching should be gradual so as not to get injured. Also, before each lesson, you need to do it - it makes the muscles more flexible and warms them up, which makes them more susceptible to stretching;
Strong and trained ones stretch best. If you have been doing strength training and have an athletic body, then it will be easier for you to do the splits. In addition, strong muscles also prevent overstretching and tearing of tissues, making them safe;
The connective tissue in muscle fibers is made of collagen, just like joints and tendons. The ability of a muscle to stretch directly depends on the elasticity of the connective tissue caused by collagen fibers.

Fascia:

a kind of “bag” in which the muscle is enclosed and which limits its growth and gives it shape. It stretches poorly, but is able to remember its shape;
with age, fascia tends to contract and restrict muscles;
constant muscle tone and static tension (for example, due to a stressful or sedentary image) lead to contraction of the fascia;
It is possible to stretch the fascia without prior strength training, but this is a long process. Fascia stretches and grows best when performing strength exercises, when the muscles are energized. It is the blood supply that promotes the growth of fascia.

Joints and tendons:

Important! There are joints that must not be opened! These are the elbow and cervical: the function of these joints is to ensure reliable fixation and mobility, and opening them will make them unstable, which will lead to many problems.

A few more facts about the flexibility of the human body to know how to learn to do the splits at home:

Popular stretching exercises

Most often, the stretching process takes a long time, but many people wonder how you can do the splits in a week and whether it is even possible. The answer is: it’s possible, but you need to adhere to clear exercise rules to avoid it, and perform 8 effective exercises daily.

Important! A sedentary lifestyle and constant work at the computer reduce the flexibility of the body much more than old age.

This exercise is a good pre-split stretch that can be done at home and will help stretch your backside. The exercise also straightens, aligns the chest and gives a bonus to the flexibility of the spine.

Typically, stretching is a rather painful and tiring procedure. Therefore, you can start with a light exercise that straightens and relaxes the muscles.

Keeping you straight, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. When performing the exercise, your knees should be straight and you should not bend your knees. You need to put it behind your back, making a “lock” out of your fingers.

Then lean forward, trying to reach your knees with your nose. Lift up as high as possible, your spine should bend. Stay in this pose for a few moments, for example, you can count five breaths.

Stretching the back and front of the thigh

To stretch the back and front of the thighs, you can do deep stretches. When performing the exercise, you will feel how the anterior thigh muscles on the front leg are stretched and the posterior thigh muscles on the back leg are stretched.

Bend one at the knee joint at a right angle and take a wide step forward with it. At the same time, the other foot should go back as far as possible - with the toe and knee this leg rests on the floor. Lie your body on your front knee.

Keep your hands down, on either side of your bent front leg. Try to lower your pelvis closer to the floor, making soft springing movements. Spring into this pose for a count of about five exhalations. Then change legs.

This exercise must be performed carefully to prevent injury to muscle fibers. When performing, you will feel a nagging painful sensation in the sacral area and under the knee joint. But at home, this is a good stretch for beginners, which will help you get a couple of centimeters closer to a full split.

Get down on the floor and stretch your legs straight in front of you in a sitting position. Then you need to bend one leg at the knee, opening the hip joint on one side, and pull the foot of this leg close to the groin area so that the foot of the bent leg rests against the inner thigh of the straight leg.

The position of the bent leg resembles a pose, only it is carried out unilaterally. Having assumed this pose, begin to reach the fingertips of both hands towards the toe of your straight leg. Try to lie lower on your leg.

However, when performing the exercise, do not bend your leg at the knee, do not slouch, do not strain your shoulders and always keep your back straight. Hold this position for a few seconds, then change legs.

Place your feet in a standing position, shoulder-width apart. Lean forward, trying to press your palms completely to the floor. should be straight, as if in a corset, knees cannot be bent. Start springing, trying to press your torso to your legs.

This pose provides a great stretch for the muscles in the hamstrings and lower back. After you have completed the previous exercise, sit on the floor again and stretch both legs in front of you. They should be straight and pressed against each other.

Start bending forward, trying to reach your toes. Keep your back straight. You can clasp your feet with your hands, try to lie on your legs as low as possible. It is important that you do not bend your knees.

