Difference between revisions of "Touch Your Toes"

[[Category: Warm Ups Stretching and Flexibility]]

#Stretch your lower back. Many people don’t consider the muscle groups in their lower back when considering flexibility, but you can stretch these muscles to help avoid strains for any number of exercises. The cat-camel stretch is a great way to stretch lower back muscles. Simply get down on all fours and alternate between rounding your back toward the ceiling and pushing your stomach toward the floor while lifting your buttocks.<ref name="rf1">http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/cat-camel</ref> Hold each position for 15-30 seconds at a degree where you feel a nice stretch but no discomfort.<ref name="rf1" /> The alternating concave and convex postures will help stretch out several of your lower back muscles.

#Stretch your hips. A great hip flexor exercise consists of getting down on one knee as though you were proposing in a traditional fashion, and then leaning forward to put weight on the front leg to stretch glutes in the lowered leg.<ref name="rf2">http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/multimedia/stretching/sls-20076840?s=5</ref> You want to hold the position for roughly 30 seconds before switching legs and completing the exercise again.<ref name="rf2" />

#Stretch your hamstrings. Though stretching several muscle groups helps, you are most likely to feel the stretch of touching your toes in your hamstrings. You can easily stretch your hamstrings by laying on the floor next to a wall corner or doorframe and placing the heel of one foot up on the wall before slowly straightening the knee until your feel a good stretch without discomfort.<ref name="rf3">http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/multimedia/stretching/sls-20076840?s=3</ref> Hold this stretch for 30 seconds before switching to the other leg and repeating.<ref name="rf3" />

#Stretch your calves. Next to your hamstrings, your calves are the second largest muscle group you’ll feel while touching your toes. You can stretch your calves in a similar fashion to the hip flexor stretch, but this time remain stranding and keep the heel of your back foot firmly planted while leaning forward on the opposite foot.<ref name="rf4">http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/multimedia/stretching/sls-20076840?s=2</ref> You also want to hold this stretch for 30 seconds before switching legs.

#* Make sure you don’t rotate your feet at all, and it may also help to brace against a wall in front of you with your hands.<ref name="rf4" />

#Stretch your plantar fascia. The above calf stretch is also good for one’s plantar fascia, but in addition to this, you can also stretch these muscles by placing a hard ball such as a lacrosse ball or baseball on the floor under the arch of your foot and rolling it side to side and back and forth with your foot for up to two minutes.<ref name="rf5">http://www.physioprescription.com/2014/02/05/cant-touch-toes-how-to-become-more-flexible-fast/</ref> You want to place some weight down onto the foot in order to feel the muscles stretch but not enough to cause any discomfort.

#Squat down toward ground. Now that you’ve touched your toes while sitting, try doing it from a standing position, which many people find more difficult. Begin by squatting down. This position will look like a frog-like squat with your knees bent and your back arched.<ref name="rf6">http://www.health.com/health/video/0,,20796790,00.html</ref>

#Raise your buttocks and straighten your knees. Stand up slowly, but keep your fingers on/under your feet.<ref name="rf6" /> As you lift, you will especially feel the stretch in your glutes and hamstrings. Try to reach the point where both your legs and back are straight.