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Stretching Advice

Stretching Advice

Welcome to the Stretch Page!

Many of my clients need help and advice on how to stretch.  So what better way to help them and you by showing some stretches to help improve your flexibility and also prevent injuries!

As you will see there are quite a few stretches on the next few pages and to make things easier for you I haven’t quoted technical names, just basic terminology for you to understand.

On each picture you will see a YELLOW LINE and this is to indicate where you should feel the stretch.  However this is a guideline as everyone’s body is very different and from my experience some clients, from either over tightness or over flexibility find it hard to feel the stretch within that area.  So please be aware of this.

Some of the stretches are repeated either sitting, standing or lying down.  This is for a few reasons:

  • Some are easier or harder than others, so it is good to find something at your level.
  • Also for on the go, you don’t have to be lying down to stretch!

Before you start, here are some useful tips for stretching:

  • Make sure you are warmed up before you start, so never on a cold muscle.  This doesn’t mean that you need to go out for a jog!  Just by doing gentle movements to limber up the joints will help get them warmer.  The warmer the muscles the more stretch you will get, it won’t feel restricted.
  • How long to hold the stretch for really depends on you.  If you find the stretch difficult to do, then start off at a time suitable for you.  Generally aim for 30 secs, gradually build up to 60 secs and then even 90 secs.  It is better to start with a time you can achieve than thinking you can’t do the stretch which then may knock your confidence and therefore you won’t try again.  Remember everyone is different.
  • If the muscle starts shaking, you have over stretched beyond your range, so just take the stretch back a little bit until it feels more comfortable and stops shaking.
  • Use a timer.  If you think you are stretching for 60 secs without a timer and counting yourself….it is most probably not 60 secsbut more like 20!  A timer will help keep you stretching for the right amount of time and therefore better results!

Happy Stretching!

Sara

Stretches - 1

Don’t forget the yellow mark on each stretch is where you want to feel it.

Click on any of the photos for a larger view.

Back Of Neck Stretch

This stretch can be quite difficult, so I enclose 3 stages to help get you there.

 

Standing Chest Stretch

There are two pictures here which show the front and back of this stretch so you know exactly how to get the positioning.

In this picture below Claire is holding the water bottle in her hand to give more resistance to the stretch.  To make it easier just do the stretch without the bottle.

 

Forearm and Shoulder Blade Stretch

There are two pictures here which show the front and back of this stretch so you know exactly how to get the positioning.

 

Side of Neck Stretch

 

 

Standing, Shoulder, Back and Hamstring Stretch

In this stretch Claire has her knees bent, if you want to feel the stretch in the hamstrings at the same time, straighten the legs.

Stretches - 2

Don’t forget the yellow mark on each stretch is where you want to feel it.

Click on any of the photos for a larger view.

Stretches - 3

Don’t forget the yellow mark on each stretch is where you want to feel it.

Click on any of the photos for a larger view.

 

1st and 2nd stage of hamstring stretch

For this you can have the opposite leg bent, to help you stretch.  If you find the stretch easy, go to step 2 and start to lower the bent leg until it straightens.