A Challenge!

After you’ve been stretching regularly, you may be able to advance to more involved, complex stretches. Including these will help more parts of your body remain flexible and strong. This set of stretches is more advanced and should be tried only if you already feel comfortable with The Basics. Remember to warm up first and never stretch to the point of pain. Know your body's limits. Hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds, repeating each two or three times, depending on how you feel.


Biceps Wall Stretch:
Stand tall, feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Place your arm straight against a wall, with your palm facing it. With your body close to the wall, slowly turn away from the wall, keeping the arm in contact with it. Repeat on the other side.


Side-Lying Overhead Stretch:
Begin lying on your right side, legs extended, bottom arm bent, and top arm placed on the ground in front of your body for support. Slowly bend your right (bottom) knee, sliding your thigh forward and your foot behind you. Lengthen from your left (top) foot, through your leg, torso and arm, as you extend it overhead. Switch sides.


Back and Shoulder Stretch:
Begin sitting on your knees and facing a chair. The chair should be within arm's reach, at least 1-2 feet away from your knees. Reach for the chair with your arms, resting them on the chair seat. Lower your shoulders away from your ears. Bend from the waist to create a long, flat back, extending through your arms. Keeping your arms propped on the chair, lower your chest towards the ground below until you feel a stretch across your chest. Do not attempt this stretch if you feel any discomfort in your lower back.


Gluteal-Hip Stretch:
Begin on hands and knees. Supporting your weight with your hands, slowly bend your right leg, tucking your right knee into your left hip. Simultaneously, extend your left leg straight behind you, toes down. Your weight should be balanced between the outer portion of your bent right leg and the front of your left leg.


Inner Thigh Stretch (Butterfly Stretch):
Begin seated with legs extended in front of you. Sit up tall with abs in and shoulders down. Slowly bend knees out to the sides and slide feet in toward your body until the soles of your feet are touching. Maintaining good posture, lower knees down to the floor (without pushing on them) as far as you can comfortably. Also try pulling your heels in closer to your body. For a deeper stretch, try to lean forward with the torso as if folding over from the hips and bringing your head down towards the floor.


Seated Hamstring Stretch:
Sit on the floor in an inverted hurdler's position (right leg extended, left leg bent with sole of foot touching inner right thigh). Try to keep both legs as flat to the ground as possible. Keep torso upright, abs in, and shoulders down. Place hands on straight leg (or either side of it), and lean forward from the waist. Keep your chin up, as if reaching your chin toward the toes of your straightened leg.


Calf Stretch:
Stand about arm's length away from a wall, facing it. Extend arms forward, palms facing out, fingers pointing upward, until your palms are flat on the wall. Feet should be slightly apart, knees soft. Keeping both feet flat on the floor at all times, step back with the right foot, straightening the right leg as you bend the front (left) knee toward the wall. Your weight should be balanced between your feet and hands. Switch sides.