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Stretch It: Knee-to-Chest Stretch

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:45:00 -0700

The knee-to-chest stretch is a great way to stretch out the muscles of your lower back. This is one of my favorite back exercises because it feels so good. Here is how you do it:

Lie on your back with your knees and hips bent and the backs of your heels flat on the floor.
Slowly pull one knee to your chest as far as you can - you should feel a stretch in your lower back.
Keep the opposite leg relaxed in a comfortable position, with your leg extended (shown) or you can bend your knee if that feels better).
Hold for 30 seconds and then repeat with the opposite leg.

Stretch It: Side Bends on Your Knee

FitSugar — Thu, 08 May 2008 11:00:00 -0700

I just discovered a great variation to the oh-so wonderful side-bend stretch. If you bend one knee and take turns leaning your torso to both the right and left sides, it helps to target that area even more so it'll feel so amazing that you won't want to stop. Check out the video to see how it's done.

Music: "Wishing" by John Herberman

If you want a little bit more description, then read more.

Fold up a towel and place it on the floor. Rest both knees on it and place the tops of your feet on the floor. Place your hands on your hips for stability.
Keep your right knee bent and extend your left leg straight out to the side (either pointing your toes forward or out to the side). Don't lock that knee. Keep it slightly bent. Now slide your left hand down your left leg and lean your torso all the way over to the left, reaching your right arm overhead. Try to draw your right shoulder back and open up through your chest to feel more of a stretch in your ribs and abs. Stay here for as long as you want (preferably 30 seconds) and then lift your torso back up and lean to the right, planting your right palm firmly on the ground. Reach your left arm overhead and arch through your left side. You can pull your torso back slightly to feel the stretch in your right hip. Stay here for 30 seconds and then lift your torso back up.
Now bring your hands to your hips and reverse sides, by placing your left knee on the towels and stepping your right leg out to the side. Stretch torso in both directions. Return to center and release by sitting on your heels.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Head to Knee A

FitSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 05:50:03 -0800

Looking to loosen up inflexible hips and hamstrings? Here's a yoga pose that's a popular stretch among runners because it'll target the oh-so-tight backs of the legs.

Sanskrit Name: Janu Sirsasana A
English Translation: Head to Knee Pose A
Also Called: Flag

To learn how to do this forward bend variation read more.

Begin in a seated position with both legs straight out in front of you.
Bend your right knee and place the sole of your foot against your inner thigh, pulling your heel as close to your body as you can.
Sit up nice and tall, lengthening through the spine and keeping your left leg straight. Then fold your torso over your left leg. Rest your hands on the floor on either side of your leg or on your shin. Or if your hamstrings and hips are more flexible, reach for your foot - the right hand holds the left wrist.
Rest your forehead on your leg and stay here for five breaths, being sure to continue lengthening the spine as you relax the shoulders away from your ears.
Then release your hands, sit up, and either take a vinyasa to switch sides, or just switch sides from here. This time the left knee will be bent, and the left hand will hold the right wrist.

Have any burning questions about yoga? Then post them to the Yoga Stretch and Tell group.

Stretch Those Tight Hips and Lower Back

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Chances are if you are reading this, you have the ever popular "office job" that involves sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day. This can wreak havoc on your precious body creating tight hips and lower back pain. Many stretches for your hips also stretch out your lower back, so these poses are like 2 for the price of 1.

If you can, try and take a break during work to do this hip and lower back stretch sequence. Go through the sequence on one side and then start from the beginning and do the other side. All these yoga poses have been explained previously, so if you want to know how to get into them, just click on the link.

1 - Sit on the floor, bend your knees, bring the soles of your feet together (take off your shoes) and come into Butterfly. This pose is great because it stretches both hips at the same time. Press your elbows against your legs to feel more of a stretch in your inner thighs.

To feel the stretch in your lower back, start to lean your chest out forward and walk your hands out in front of you. Stay here for 5 or more breaths.

Want to see the rest of the sequence? Then read more

2 - Now swing your left leg back behind you, keeping your right leg in front. This is called Pigeon and it's probably one of my favorite poses. It feels great on your lower back and you can really focus on working one side at a time. This is great considering one hip is usually much tighter than the other (usually your non-dominant leg).

This pose feels so amazing to me that I like to hang out for a few minutes on each side to really concentrate on deeply opening my right hip. If you don't have much time, then you can just do 5 breaths.

3 - Now ever so slowly and gently, swing your left leg in front of you, bringing your left inner thigh against the sole of your right foot. Lean your chest straight over your left leg, and walk your hands out towards your left foot, coming into Head to Knee pose.

Try and keep reaching your forehead out towards your left foot, elongating your spine. Relax your shoulders away from your ears and stay here and breathe for at least 5 breaths. This pose works your hips, lower back, and hamstring.

4 - For the last pose called Double Pigeon, keep you right knee where it is and bend your left knee. Stack your left ankle on top of your right knee, and your left knee on top of your right ankle. You want your shins to be parallel, with the left on top, and if you are doing it right, when you look down, you'll see a little triangular shape that your legs have made.

Try to keep your ankles and knees stacked one on top of the other and flex your feet. Stay seated and if it feels okay, bring your hands out in front of your shins and start to walk your hands out. Stay here for 5 or more breaths, relaxing your shoulders and the muscles in your face.

