Stretch Zone

Great stretch for people who suffer from tight, aching muscles in the upper back and neck.

• Look straight forward and do not let the chin drop down
• Move your ear towards the shoulder
• Don’t let your shoulder lift up
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

Trapezius, Scalenes, Levator Scapula

Performing this stretch on a regular basis can help ease muscular aches and pains in the neck and upper back.

• Start facing straight forward and with your arms in front of you
• Keep your elbows straight and clasp your hands together to stop the shoulders from elevating
• Bring your chin down to meet your chest

Trapezius and Splenius

Stretching the front part of the shoulder and chest muscles – this stretch can help improve your posture.

• Stand upright with your back straight
• Clasp your hands behind your back
• Slowly lift your hands away from your back and up towards the ceiling
• Hold 10-20 seconds

Anterior Deltoid, Pectoralis Minor

For the back of the shoulder and can be effective in rotator cuff injuries and when muscles of the upper back and neck are tight.

• Stand upright and cross one arm across your body
• Using the opposite arm, pull the elbow of the arm being stretched towards the opposite shoulder
• Hold 10-20 seconds

Posterior Deltoid, Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Rhomboids

Stretching the chest muscles can be beneficial in improving the posture of the upper back and shoulder girdle.

• Stand tall
• Bring both arms up and have a 90 degree angle at the elbow
• Squeeze between your shoulder blades
• Hold for 10-20 sec

• Place your hand on your upper back with the elbow bend towards the ceiling
• Use your other hand to pull the elbow towards your head
• Hold for 10-20 sec

Triceps, Brachii

Great stretch for your radialis.

• Hold one arm out to the front
• Use the other hand to bend the wrist and point the fingers towards the floor, applying gentle pressure
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

• Place the palm, inner elbow and shoulder of one arm against the wall
• Keeping the arm in contact with the wall, exhale and slowly turn your body around to feel the stretch in your biceps and pectoral muscles
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

Biceps, Carpi Radialis

This stretch is great for your groin and buttocks.

• Lay on your stomach and lengthen one leg to the back and bend the opposite knee
• Take your arms to the side and let your knee drop to the outside of your arm
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

Gluteus Maximus and Outer Hip

• Stand tall and place your heel to your groin
• Gently push your knee away to feel the stretch through your hip and groin area
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

• Stand with your feet wide apart and knee straight
• Bend the right knee to the side and lean to the right
• Hold for 10 -20 seconds

• Sit down and place your right leg across your left knee
• Push your palms into the ground facing your hands forward
• Lean your body towards your knee
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

Adductors and Gracilis

A great stretch for reducing tightness in the Iliotibial band-muscle running down the outside of the thigh.

• Stand with the leg to be stretched behind the other
• Lean over to the non-stretching side
• Push the hip you wish to stretch out to the other side
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

ITB Band

• Straighten your legs and lengthen your body.
• Lay on the floor on your back
• Bring your leg into a right angle and using the opposite hand gently pull your knee across your body.
• Extend your other arm out keeping your shoulders on the ground.
• Turn your head away from your bent knee
• Repeat on other side
• Hold for 10 -20 seconds

Gluteus Medius and Minimus

The bow pose increases the strength and flexibility of the spine. It also stretches the chest, abdomen, and quadriceps.

• Lie on your stomach
• Reach the hands back and take hold of the ankles
• Inhale, draw the torso and legs up off the floor simultaneously
• If you can, bring the thighs to rest on the floor
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

• Lay on the floor on your stomach
• Place your hands on the floor at shoulder level
• Lift your upper body away from the floor, straightening your arms
• Keep your hips flat on the floor
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

• Stand upright with your arms above your head
• Reach as far as possible
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

Latissimus Dorsi

• With your knees shoulder width apart, slide your buttocks back on to your heels and extend your arms in front, lowering your forehead towards the ground
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

Balance or use a stable object for support.

• Stand upright and grasp your foot with your left hand behind you. Gently pull your foot towards your buttocks until you feel a gentle stretch down the front of your leg
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

Quadriceps

• Stand tall with one leg straight and the other bent
• Lift your buttocks and sink into the stretch
• Option: to lift your sole of you foot of the ground
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

• Stand with one leg far in front of the other and lean forwards against the wall
• Keep the back heel flat on the floor
• Bend the front leg to lean forwards and keep the back leg straight
• Hold for 10-20 seconds

Gastrocnemius