It is also known as "lotus". Performed while sitting. Bend your knees and spread them wide to the sides. The feet need to be pressed one against the other and pulled close to the groin area.

Keep your back straight and relaxed. Open your shoulders and lift your chin, try to stretch your spine into a straight line. Place your hands on your knees and, using springy pressure, begin to press them to the floor, then lifting them up, then lowering them again.

The pose allows you to increase the elasticity of the thigh muscles and maximize the opening of the hip joints.

Stretching

Remaining in a sitting position, straighten your legs, spreading them wide apart. Move your pelvis forward a little. Your shoulders should remain straight and look like you swallowed an arshin. Keep your knees straight and do not bend. Keep your knees and back straight while doing this.

Grab your feet with your hands: the right one with your right hand, the left one with your left. Lean forward. Fix your torso as low as you can and make springy sways.

To do this, take one step forward with one leg bent at the knee, and leave the other as far back as possible. Place your hands on either side of your body, straightening your back. The leg behind should be absolutely straight, and the one in front should be bent at an acute angle.

Using springing movements, pull your back leg in a half-split. Then replace it with another one. This exercise is similar to lunges.

When you are going to exercise at home, and there is no trainer next to you to supervise the stretching process, you need to know how to do the splits, armed with tips for beginners:

each stretch should begin with muscle warming up, otherwise the muscles will be inelastic and may be injured;
listen to your body, choose comfortable poses, concentrate on those areas that you are currently working on - this will help you feel changes in your body and more effectively control the stretching process;
as for, it is worth considering that consuming a large amount contributes to the coarsening of the ligaments, but consuming a large amount, on the contrary, promotes increased elasticity and flexibility;
do not try to take the loading dose on the first day, otherwise you may get injured. It is better to increase the intensity gradually, allowing the body to adapt to the load;
It is better to do stretching twice a day -. But in the morning, exercises should be gentle and soft, but in the evening, when the body is warmed up and in good shape, you can give the muscles a full load;
for more effective stretching, it is better to pull your toes toward you rather than away from you;
all exercises must be performed with spring vibrations;
when stretching occurs, and the body reacts naturally - it responds by tensioning the ligaments and muscles. But you need to try to relax as much as possible so that the ligaments can stretch smoothly;
should be carried out as often as possible - this is how they differ from strength exercises, after which the body requires a recovery period. When stretching, on the contrary, the longer the rest period, the more the muscles return to their original shape;
Before starting your workout, try taking a hot bath or. After such a relaxing effect, the body becomes more flexible and flexible, so it will be much easier to stretch.

For some, the splits are a dream, but, as we see, this dream is quite achievable. With regular training and sufficient persistence, you can do the splits in a fairly limited time. By performing the listed exercises at least twice a day for a week, you will soon be able to surprise your family and friends with a good stretch.

This article talks about stretching for beginners. After reading it, you will learn where to start stretching, get acquainted with its main types and exercises for different parts of the body.

You should start doing it after becoming familiar with all the nuances and general features of such training. Stretching is the most important part of any sports training. Regardless of the set of exercises and the place where you play sports, you should definitely stretch at the beginning of the lesson and after it. This need is due to the huge number of benefits that stretching gives the body.

Advantages:

It helps protect ligaments from sprains or tears, maintain healthy joints, make muscles more elastic.
Thanks to this stage of training voltage level decreases in the muscle area.
Processes are activated regulating normal body weight.
Such exercises prevent the development of heart disease, improving blood circulation.
The body gains flexibility and an attractive silhouette.
A person gains skills to maintain balance.

A novice athlete also needs to know about the disadvantages of stretching. There is only one: after the first workouts, a person may feel very severe muscle pain, which goes away within a week.

Kinds

There are 3 types of stretch marks:

Dynamic:

Characterized by maximum speed and amplitude.
Happens without pauses or delays in certain positions.
May cause microtears of ligaments.

Passive:

For people working out alone or with a group.
A partner helps you stretch moving the limbs in different directions.
Requires great caution, since the partner may not calculate the force, causing severe pain or injury to the person performing the exercise.

Static:

The most effective and safest type.
Ideal for beginners.
Characterized by smoothness and gradualness of exercises and changing positions.
Essence: stretching the muscles until discomfort appears, relaxing them and holding the body in this state for 20-30 seconds.
It is worth monitoring your breathing: inhale deeply, exhale smoothly.

