30 Stretching Exercises for Beginners

Stretching helps improve flexibility and restore mobility, get rid of back and muscle pain. As a bonus, your mood will improve and stiffness in your body will go away, so start right now.

Stretching is necessary not only for athletes to adapt their muscles to high loads after training, but also for any fitness or dancing activities. Stretching is especially useful for those who do not exercise regularly, since a sedentary lifestyle causes the body to lose mobility over time.

Regular stretching will help:

Develop flexibility at any age.
Restore elasticity to muscles and ligaments, improve joint mobility.
Straighten posture and forget about back pain, to prevent osteochondrosis.
Eliminate muscle weakness and fatigue.
Reduce the risk of injury during sports and in everyday life.
To prevent muscle shortening.

Contraindications:

Although almost any person without special training can cope with such a set of exercises, since there is no high load on cardiovascular system, but stretching still has its limitations.

It is not recommended to perform general exercises after a spinal injury, during the recovery period after surgery, with cancer, with heart and vascular diseases, with elevated body temperature and joint diseases. If you have limitations or illnesses, it is recommended to consult a doctor before starting exercises.

Basic rules for stretching

Classes should begin with minimal load and gradually increase complexity. You should not feel uncomfortable or painful when stretching, otherwise you risk injury or pulled muscles. You should not expect quick results; it is better to be patient and move forward systematically.

You need to exercise regularly. It's better to do a few exercises and spend as much time on them as you can, than to skip a week of classes and start over. Ideally, you should exercise daily for 30 minutes.

Before you start stretching, you need to warm up your muscles. Do a short warm-up for five minutes: swing your arms, twist your elbows, actively walk or jump in one place. It is better to start with exercises for neck flexibility and gradually move down to the shoulders, back and lower back.

The duration of the exercises increases gradually:

15 each seconds in one position for the right side and the same for the left. The duration of the set of exercises is about eight minutes.
20 seconds in one pose for the right side and for the left. The duration of the entire set of exercises is up to ten minutes.
30 seconds in one position for the right side and the same for the left. Lesson duration is about 15 minutes.

1 Head tilts back and side

It is especially useful to perform them during a sedentary lifestyle to prevent cervical osteochondrosis.

Tilt your head back and stretch the back of your head to your back.
Smoothly, effortlessly move your head to your left shoulder.
Place the palm of your left hand on your head, but do not press too hard.
Return to the original position and repeat for the right side.

2 Head tilts forward and sideways

They will help relieve pain in the cervical spine, stretch the neck muscles and improve mobility.

Lower your head forward and stretch your chin to your chest.
Slowly move your head to your left shoulder.
Slowly move your head to your left shoulder.
Slowly move your head to your left shoulder.
Slowly move your head to your left shoulder.

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Use the palm of your left hand to slightly increase the pressure on your head.
Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side. Don't miss
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3 Circular rotations with the head

Involve the sternoclavicular muscles, give an even load on all the muscles of the neck, do neck more flexible.

Lower your head down, reaching your chin to your chest.
From this position, smoothly move your head to your right shoulder.
Continue the circular movement back to your back and to your left shoulder.
Return to the starting position forward.
Make five circles clockwise.
Repeat five times counterclockwise.

4 Warming up the shoulders

Before Before moving on to shoulder stretching exercises, you need to warm up the muscles a little and prepare them. This will help avoid sprains or injuries.

You can extend your arms along your body or place them on your waist.
Perform circular rotations with your shoulders forward.
Do ten repetitions .
Perform circular movements with your shoulders back.
Repeat ten times.

5 Arm stretch in the lock

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Helps correct posture and correct the line of the spine, relaxes the body after tension. All muscles work along the spine, arms, abdomen and legs.

Interlace your fingers with your palms facing away from you.
Smoothly raise your arms up above your head.
Stretch your body behind your arms.
Your back should remain straight, you can bend slightly backwards.
Your legs should remain straight, your heels should not rise off the floor.

6 Triceps stretch

Improves the flexibility and mobility of arm joints, relieves fatigue and tension in the shoulders. It will help stretch the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back. Recommended for all beginners.

Raise your left hand and place your palm between your shoulder blades.
Place your right hand on your left elbow.
Smoothly pull your right hand towards you left elbow.
Lower your arms down to release tension.
Repeat for the other hand.

7 Stretching the front of the shoulders

Helps stretch the biceps, deltoids, chest and back muscles. Returns mobility to the joints of the hands.

Place your hands behind your back, with one hand clasping your wrist with the other.
Pull your shoulders back and your chest forward.
You should feel the front of your shoulder stretch.

