Lets talk stretching. So many poses. So many stretches. Ya’ll have probably heard the importance of stretching in injury prevention, and in elongation of tight muscles. So, I won’t bore you with information you already know, but I do have to say this: PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAKE TIME TO STRETCH! 

I use my legs quite a lot, as the workouts I do are either a)cardio, or b) high intensity plyometric movements (AKA lots of jumping). Consequently, most of my stretches are centered around….tada…my legs!

In my workouts, I usually stretch twice. The first time around, I stretch after doing some light cardio (5 min walk/jog to warm up). I also stretch after finishing my workout. When I’m stretching, I hold each pose for about 30-45 seconds! You should feel a slight pull, and some healthy tension. This is good, as it may be indicative of you increasing your flexibility.

However, it should not HURT or ache in any manner. Please be careful. Don’t go pulling your pretty little muscles!

Without further delay, here are some of my favorite stretches!

This is your basic reach. I repeat this with each leg, and I finish with putting both legs together, and touching my toes!

This is the pigeon-pose. I cross one leg underneath my tummy, and stretch long with the other one. Repeat on the other side.

Hey guess what? You can also get an awesome quad stretch by altering the pigeon pose just a little bit! Yay!

This is a modified version of the basic reach again. Since you’re positioned vertically, this time around, it’s really working the backside of your legs!

Dancer’s pose ❤ Great for an overall leg stretch!

Modified lunge!

The butterfly pose! This is a great inner-thigh stretch! Just hold both feet together, and push your tummy closer to your thighs. Most people do this stretch ineffectively, as they want to get their foreheads to touch their toes. I did this too, until my yoga instructor told me otherwise! The best way to stretch the inner thigh or adductor muscles is to lean your hips/lower tummy towards your thighs. This way, your back remains straight, and unrounded.

This one is great for the hip flexors!!!!! I discovered it recently and I fell in love with it! Cross one leg over the other. Make sure that both of your sit-bones are touching the ground! Now reach as far as you can. You should feel the best kind of pinch in the back of your hip. Bahh. is it obvious that I’m kinda sorta obsessed with this one? And, on the plus side, I feel like a cat doing this pose.

Yay! Now go stretch!

Seriously.

Go. Your muscles will give you little kisses.

❤