Warm-up

Naturally, any workout should begin with a warm-up to avoid injuries and sprains.

Warm-up should be carried out according to the instructions:

7 minute run at a moderate pace will help to properly and effectively warm up the muscles.
Next, you should take the starting position, sitting on the floor, spreading your legs wider. First to one toe, then to the other, 15 bends are performed with the whole body. Afterwards, you need to hold for 10 seconds, lowering yourself to one leg, and then do the same tilt to the other leg and to the middle.
Position: sitting, back straight, legs extended forward and brought together. The body is tilted towards the legs, while the hands are stretched to the toes. You need to do 20 tilts, and the last one should be performed with a delay of 10 seconds.
Required to lunge, the knee of the hind limb is placed on the floor, and the toe is pulled towards the buttocks.
Sitting on the floor, you need to bring your feet together, and then gently pull them along the floor closer to the body. After getting as close as possible, downward pressure is applied to the knees. If you manage to put your knees on the floor, you should tilt your body forward.
Position: sitting on the floor. One leg is extended forward, and the other lower limb is brought behind the body, and the body is tilted towards the straightened leg.
While standing, swing your legs forward. The swing should be characterized by sharpness. The back should remain straight throughout the entire exercise.

A set of stretching exercises for beginners

After the warm-up, you can begin the main workout, which will gradually stretch your muscles and ligaments. You need to do the exercise once, unless otherwise indicated in the description.

For legs:

You should lean on any object with your right hand. With a straight back, you need to bend your left knee and then pull your toes towards your buttocks. You need to hold this position for 30 seconds.
Standing near a wall, you should lean on it. Then one leg is set back at a distance of 40 centimeters, and the other at 60. The heel of the far leg should touch the floor. You need to hold this exercise to stretch the calf muscles for 20 seconds.
Sitting on a chair, you should cross your legs and press them together as much as possible. Next, you need to tilt your body forward so that your back is straight and your chest stretches as far as possible. These manipulations should be performed within a minute.
You need to sit on the floor with your left leg bent under you, and the right limb must be bent at the knee and brought behind the tucked one. You need to clasp the knee of your right leg with your hands and try to reach it to the right side of the chest.
Lying on your side, grab the bottom of your right leg with your right hand., having previously bent it. Next, you need to pull the heel towards the lumbar region, gradually throwing the bent leg back. The exercise is performed for 2 minutes.

For the back:

You should lie on your back and forcefully press your bent knees to your chest. Next, you need to relax and stay in this position for half a minute.
You need to bring your hands together and then stretch your arms forward. At this time, you need to tilt your head, pressing your chin to your collarbone. Shoulders should be relaxed. You should stretch your arms forward for 30 seconds.
You need to sit on the floor, spread your legs and slowly lower your head, pressing your chin to your collarbone. At this time, you should stretch your arms forward, resting them on the floor. Thanks to such manipulations, the spine is stretched.
You should get on all fours, and then smoothly, either round or arch your back. The duration of one movement is 3 seconds. You need to perform about 6 approaches.
Lying on your back, legs need to be pulled up to your buttocks, and then throw one limb over the other so that its toe does not touch the floor (reminiscent of the “leg to leg” position). Arms should be extended along the body. Next, you should turn your hips to the right and lower your knees to the left. In this case, the right shoulder will rise slightly from the floor. It is necessary to fix this position for 30 seconds. Then, without changing position, you need to move your right hand up behind your head and remain in this position for a couple of minutes.
You need to sit on a chair and turn your body in both directions alternately. It is necessary to stay in the maximum turn for 20 seconds. You should stop the exercise after pain appears.
While sitting on the floor, you should bring your legs together and bend your knees slightly. The knees must be turned to the left, and the ankles must be grabbed with the left hand. Next, you need to point your right hand up and inhale, and then smoothly exhale the air. This position is held for half a minute. The recommended number of approaches is 3 pieces.

