Stretch Exercises Archives

10 Stretch Exercises To Relax Your Tight Hip Flexors

Sitting for long hours could make your hip flexors tight and it is difficult to stand, sit, or walk with tight hip flexors. It is for this reason that you need some time to relax your hip flexors so your hip joints resume normal function.

What Are Hip Flexors?

Hip flexors are a group of muscles located in the inner part of the hips, lower back, and the front part of the thighs. It is these muscles that help move your lower limbs. You can stand, sit, run, bend down, and move your legs in every direction. These muscles contract when you sit too much or squat for a long time. Also, overtraining your glutes, lower back, and hip flexors could result in the contraction of these muscles.

Here’re 10 Hip Flexor Stretching Exercises To Keep Your Muscles Relaxed

The Standing Hip Hinge

• Stand on an even floor with your feet shoulder-width apart
• Place your palms on your hips and hold the sides of your waist with your fingers
• Roll your shoulders back and bend your torso slowly
• Stretch your neck to your back and hold the pose for 5 seconds to release all the tension
• Return to the starting position
• Do 2 sets of 7 reps

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

• Stand straight and put your right leg forward
• Put your hands on your waist and lunge down till your knee touches the floor
• Keep your spine straight and stretch your leg behind to push your hips forward
• Stretch your hips and thighs by shifting your weight to the front foot
• Hold the pose for 10 seconds and release
• Do it with your left leg forward and right leg lunging on the floor
• Do 2 sets of 7 reps

The Camel Yoga Pose

• Come down on your knees on a yoga mat with your knees hip-width apart
• Your shin bones should be pressed against the mat
• Place your hands on the back and slowly lean back
• Move your hands to your heels while you bend your upper body
• Your hands should be firm on your heels, thighs perpendicular to the floor, and hips above your knees
• Hold the pose for 5 seconds and then relax
• Do 2 sets of 5 reps

Note: Beginners keep their hands on their hips while stretching. But they should try reaching their hands to their heels with practice.

Pigeon Stretch

• Come down in a Cat Pose where your knees are directly below your hips and hands below your shoulders
• Stretch your left leg and slide your right knee forward between your hands
• First, inhale and expand your chest and then exhale and slowly lower your chest until your head touches the floor
• Keep breathing and hold the pose for as long as you can
• Release when you are done and switch your legs to repeat the pose
• Do … Find more

7 Stretch Exercises To Relieve Your Spine Of Pain And Tension

Pain in the lower back is taken lightly because it is largely related to lifestyle. For example, if you sit on a chair for long hours or you could get pain in your lower back. Also, if you are obese, you could feel pain in your back.

So, you can see there are many reasons for pain in the lower back, but you shouldn’t let the pain persist. Also, there is little need to take painkiller medicines to reduce the tension. If you can stretch your spine and thigh muscles a little, you can feel relaxed.

Here’re 7 stretch exercises that can give you quick relief from pain in the lower back and pressure on the buttocks and thighs. And you can do these stretches any time of the day. But it is better to perform the exercises empty stomach.

Child’s Pose

It will have a relaxing effect on your body as it can reduce tension all along your spine and loosen up stretched muscles of the lower back. It enhances flexibility and boosts blood flow along the spine. It involves gently stretching spinal extensors, gluteus maximus, and thigh muscles.

How To:

• Come down on your knees and palms
• Open your knees as much as you can relax your spine
• Bring your belly down to rest between your thighs
• Let your neck relax on the floor
• Your hands could be stretched forward or sideways
• Maintain the pose for a minute and repeat it a couple of times

For support, you can keep a pillow under your belly and one under your jaw.

Knee-to-Chest Stretch

It stretches and stabilizes the spine and pelvis to reduce tension and pain, especially in the lower back region. Also, it controls high blood pressure and reduces anxiety and anger.

How To:

• First, lie on your back in the corpse pose (savasana)
• Fold your left knee and bring it close to your chest
• Lock the knee with your hands on your chest for a moment
• Maintain the pose for 30 seconds before leaving
• Avoid raising your hips to stretch the left leg by lengthening your spine and tailbone
• Repeat it with the right leg

For help, you can place a towel under your legs. Also, you can lift your head and tuck your chin into the chest to deepen the stretch.

Piriformis Stretch

Piriformis muscles lie deep in the buttocks but it can cause tremendous pressure on your spine and thigh muscles. Your buttocks and lower back would become tight due to the pressure. But you can relieve the pressure by stretching the muscle.

How To:

• Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor
• Lift your left foot and place it on the right thigh
• Hold the right thigh with both hands and pull it towards your chest until you experience the stretch
• Hold this position up to a minute … Find more