Flexibility is an area of fitness that many people ignore. However, by working on your flexibility you can enhance the quality of your day to day life, improve your performance during exercise, protect against injuries and much more. When it comes to improving your flexibility, you have two main options – dynamic stretches and static stretches.
Dynamic stretches involve performing simple fluid movements that gently stretch the muscles and joints in specific areas of your body whereas static stretches involve holding a fixed position in order to stretch the muscles and joints in that area of the body. In this post I’ll be focussing on this type of stretching and providing you with 6 Dynamic Stretches For Flexibility. You can use these stretches as part of a daily stretching program or alternatively as a warm up or cool down routine for your workouts. The full routine takes just 6 minutes to complete, so no matter how busy you are, you can easily fit it into your day.
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Exercise 1 – Walking Toe Touch
The Walking Toe Touch stretches all the muscles in your lower body along with your shoulders.
Instructions:
1. Stand up straight and then slowly step forward, with your right leg, keeping it straight at all times.
2. As your right foot touches the ground, bend forward at the waist, touch your right foot with your right hand and kick your left leg out behind you.
3. Stand up straight and then slowly step forward, with your left leg, keeping it straight at all times.
4. As your left foot touches the ground, bend forward at the waist, touch your left foot with your left hand and kick your right leg out behind you.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for 1 minute.
Video Demonstration:
Exercise 2 – Lunge With Twist
The Lunge With Twist targets your core muscles while also working your chest, shoulders and some of the muscles in your legs.
Instructions:
1. Stand up straight with your arms straight out in front of you.
2. Step forward with your right leg into a lunge position.
3. Twist your arms and torso to the right while holding the lunge position.
4. Step back and stand up straight.
5. Step forward with your left leg into a lunge position.
6. Twist your arms and torso to the left while holding the lunge position.
7. Repeat steps 1-6 for 1 minute.
Video Demonstration:
Exercise 3 – Hip Raise
The Hip Raise works both your core muscles and leg muscles. In addition to enhancing your range of motion in these areas, it also strengthens and tones the muscles.
Instructions:
1. Lie on the ground with your knees bent, your feet flat on the floor and your arms flat by your side.
2. Raise your hips off the floor, tighten your glutes and hold the position for 5 seconds.
3. Lower your hips down towards the floor and stay in this position for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for 1 minute.
Video Demonstration:
Exercise 4 – Standing Leg Raise
The Standing Leg Raise is a great dynamic stretch for your lower body that increases your range of motion and flexibility in this area.
Instructions:
1. Stand up straight with your arms by your side.
2. Slowly raise your right leg out in front of you while keeping it straight at all times.
3. Slowly lower your right leg back down to the starting position.
4. Slowly raise your left leg out in front of you while keeping it straight at all times.
5. Slowly lower your left leg back down to the starting position.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 for 1 minute.
Video Demonstration:
Exercise 5 – Plank With Twist
The Plank With Twist is a variation on the popular core toning exercise that increases the range of motion in the muscles around your stomach and lower back.
Instructions:
1. Place your hands on the floor in front of you, straighten your legs out behind you, straighten your arms, tighten your core and assume the plank position.
2. Slowly rotate your right arm out to the side and then above your head while turning your feet and making sure you keep your core muscles tight at all times.
3. Slowly rotate your right arm back down to the plank position.
4. Slowly rotate your left arm out to the side and then above your head while turning your feet and making sure you keep your core muscles tight at all times.
5. Slowly rotate your left arm back down to the plank position.
6. Repeat steps 2-5 for 1 minute.
Video Demonstration:
Exercise 6 – Side Stretch
The Side Stretch is a flowing dynamic stretch that loosens up the muscles in your core and your hips. It also lightly stretches the muscles in your neck, shoulders and legs.
Instructions:
1. Stand up straight in a wide stance with your feet facing forward and your arms out to the side.
2. Slowly bend your body to the left while sliding your left arm down your left leg and holding your right arm above your head.
3. Slowly bend your body to the right while sliding your right arm down your right leg and holding your left arm above your head.
4. Repeat steps 2-3 for 1 minute.