For hands:

Slowly it is necessary to perform circular movements with your shoulders with straight arms. The same manipulations should be done with the hands and forearms. Each hand needs to perform 10 movements.
Having assumed the position: standing, you need to raise your arms, placing your palms together, and then bend in both directions alternately as low as possible. 15 tilts each.
One tuka needs to be pulled up and then bent. With your other hand, clasping your elbow, you need to help pull your forearm behind your head. You need to stay in this position for 30 seconds.
The straight arm should be directed forward, and the hand of the other limb should you need to grab your elbow and try to press it to the opposite shoulder. The arm should be straight.

Split stretch

For beginners, it is recommended to start your workout with dynamic stretching. Swinging and rotational movements should be repeated until a feeling of maximum fatigue appears in the muscle area. Basically, the exercises are changed after 15 repetitions.

Dynamic stretching:

Leaning on the wall, swing the lower limb to the side. With each swing, the amplitude should increase.
When leaning on a chair with one hand, swing the leg forward and backward. With each subsequent swing, the height should increase.
Bends forward. You should try to reach the floor with your hands.

A step forward is taken. The leg should be as far away from the body as possible, and the back should remain straight. The back leg rests on the toes first. Springy oscillations occur within 15 seconds to a minute.
The body is brought into a squatting position. The weight is transferred to one limb, and the second is set back as far as possible. The back and the extended leg should be straight, the toe should be directed along the limb. Spring oscillations are performed for a minute, and then the weight is transferred to the other leg.
Sitting on the floor, you should spread your legs wide, and then bend over to each one in turn, stretching towards the toe. In this case, springy movements are carried out for 15 seconds.

These exercises are based on springy movements, after each of which the pain increases. For beginners, it is better to start by mastering the longitudinal twine.

During the first training, you need to select only a few exercises and actively work on them. When the pain threshold decreases, you can move on to the following positions.

Precautionary measures

When trying to do the splits, you need to consider that:

You should be prepared for severe pain, which have a pulling character.
If there is sharp pain for no apparent reason, you must immediately stop the activity so as not to tear the muscle fibers.
Stretching should be done every other day for half an hour. in a quiet mode.

Try to avoid jerking, act smoothly and measuredly.
No need to stretch before strength training as this may cause injury.
First you need to stretch the large dorsal, thigh, and pectoral muscles, and then everyone else.
You need to breathe constantly and deeply, it helps muscle stretching.

If you want to achieve visible results faster, try to stay in positions for up to 1 minute.

Even if you don’t play sports professionally and don’t go to fitness, sooner or later the thought comes to you that your body needs additional physical activity that will improve your well-being and flexibility. Simple exercises can also help boost your self-confidence.

How to stretch correctly at home is of interest to many, because not everyone has the time and money to go to the gym to train with a professional trainer on exercise equipment. We will talk about special complexes that will improve our health and prolong our lives and which can be done in a comfortable environment for you in this article. To give your body flexibility and tone your muscles, you need very little - your desire and 15-20 minutes of free time a day.

What are the benefits of stretching your body?

Physical exercise is very good for health - this is an axiom. Regular stretching promotes the following changes in the human body:

Considering the number and importance of positive aspects, it is not strange that many people are interested in how to stretch correctly at home.

For whom are stretching exercises contraindicated?

Despite all the positive aspects that are achieved through regular stretching, there is a category of people for whom such physical activity is contraindicated. You should not stretch yourself at home if:

There is inflammation of the joints of the lower body.
There was a spinal or hip injury, as well as cracked leg bones.
You suffer from lower back pain.
You have high blood pressure, thrombosis or other vascular diseases.
You currently have a cold or feel unwell for other reasons.

Important! Pregnancy is also a contraindication.

What should you remember when doing exercises?

If there are no contraindications for performing stretching exercises, then you should adhere to several important recommendations that are aimed at ensuring that you do not harm yourself. To stretch properly at home:

Warm up your muscles and ligaments before stretching exercises. Rub your body with your hands, do a set of squats, run in place or dance to rhythmic music. You can do leg swings. Warming up should take you 5-10 minutes.
When performing the exercises themselves, watch your breathing. Don't hold it, try to breathe evenly.
Don't overdo it while stretching. Consider the condition of your body and your readiness for stress. You won't do the splits in one day. This will take weeks, or even months. Make all movements smoothly, without jerking. You should only feel tension in the ligaments, not pain.