Now you're ready to do the other side. Come back into Butterfly once again and see if you can get a little deeper into the pose. Then keep your left leg where it is and swing your right leg back, coming into Pigeon. Then move into Head to Knee pose, and then Double Pigeon. After this sequence, your hips and lower back will thank you.

Strike a Yoga Pose: Head to Knee

FitSugar — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 04:00:00 -0700

Since I run and bike, I'm always looking for poses that stretch out my hips, lower back and hamstrings. This pose does all that and is also very relaxing, so it's great to do if you have a headache or are feeling stressed.

Sanskrit Name: Janu Sirsasana
English Translation: Knee Head Pose
Also Called: Head to Knee Pose

Start off sitting on the ground with your legs out in front of you (like you're about to do a Seated Forward Bend.
Bend your right knee and pull the sole of your foot against your left inner thigh.
Sit nice and tall and then reach your right hand to the outside edge of your left foot so you can stack your torso directly on top of your left leg. Then bring your left hand to the arch of your left foot. If you can't reach your hands to your foot, then reach out as far as you can, resting your chest on your left thigh. (Remember, the point here is to stretch your hamstrings, hips, and lower back, not to touch your foot.)
Stay here for at least 5 breaths, relaxing your shoulders away from your ears. I like to stay here even longer so I can feel my right hip and left hamstring really opening up. Then do the other side.

Be Body Wise on Black Friday

FitSugar — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 04:30:55 -0800

Shopping maven Carrie Bradshaw of Sex and the City famously said "Shopping is my cardio." These days heading to the stores on Black Friday is more like a contact sport. As retail stores kick off the holiday season with crazy sales, I have a few tips on keeping your body happy while shopping.

Be kind to your feet. Wear the comfiest shoes you own. You may not be the type to wear your running shoes when not exercising, but channel Carrie B. and think of this as exercise.
When standing in line, don't lock your knees. Keep this joint slightly bent. Also avoid shifting your weight from one leg to the other and jutting your hip out, as this can throw your back out of alignment and cause you pain.
When your load becomes too heavy to bear, walk your bags to your car and then resume shopping.
If your back bothers you while standing in line, take a moment to casually squat down and stretch your low back. It feels great.
I would also set a time limit on shopping, and to do so, plan on attending a yoga class to stretch out and de-stress after surviving the busiest shopping day of the year.

Holiday Fit Tip: Don't Just Sit There - Work Those Quads

FitSugar — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 14:30:00 -0800

Since most of us are traveling this Thanksgiving, here are a few simple exercises you can do with your legs while sitting in a plane or car.

Sit up nice and tall and place your palms on the seat next to your thighs. Plant your left foot firmly on the ground and as you inhale lift your right knee up towards your chest. As you exhale, slowly lower your foot but don't let it touch the ground. Concentrate on keeping your spine long and making the movements slow and with control.
Repeat this for a total of ten times, then lift your knee up and hold for five complete breaths, and then lower it to the ground.
Repeat this sequence on the left side.
Then lift and lower both knees together, ten times, then hold for five breaths, and then hug both knees into your chest to stretch out your lower back.

Source

Stretch It: Shoulder and Neck Stretching Backbend

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 09:00:42 -0800

This stretch may look familiar if you've taken a yoga class. It's the prep pose you learn before doing Wheel pose. Also called Half Wheel, this stretch will increase flexibility in your spine, and also stretch out your shoulders and the back of your neck. Because it doesn't require a lot of energy, it has both a calming and energetic effect on the body and mind.

Want to know how to do this stretch? Then read more.

Begin lying flat on your back with your arms along the sides of your body, with your palms facing down.
Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor. Walk your heels as close as you can to your bum, keeping them hip-width apart. Make sure both feet are parallel.
With your palms and feet pressing firmly into the ground, lift your hips off the floor.
Stay here, or clasp your hands together below your pelvis, extending through your arms. I like to rock my weight from side to side so that I can bring my shoulder blades closer together.
Stay here for 30 seconds. Try to keep lifting the hips up as high as you can, and gaze toward your belly.
To release this stretch, gently lower your booty back to the ground. Then stretch through your lower back by hugging your knees into your chest.

Stretch It: Twisting Hip Flexor Stretch

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:00:22 -0800

A common complaint among runners and cyclists is tight hip flexors, the area in front of the hips above the quads. Here's one of my favorite ways to lengthen that area, while also getting a subtle spinal twist - two great stretches in one!

To learn how to get into this stretch, read more.

Begin in a lunge position with the right knee forward and the left leg extended behind you. The right knee should be directly above the ankle. Place a folded towel underneath your left knee if you feel any discomfort under or around your knee cap.
Rest your left hand on your right knee and bend your back (left) knee. Reach your right arm behind you and clasp the arch of your left foot. Lower your pelvis until you feel a nice stretch in the left hip flexor.
Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, and then switch sides by bringing the left knee forward.

Stretch It: Shin and Ankle Stretch

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 07:00:20 -0800

After long bike rides, my shins and the tops of my feet are often tight. All that flexing of my ankle and pulling up on the pedals to maximize my stroke takes its toll on this part of my body. Once I slip off my stiff cycling shoes, this is the first stretch I do.

Here's how:

Cross your left ankle over your right with your toes pointed to the right.
Bend your right knee to increase the stretch for the top of the left foot.
Hold for 15 to 30 seconds then straighten the right knee; repeat before switching sides.

This is a great stretch post-run as well. Try it. You'll like it.