Upper Body Stretches
Why do I need to Stretch?
Sitting in front of a desk 5 – 6 days a week, running after the kids and daily home chores, light and heavy physical labour – all in their own way can wreak havoc on your body.
This is even more especially so because the majority of us do not have and are not particularly careful or knowledgeable about our posture.
Taking time to do some basic stretches to suit your particular needs will not only help increase your flexibility, they will also reduce tension and stress whilst allowing you to do your tasks more efficiently, with more safety against injury and discomfort, whether it be with short term moderate or long term serious effects.
The stretch should be done until you feel a slight pulling of the muscle, but not pain. As you hold the stretch the muscle will begin to relax. Then as you feel the tension easing, you can increase the stretch again until you feel the same slight pulling. Hold this position until you feel no further increase.
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Instructions
1 – Shoulders, Arms and Upper Back
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Shoulders, Arms & Upper Back.
Interlace the fingers and slowly raise the arms above your head. Once you have reached the maximum then stretch the hands upwards as high as possible. Maintain a tall posture at all times and relax the whole body except for the muscles being stretched. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds. Don’t arch the lower back. Try to keep the abdominal muscles tucked in. It is also possible to do the stretch whilst walking slowly, which often helps to relax the body & take strain off the lower back.
# 2 – Chest, Shoulders and Arms
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Chest, Shoulders & Arms
Interlace your fingers behind you back.Slowly turn your elbows inwards whilst lifting your arms.Don’t lean forward or you will lose the stretch.Keep the back relaxed and straight.Hold the stretch for 20 seconds.Try to keep the abdominal muscles tucked in. It is also possible to do the stretch whilst walking slowly, which often helps to relax the body & take strain off the lower back.
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3 – Shoulders & Triceps
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Shoulder & Triceps.
Lift the left elbow and drop the left hand behind your back. Take hold of the left elbow with the right hand and slowly pull the elbow in a backwards and upwards direction.Hold the stretch or 20 seconds and repeat on the other side.Try to keep the abdominal muscles tucked in. It is also possible to do the stretch whilst walking slowly, which often helps to relax the body & take strain off the lower back.
4 – Chest, Upper back & Shoulders Stretch
Posture: Stand upright with the knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Chest, Shoulders & Upper Back.
Extend the arms out to the sides at shoulder height.Bend the elbows slightly so that the elbows are not locked.Pull the shoulder blades back and whilst holding this position, slowly move the hands and wrists backwards & forwards for 20 seconds
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5 – Shoulders & Triceps
Posture: Stand upright with the knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups:Shoulder & Triceps.
Hold under your right elbow with the left hand whilst your arm is swung across your upper chest with the hand hanging loose over the left shoulder.
Now push back slowly on the elbow with the left hand until you feel a comfortable stretch.
Hold for 20 seconds and slowly release. Repeat the stretch with the left arm across the chest and the right hand pushing the left elbow backwards.
6a – Shoulders & Upper Back Stretch
Posture: Stand upright with the knees slightly bent, or sit.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups:Shoulders & Upper Back.
Twine your hands and arms as show. Right hand holding the left elbow & left hand the right elbow. Then see the next stage of the stretch below in # 6 b.
6b – Shoulders & Upper Back Stretch.
Posture: Stand upright with the knees slightly bent, or sit.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups:Shoulders & Upper Back.
Continued from # 6 a above.
Inhale before starting to raise the elbows to above the head, then exhale on the upward movement. Hold for 5 seconds and lower to the start position. Repeat for 4 repetitions.Then change the hands & elbows and repeat the 5 seconds hold and lower as before.
5 – All the CORE muscles.
Posture: Lie on a FitBall positioned in the lower back.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: All the CORE muscles
Lying on you back, feet shoulder or more width apart, arms spread to the sides or at the start, resting on the floor for balance.
Now extend lift leg, hold for 5 seconds and lower. Repeat for 5 repetitions.
Repeat with the other leg.
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7 – Neck & Facial Muscles
Posture: Stand upright with the knees slightly bent, or sit.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups:Neck and face.
Relax the upper body and without forcing, slowly move the left ear to the left shoulder whilst keeping the head looking straight ahead. Hold for 15 seconds.Repeat on the right side.