Important! If you injure your ligaments, the scar tissue will make them less flexible as they heal.

Start with light exercises and gradually increase the load.
Exercise regularly, preferably daily, without taking long breaks, otherwise you will not achieve results soon.

Important! When doing stretching exercises, focus on all muscle groups, not just focusing on your lower torso. Then your whole body will be in good shape and you will be cheerful all day.

How to stretch at home in the upper torso?

Even if your goal is to do the splits, still pay attention to the whole body and start your physical activity with exercises for the back, neck, arms and chest.

Important! Stretching exercises are also called “stretching” (from the English “stretch”, “stretch”).

Neck exercises

To help you avoid a stiff neck after a hard day at work, do these simple exercises to help you stretch properly.

Exercise No. 1

Make circular movements with your head clockwise and back 2-3 times.

Exercise #2:

As you lower one shoulder, tilt your head towards the other, and vice versa.
Do the exercise slowly.
With your ear pressed to your shoulder, hold for 5 seconds and return to the starting position.

Exercise #3:

Place your fingers together and extend your arms in front of you.
Now tilt your head forward and tuck your chin to your chest.
Relax your shoulders and stretch your arms forward as much as possible.

Exercises for arms and shoulders

Your shoulders and arms also require your attention, as they bear a lot of stress from the day's events. To stretch correctly at home in this part of your body, the following exercises are suitable.

Exercise #1:

Interlock your fingers and extend your arms forward to shoulder level.
Now turn your palms so that they look up and forward.

Exercise #2:

Interlock your fingers with your arms outstretched above your head.
Now slowly turn your palms up, then down.

Exercise #3:

Take the towel by the ends and hold it at arm's length.
Place your arms over your head and behind your back.
Do not twist your arms or bend them at the elbows.
To increase the load, reduce the distance between your hands.
You can fixate the movement for 5-10 seconds exactly in the place where you feel the maximum tension.

Exercise #4:

Holding the ends of the towel, raise your arms straight above your head.
Now move your left arm back and down, while simultaneously bending your right arm at the elbow at a right angle.
Next, straighten your right arm and lower it to the same level as your left.
At the same time, lower your arms down.
Repeat the movement in the other direction.

Exercises for the lower back and spine

The spine is the backbone of our body, so it is it that needs to be given special attention in order to stretch correctly at home and not damage anything.

Exercise #1:

Stand up and place your hands on your waist.
Pull your elbows back as far as possible and bend over.
Hold for 5-10 seconds. Breathe evenly.

Exercise #2:

Standing straight and placing your hands on your waist, twist your torso, alternately left and right.

Exercise #3:

Sit on your knees.
Extend your arms forward and place them on the floor.
Arch your back as if trying to round your spine.

Exercise #4:

Exercise #5:

Place your right hand behind your back from above, and your left hand from below.
Interlace your fingers behind your back and hold yourself in this position for 5-10 seconds.

Exercise #6:

Place your palms together as if for prayer, but behind your back.
Now raise your arms to chest level.
Stay in this position for a few seconds.

Exercise #7:

Stand straight and place your feet shoulder-width apart.
Lean forward, trying to place your palms on the floor.

Exercise #8:

Sit on the floor.
Place your legs straight and together.
Now lean your body forward, trying to touch your knees with your forehead.

Exercise #9:

Sit on a chair.
Without lifting your feet off the floor, turn back.
Grab the back of the chair and hold in this position for 5-10 seconds.
Now turn the other way.
Repeat 5 times on each side.

A set of exercises for stretching legs

Before you try to do the splits, you need to do a series of exercises to gradually stretch your legs.

Important! It should be remembered that such exercises must be done smoothly, avoiding jerking and severe pain. This is the only way you can stretch correctly.

Exercise #1:

Exercise #2:

Lie down on the floor.
Bend your right leg and pull your knee toward your chest as much as possible.
Freeze for a few seconds.
Change your leg.
Then bring both legs up and try to touch your knees to your forehead.

Exercise #3:

Take a chair and place your straight leg on the back.
Bend forward as far as possible, keeping your back straight.
In the farthest position, hold for 5-10 seconds.

Exercise #4:

Stand by a chair and grab it with your right hand.
With your left hand, grab your left ankle and lift your leg as high as possible.
Hold in the top position for 5 seconds.
Switch legs and repeat.

