Thursday, August 16, 2012

More leg stretches...and wrists!

Lunge sequence
Lunges are a popular way of stretching out your legs, and is also good for if you want to get your splits down. There are also several other stretches that I usually do along with the lunges that makes up a sequence or a routine.
Basic Lunge
Your toes can be under (as shown in the picture) or over. If you choose to have them over, remember to keep your leg straight. 
 Quad Stretch
Reach your arm back and grab your (bent) leg. If the right leg is in front, reach back with your right arm and vice versa. Doing this stretches your quad muscles, hence the name.
Dropped Lunge
This stretches the inner thighs. Do the "basic lunge" then turn to to the left if you were doing a right lunge/right if you were doing a left lunge to reach this position. Use your elbow to push the bent knee backwards for a better stretch.

Foot Curl
This is not the healthiest way of stretching out your foot, but is often used by dancers, gymnasts, or other people who participate in sports that require a good toe-point. So if you're just looking for a normal foot stretch, simple ankle rolls are sufficient. 
Anyhow, if you're trying to improve your toe-point, this stretch will help loosen up your toe joints, ankles, and arches. However, be extra careful of putting too much pressure on your toes because they're fragile and most likely won't be able support your entire body weight while being curled under; follow the picture and use your arms to bear the weight. 

 

Wrists
This stretches out your wrists and your forearms. In the first picture shown (palm down), the back side of the forearm is stretched. In the next picture, flip your hands over (palm up) and the front of the forearm will be stretched.

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