8 – Neck & Facial Muscles
Posture:Stand or Sit upright.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups:Neck and face.
Relax the upper body and without forcing, slowly tuck the chin in to the top of the chest. Don’t collapse the shoulders back. Hold for 15 seconds.
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9 – Neck & Facial Muscles
Posture:Stand or Sit upright.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups:Neck and face.
Relax the upper body and without forcing, slowly tuck the back of the neck in to the top of the spine. Don’t move the shoulders back. Hold for 15 seconds.
10 – Neck & Facial Muscles.
Posture:Stand or Sit upright.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups:Neck and face.
Relax the upper body and without forcing, slowly turn the head to the right whilst trying to keep the chin level. Don’t move the shoulders back. Hold for 15 seconds.
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11 – Forearms & Wrists Stretch.
Posture:Start on all fours, back straight.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups:Forearms and wrists.
Turn the hands around so that the fingers are facing the knees. Thumbs pointing outwards.
Move slowly backwards keeping the hands flat on the floor as you feel the stretch in the front of the forearms.Hold for 20 seconds.
10 (2) – Experienced Press Up Position Start
Posture:The body should be as level with the floor as possible. Hands directly below the shoulders line. Head level. Knees not locked. Shins on the FitBall.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Chest, Shoulders, Back and Upper Arms.
This is the suggested intermediary position, with just below the knees on the FitBall. The reason is to make the exercise easier or more difficult.
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12 – Shoulder & Back Stretch.
Posture:Start on all fours, back straight.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups:Mainly the shoulders, but also the arms, latisimus dorsi (lats) and upper back. Great as a tension reducer.
Reach as far forward as possible with your arms. At the same time, sit back on to your heels. Press the palms in to the floor and pull the arms backwards without the hands actually moving.
8b - Press Up on Knuckles Narrow Finish
Posture:The body should be as level with the floor as possible. Hands directly below the shoulders line. Head level. Knees not locked. Shins on the FitBall.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Chest, Shoulders, Back and Upper Arms.
This photo shows the hands at shoulder width apart and on the knuckles rather than the open hands.For advanced exercisers only.This hand position will place more emphasis on the triceps. The exercise must be done slowly using the arms only to propel the movement. Don’t hurry the repetitions or use body movement. Keep the line of the body constant throughout the repetition. Breathe in through the nose as you start the exercise and exhale on the upward move back to the start position. The less experienced should start with a half movement rather than a full movement as shown. Start with 5 repetitions increasing to your maximum.
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9a - Leg Curl Standing Start
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Hamstrings.
Stand upright and balance by holding lightly on to a chair or similar. Assuming you are going to start with the right leg as shown, make sure that the left knee is bent throughout the exercise. Slowly raise and bend the leg towards the buttocks keeping the foot flexed – toe pulled up. The whole body should be relaxed and all the concentration and resistance should be concentrated on the hamstring muscle.
9b - Leg Curl Standing Finish
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Hamstrings.
Making sure that the left knee is bent throughout the exercise, slowly raise and bend the leg towards the buttocks keeping the foot flexed – toe pulled up. The whole body should be relaxed and all the concentration and resistance should be concentrated on the hamstring muscle. Hold at the top of the movement and release down tom the starting position whilst breathing in through the nose. Exhale on the way up. Repeat for a least 10 - 15 repetitions and increasing over time.
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10a - Squat Regular Stance FitBall Start
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Quadriceps (Thighs), Gluteus & Hamstrings.
Place a FitBall against a solid flat surface and fitted snugly in to your lower back. Feet are shoulder width apart and placed slightly in front of the waist line. The body is relaxed and posture upright.
10b - Squat Regular Stance FitBall Half or Full.
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Quadriceps (Thighs), Gluteus & Hamstrings.
Place a FitBall against a solid flat surface and fitted snugly in to your lower back. Feet are shoulder width apart and placed slightly in front of the waist line. The body is relaxed and posture upright. Breathe in through the nose whilst slowly bending at the knees and squatting straight down to either a half squat (as shown) or lower to a full squat (thighs parallel to the ground). Ensure that the knees never pass over the line of the toes. If this happens, you are either not standing forward enough at the start or you are bending forward whilst squatting down. Do at least 5 – 8 repetitions for a start, increasing to over 100 per set.