8 Biceps stretch

Restores flexibility of the shoulder and shoulder blades.

With your right hand, grab the elbow of your left hand.
Press your shoulder to your body and gently pull down.
Repeat for the other hand.

9 Stretching the back of the shoulders

Warms up the shoulder girdle, makes the joints more mobile. Stretches the deltoid bundles and triceps.

With your right hand, grasp the left forearm below the elbow.
Press your left arm to your body and straighten it.
Raise your arms higher and feel the tension in your shoulders.
Repeat for the other arm.

10 Forward arm stretch

Helps relieve muscle fatigue, is good for posture and flexibility of the body core. Stretches the muscles of the back and neck, shoulder body.

Place your fingers together, with your palms facing away from you.
Tilt your head forward a little and round your upper back.
Stretch your arms forward, keeping your back in place.
Try Stretch forward further, increasing the stretch of your back.

11 Raising your arms

This exercise is useful for removing tightness in the chest and straightening your posture.

Spread your arms out to the sides at chest level.
Elbows should be straight, palms facing forward.
Reach your arms back to open your chest and straighten your shoulders. Don't miss
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12 Bending with a straight arm

It will help to gently stretch the spine and joints along the body. Trains all the muscles of the abdomen, thighs, buttocks and back.

Bend to the right so that your body is on one straight line without tilting forward or backward.
Put your right arm along your body on your hip.
Stretch your left arm up above your head and stretch in the same direction.
Repeat for the other side.

13 Bends to the leg

Promotes improved elasticity of the lower body muscles. Stretches the thigh muscles, buttocks and hamstrings.

Put your left leg forward, straighten it and lean only on your heel.
Bend your right leg slightly at the knee. Your thighs should be in line.
Lean forward towards your leg with a straight back.
Rest your hands on the thigh of your left leg.
Gradually try to lean lower forward.< /li>
Repeat for the second leg.

14 Lunge

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Helps stretch the quadriceps, gluteal muscles, hamstrings, and maintains muscle tone.

Put your right leg forward and bend at the knee at a right angle.
The left leg goes back, resting on the toe.
Place your hands on the knee of the front leg for balance.
The back should be straight, no bending.
Repeat on the other side.

15 Side lunge

A useful exercise that will help stretch the inner thigh and gluteal muscles.

Bend your right leg at the knee straight angle and lean on it.
Put your left leg to the side. The feet should be on the same line, the left leg straight.
The body is straight, slightly tilted forward.
You can rest your hands on your hips to maintain balance.
Feel the stretch on the inner thigh.
Repeat for the other leg .

16 Forward bends against the wall

Develops joint flexibility and helps align the spine. Suitable for beginners as it does not require special training. All muscles of the body and the back of the leg are involved.

Place your feet at shoulder level.
Lean forward with your back straight against the wall and lean on your palms.
You should be able to stand comfortably so as not to stretch too far.
The back remains straight.
Gradually try to increase the forward lean.

17 Forward bends

Helps stretch the entire back of the body. Works the hamstrings, calves, hamstrings, and back muscles. Useful for both beginners and advanced.

Place your feet at shoulder level.
Place your hands with your forearms.
Bend forward so that you it was comfortable, without undue pressure on the back and legs.
The back can be slightly rounded.
The knees remain straight.

18 Quadriceps stretching

Improves the elasticity of ligaments and muscle flexibility, strengthens joints. Helps stretch the hips.

Stand up straight, back straight.
Bend your right leg back.
With your right hand, grab the ankle of your right leg and pull it towards you behind.
Strive to reach your buttocks with your heel.
You can place your left hand on your belt for balance.
Repeat on the other side.

19 Downward dog pose

Helps straighten the spine, straighten the thoracic region, relieves tension in the neck and back. The back of the body and arms are stretched.

On the mat, stand in a plank position with your arms straight and your back straight.
Smoothly lift your pelvis up, forming a triangle.
The back remains in a straight line with the head, the knees do not bend too much.
Rest on your palms and toes.
When the stretching improves, you can try the exercise with your heels on the floor and your knees fully straightened .

20 Upward dog pose

Useful for straightening the spine, stretches the back muscles and eliminates slouching.

Lie on the mat with your stomach down.
- Lie on the mat with your stomach down.
  - Lie on the mat with your stomach down.
    - Lie on the mat with your stomach down.
    - Put your hands at shoulder level.
    - Rise up so that your legs remain pressed to the floor.
    - Lower your shoulders down and bend your chest.