Exercise #5:

Stand up straight.
Lunge forward with one leg as far as possible, while the other leg should remain straight behind you.
Spring in this position first on one leg, then on the other.

Exercise #6:

Sit down and pull your heels as close to you as possible, closer to your perineum. This is called the “frog” pose.
Place your elbows on the inside of your knees and press until you feel strong tension or until your torso rests on your feet.

Exercise #7:

Sit on the floor.
Place one leg straight ahead and bend the other and place your foot on your inner thigh.
Lean towards your straight leg as deeply as possible.
Hold for a few seconds at the maximum tilt phase.
Switch legs and repeat the exercise.

We sit on the splits correctly. A set of exercises for beginners

Once you have achieved noticeable success in the previous exercises, they are already easy and relaxed for you every day, you can think about how to stretch correctly at home to do the splits.

Longitudinal twine

This is a pretty impressive gymnastic skill. It is unlikely that it will be possible to achieve it in 1-2 weeks. You need to set a goal and approach it every day. For this:

After you have completed several exercises to stretch your legs, you can start doing the splits.

Method number 1:

Kneel down and extend your right leg forward, keeping it straight.
Gradually, under the weight of your body, gently lower yourself down without jerking.
Place your palms on the floor and keep your balance.
Move your leg forward until you feel a stretch in your groin.
Stay in this position for 10-15 seconds.
The back should be straight.

Important! Do not try to sit lower, overcoming the pain. If you tear your ligaments, it will delay your goal indefinitely.

Take the starting position and change your leg.
Every day, lower yourself lower and lower until your legs are completely flat on the floor.

Method No. 2

You can start a little differently:

Extend your straight left leg completely from behind, with your knee touching the floor.
Tilt your body forward.
Place your hands on the floor for balance.
The right leg is first bent at the knee at a right angle, and then you begin to move it slowly forward until the groin is tense. The leg rests on the heel.
Stop and freeze in this pose for 10-20 seconds.
Don't hold your breath.
Over time, lower your pelvis as low as possible until you sit completely on the floor.
Do similar steps for the second leg.

Important! Even if you achieve the desired result, do not stop practicing, otherwise you will lose this skill and your efforts will be in vain.

Cross twine

This type of twine is considered more difficult to perform. It represents the legs completely spread to the sides from a sitting position.

Important! As with the longitudinal split, before attempting the cross split, you need to warm up your muscles and do a set of exercises to stretch your legs.

At first you can exercise every other day, and then, when your body gets used to the stress, every day. You need to be extremely patient and approach this philosophically so as not to quickly “burn out” with the idea.

Method number 1:

Sit on the floor.
Spread your legs as wide as possible and place your hands on the floor.
Bend your torso as low as possible, holding the lowest position for 10-15 seconds.
Each time the slope should be deeper.
When the ligaments have stretched a little, you can proceed to the transverse twine itself.

Method number 2:

Stand up straight.
Place your feet parallel to each other.
Next, leaning on the entire surface of the foot, spread your legs to the sides as far as possible until you feel comfortable.

Important! Painful sensations during this exercise are unacceptable. In extreme cases, only mild discomfort is possible.

Each time, try to sit as low as possible until your crotch reaches the floor.
When you sit on the cross split, your groin and hips should lie completely on the floor, your back should be straight, and your toes should point up.
Don't forget to breathe evenly.

Important! If you have managed to master the cross split, do not forget to do this exercise periodically, otherwise you will gradually lose flexibility.

What to do if pain occurs after exercise?

Pain may occur if you overdo it when stretching and damage the ligaments. In such situations, you should adhere to the following algorithm of actions:

Apply ice wrapped in a cloth to the sore area for 10 minutes. Take a break for half an hour and apply again for 10 minutes.
Apply anesthetic ointment to the painful area.
Secure this area with an elastic bandage and remain calm.
If the pain does not subside, consult a doctor.

Video material

If you approach the issue of stretching your body muscles seriously and correctly, the results will be noticeable within a few days. The set of exercises selected in the article will help not only strengthen and tone your muscles, do the splits and make your body more flexible, but will also exponentially increase your good mood and cheerfulness every day.