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11a - Squat Wide Stance FitBall Start.
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Quadriceps (Thighs), Gluteus & Hamstrings.
Place a FitBall against a solid flat surface and fitted snugly in to your lower back. Feet are double shoulder width apart with toes facing out at an angle of 45 degrees and placed slightly in front of the waist line. The body is relaxed and posture upright. This position will place more emphasis on the inner thighs.
11b - Squat Wide Open Stance FitBall Half or Full
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Quadriceps (Thighs), Gluteus & Hamstrings.
Place a FitBall against a solid flat surface and fitted snugly in to your lower back. Feet are double shoulder width apart and placed slightly in front of the waist line. The body is relaxed and posture upright. Breathe in through the nose whilst slowly bending at the knees and squatting straight down to either a half squat (as shown) or lower to a full squat (thighs parallel to the ground). Ensure that the knees never pass over the line of the toes. If this happens, you are either not standing forward enough at the start or you are bending forward whilst squatting down. Do at least 5 – 8 repetitions for a start, increasing to over 100 per set.
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12a -Standing Lateral Shoulder Raise Start
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent, one leg in front and lean slightly on this front leg.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Shoulders (Lateral Deltoids.
Start by lightly clenching the fists, bend the elbows and bring the forearms parallel to the ground. Breathe in before you start the movement
12b - Standing Lateral Shoulder Raise Finish.
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent, one leg in front and lean slightly on this front leg.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Shoulders (Lateral Deltoids).
Concentrate on raising the elbows to the side of the body as high as possible. All the concentration and resistance must be placed on the shoulder area. Exhale as you raise your elbows to at least shoulder height and more. Don’t allow the elbows to float in front of the shoulders. Do at least 8 repetitions as a start increasing gradually to 12
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13a - Standing Shoulder Shrugs Start.
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Shoulders (Lateral Deltoids).
Stand or sit with a good tall relaxed posture. The exercise movement is to raise the shoulders as high as possible towards the ears. Breathe in before starting the upward movement
13b - Standing Shoulder Shrugs Finish.
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Shoulders (Lateral Deltoids).
Breathe in before starting the upward movement. As you raise the shoulders to their maximum height, exhale slowly. Hold the shoulders and squeeze before slowly lowering the arms to the starting position whilst inhaling again ready for the next repetition. Keep the shoulders from moving forward during the upward movement. Rather concentrate on keeping them in a line towards your ears. Do at least 8 repetitions as a start increasing gradually to 12.
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14a - Seated Leg Extensions Start
Posture: Sit upright with feet slightly raised from the ground.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: The muscles above the knees in the thighs.
The feet can be together or slightly apart. Flex the toes towards the body. Breathe in before starting the extension of the legs upward as far as is comfortable without bouncing or throwing them up.
14b - Seated Leg Extensions Finish
Posture: Sit upright with feet slightly raised from the ground.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: The muscles above the knees in the thighs.
Breathe in before starting the extension of the legs upward as far as is comfortable without bouncing or throwing them up. Exhale on the way up and squeeze the thigh muscles as you get to the maximum height. Then slowly lower the legs to the starting position whilst breathing in to be ready for the next repetition. Do at least 8 repetitions as a start increasing gradually to 20.
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15 - Pelvic Raise
Posture: Lie flat on your back with knees bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Gluteus (Buttocks) and Lower Back.
Place your hands lightly on your abdomen. Breathe in before starting the movement which is to raise the hips as high as possible. During the upward movement, squeeze the buttocks and lower back muscles, exhale and the hold for a second or two at the top position. Then slowly lower the hips under control whilst breathing in to be ready for the next repetition. Do at least 5 repetitions to start slowly increasing to 12.
16a - Pelvic Raises from Seated Start
Posture: Sit with knees bent at 90 degrees.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Gluteus (Buttocks), Lower Back & Hamstrings.
Place your hands behind your body with the fingers facing backwards. Bend the knees to a 90 degree angle and lean slightly backwards. Breathe in before starting the movement which is to raise the hips as high as possible.
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16b - Pelvic Raises from Seated Finish
Posture: Lie flat on your back with knees bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Gluteus (Buttocks) and Lower Back.
