Workout 1 (PDF)

Working Out At Work

Playground Boot Camp

Flexibility...Stretch The Pecs

Shaping Your Core

Lower Body Flexibility

We are going to work on stretching our lower body, but first let’s review why flexibility is so important.

Remember what happens years down the road, when we've neglected to stretch?

That’s right, we become stiff, our muscles have shortened, we can't move the full range of motion our joints need to and we are more prone to injuries.

One other VERY important reason to stretch is that because of or habitual movement patterns, our muscles generally get tight in specific areas. When that happens our alignment and posture get unbalanced and we start having structural issues.

Muscles hold and move the joints and bones beneath them. How can we move properly if our muscles are tight and shortened? We can't!

More often than not, people have very tight hamstrings… you know the muscle on the back of the thigh? The one that screams at you when you try to bend over and touch your toes? You know him!

We are going to work on stretching and lengthening the muscles the in the lower body including the hamstrings, so let’s get started!

*** Important***

You will notice that the breath and relaxing are a big part of flexibility. As you breathe through the stretch, you will feel your muscles letting go and loosening up, so really work with your body and feel the release of the tension. Don’t rush through the breath and always try to go a little deeper on each exhale.

The result? Strong, lean, long muscles and good posture!

1.    Let’s begin with the hamstrings. Sit up tall with legs outstretched on the floor., arms our in front of you. Take a deep breath in and as you exhale, bend forward from the hips. Go as far as is semi – comfortable. Now stay there and try to relax into the stretch, taking 3 breaths. With each exhale try to go a little farther. Come back up and repeat.

2.    Now let’s move onto the glutes and piriformis…the piriformis is a little trouble maker that you’ll recognize in this stretch! Still seated, cross one leg over the other like so. Now place your opposite elbow on the outside of the crossed over leg. Sit up tall, take a deep inhale and as you exhale, twist away from the leg that is on the floor. Relax into it as you take 3 deep breaths. Release and repeat on other side.

3.    Let’s stretch out the adductor muscles… those are the inner thigh muscle. Sit up tall, soles of your feet together, elbows resting on your knees. Take a deep breath and as you exhale, slightly lean forward from your hips with your elbows pushing down on your legs. Again, breathe and relax into the stretch. Stay there for 3 slow, deep breaths.

4.    Now onto a quadriceps stretch. Those are the muscles in the front of the thigh. Begin by kneeling on one leg making sure your front leg is perpendicular to the floor…. Remember, the knee is always, always behind the toe! Lean forward slightly, feeling a stretch in the back thigh. If you tilt your pelvis forward, you will feel the stretch in the hip flexor… that’s where the hip meets the thigh. For a more advanced stretch, reach behind and grab a hold of your ankle. Stay here trying to relax while you take 2-3 deep breaths.

5.    Now let’s get the calf stretched out.  You will also feel this in your hamstring again. So lean back on the kneeling leg and straighten your front leg with your foot flexed. Deep breath in and as you exhale tilt your pelvis forward and again relax into the stretch. Take 3 deep breaths and relax. Repeat on the other side.

6.    Let’s finish with the cat stretch… good for the core… front and back. Get on all fours, abs engaged, and back flat. Take a deep inhale while arching your back. As you exhale roll your back up. Repeat this movement while you breath.

Great job!

       Take a big drink of water. Now just take a moment to feel your body… You should feel relaxed, maybe somewhat invigorated. As we have released the tension in your muscles we have also helped to release the tension and stress in your mind as well.

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