Place your hands lightly on your abdomen. Breathe in before starting the movement which is to raise the hips as high as possible. During the upward movement, squeeze the buttocks and lower back muscles, exhale and the hold for a second or two at the top position. Then slowly lower the hips under control whilst breathing in to be ready for the next repetition. Do at least 5 repetitions to start slowly increasing to 12.
17a - Bicep Curl and Triceps Extension Start
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent and one leg ahead of the other.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Biceps and Triceps – Muscles of the upper arms.
Start the exercise with the hands at your sides, fists lightly clenched and fists turned in towards the arm. The movement involves bending the elbow and raising the fists as high as possible without moving the elbows forward from their position at the side of the body. Breathe in before starting the curl upwards towards the shoulders. Squeeze the bicep muscles at the top of the movement.
17b - Bicep Curl and Triceps Extension Finish.
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent and one leg ahead of the other.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Biceps and Triceps – Muscles of the upper arms.
Once you have reached the top of the bicep curl, exhale whilst moving the fists backwards as far as possible for the triceps part of the exercise. On the way back, turn the fists from facing inwards to face each other, a hammer position. Once again squeeze the triceps muscles at the top of the movement and hold for a second or two. Then breathe in again as you start the movement back to repeat the biceps curl and turn the fist back in to face the chest. Do at least 8 repetitions as a start increasing to 20 and more.
18a - Bicep Hammer Curl and Triceps Extension Start
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent and one leg ahead of the other.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Biceps and Triceps – Muscles of the upper arms.
Start the exercise with the hands at your sides, fists lightly clenched and fists turned in to face each other. This is the only difference between exercise # 17 a and this one. The movement involves bending the elbow and raising the fists as high as possible without moving the elbows forward from their position at the side of the body. Breathe in before starting the curl upwards towards the shoulders. Squeeze the bicep muscles at the top of the movement.
18b - Bicep Hammer Curl and Triceps Extension Finish.
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent and one leg ahead of the other.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Biceps and Triceps – Muscles of the upper arms.
Once you have reached the top of the bicep curl, exhale whilst moving the fists backwards as far as possible for the triceps part of the exercise. Keep the fists facing inwards to face each other, a hammer position. Once again squeeze the triceps muscles at the top of the movement and hold for a second or two. Then breathe in again as you start the movement back to repeat the biceps curl keeping the fists facing inwards throughout the movement. Do at least 8 repetitions as a start increasing to 20 and more.
19 - Lower Back Leg & Opposite Arm Extension.
Posture: Start on all fours with back straight.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Gluteus and Lower Back.
Breathe in and slowly extend say the right leg backwards whilst at the same time extending the left arm forwards. Hold the stretch for a second or two and exhale on the way to the full extension. Inhale whilst bringing the leg and arm back to the start position and repeat for say 5 repetitions at the start. Repeat with the left leg and right arm.
20 - Lying FitBall Gluteus Kicks.
Posture: Lie flat on a FitBall with back straight.
Breathing: In through nose and exhale from mouth during the exercise. Don’t hold your breath.
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: : Gluteus and Lower Back.
The FitBall should be at hip level for beginners. The further the body moves backwards, the more difficult the exercise. Straighten the legs as much as possible and flex the toes inwards. Raise and lower each leg alternatively like a crawl without bending at the knees. Count on one side for 8 repetitions at the start slowly increasing to 20 and more.
21a - Triceps Dip Start .
Posture: Place the hands behind your body on a bench or a chair with knees bent at +- 90 degrees.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Triceps and Shoulders.
Inhale before starting to bend the elbows whilst dropping the hips towards the ground.
21b - Triceps Dip Extension .
Posture: Place the hands behind your body on a bench or a chair with knees bent at +- 90 degrees.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Triceps and Shoulders.
starting to bend the elbows whilst dropping the hips towards the ground.
22a - Calf Raises Start .
Posture: Stand upright with a slight forward lean of the upper body and the knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Calves.
Hold on to a chair or similar for balance. If you have a Step that’s great. If not a piece of wood say 2 – 3 inches high and 4 – 6 inches wide for stability will also do. Keep the knees bent throughout the movement. The balls of the feet must be on the Step. Inhale before rising on to your toes.
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22b - Calf Raises Finish .
Posture: Stand upright with a slight forward lean of the upper body and the knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Calves.
Keep the knees bent throughout the movement. The balls of the feet must be on the Step. Then inhale before starting the rise on to the toes as high as is comfortable whilst exhaling. Squeeze at the top of the exercise and slowly lower to the start position whilst inhaling. Start with at least 12 repetitions increasing to 40 and more.
23 - Calf Extensions
Posture: Stand upright with a slight forward lean of the upper body and the knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Calves (Gastronemius) muscle stretching behind the knees.
Move the legs alternatively forward to the position as shown, whilst stretching the calf muscle of the back leg with the leg as straight as possible. Repeat alternatively with the other leg for at least 8 repetitions each leg.
22b - Calf Raises Finish .
Posture: Stand upright with a slight forward lean of the upper body and the knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Calves.
Keep the knees bent throughout the movement. The balls of the feet must be on the Step. Then inhale before starting the rise on to the toes as high as is comfortable whilst exhaling. Squeeze at the top of the exercise and slowly lower to the start position whilst inhaling. Start with at least 12 repetitions increasing to 40 and more.
24a - Wrist Forearm Curl Start
Posture: Sit with the elbows resting on your knees. Body is leaning forward with the back straight.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Forearms and Wrists.
Extend and bend the wrists as shown. The exercise involves squeezing the wrists up and in to the forearms.
22b - Calf Raises Finish .
Posture: Stand upright with a slight forward lean of the upper body and the knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Calves.
Keep the knees bent throughout the movement. The balls of the feet must be on the Step. Then inhale before starting the rise on to the toes as high as is comfortable whilst exhaling. Squeeze at the top of the exercise and slowly lower to the start position whilst inhaling. Start with at least 12 repetitions increasing to 40 and more.
24b - Wrist Forearm Curl Extension Finish
Posture: Sit with the elbows resting on your knees. Body is leaning forward with the back straight.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Forearms and Wrists.
Extend and bend the wrists as shown. Inhale before starting to squeeze the wrists in towards the forearms whilst exhaling. Release the wrist under tension to the start position whilst inhaling ready for the start of the next repetition. Do at least 8- 12 repetitions.
25a – Raised Leg Squat - Start
Posture: Stand upright with one foot raised on to a Step or similar stable platform. Knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Quadriceps (Thighs), Gluteus & Hamstrings.
The feet are more than shoulder width apart and placed slightly in front of the waist line. The body is relaxed and posture upright.
25b – Raised Leg Squat - Finish
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Quadriceps (Thighs), Gluteus & Hamstrings.
Breathe in through the nose whilst slowly bending at the knees and squatting straight down to either a half squat (as shown) or lower to a full squat (thighs parallel to the ground). Ensure that the knees never pass over the line of the toes. If this happens, you are either not standing forward enough at the start or you are bending forward whilst squatting down. Do at least 5 – 8 repetitions for a start, increasing as you get stronger to 15 – 20.
start, increasing as you get stronger to 15 – 20.Remember to inhale on the way down to your level and exhale on the way up to the start position.
26 – Inner Thighs & Hamstrings Stretch
Posture: Stand upright with feet shoulder width apart.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Inner Thighs & Hamstrings.
This is an advanced stretch / exercise.From the upright position with knees slightly bent, move slowly to the right side. Keep the left leg static and insure that the right knee does not over-ride the right toe. Hold for a few seconds & move across to the left side.It is important to keep the abdominals firm for better balance and control of the movement. Don’t bend the upper body forward.
27a – Shoulder Forward Raises - Start
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent and one leg ahead of the other.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Shoulders & Neck.
Fold the arms by placing the left hand under the right elbow and visa versa. Inhale before raising the arms above your head.
Once again squeeze the triceps muscles at the top of the movement and hold for a second or two. Then breathe in again as you start the movement back to repeat the biceps curl and turn the fist back in to face the chest. Do at least 8 repetitions as a start increasing to 20 and more.
27b – Shoulder Forward Raises - Finish
Posture: Stand upright with knees slightly bent and one leg ahead of the other.
Breathing: In through nose. Exhale from mouth
Relax: Concentrate on muscles being stretched.
Muscle Groups: Shoulders & Neck.
Inhale before raising the arms above your head. Take them as high as possible while exhaling. Slowly return to the start position by inhaling ready for the next repetition.Do at least 8 repetitions as a start increasing to 12.