Knee lunge: Kneel on the floor with your front knee bent and your back leg extended. Keeping your back straight, slowly bend the lead leg until a stretch is felt. Do not lean allow your knee to bend more than 90 degrees (it should never go beyond your ankle)
Lying outer hip stretch: Lie on a mat with your knees bent so your right ankle is on your left thigh and with both hands, gently pull your left knee towards your body until you feel a stretch in your right hip and buttocks.
One knee hip stretch: Kneel on a mat on your hands and knees. Slide your right knee forward and toward the left side of your body, then slide your left leg back and straighten. Try to lower to your elbows. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat for your other side.
Runner’s hip lunge: Beginning standing up. Put one leg behind you, far enough so that your right knee can form a right angle. Lay your torso on your front thigh and lengthen it forward. To soften your right groin, imagine that the thigh is sinking toward the floor under your torso’s weight. Look forward. Simultaneously, firm the left thigh and push it up toward the ceiling, holding the left knee straight. Stretch your left heel toward the floor.
Knee split: From a lunge position (rest back knee on the floor, with front knee at 90 degree angle, abs in), slowly move backward until leg is slightly bent. Bend forward at the hip, keeping back flat until you feel gentle pull in the back of the leg. Switch legs.
Knee hip stretch (pigeon pose): Begin on all fours, with your knees directly below your hips, and your hands slightly ahead of your shoulders. Slide your right knee forward to the back of your right wrist; at the same time angle your right shin under your torso and bring your right foot to the front of your left knee. The outside of your right shin will now rest on the floor. Slowly slide your left leg back, straightening the knee and descending the front of the thigh to the floor. Lower the outside of your right buttock to the floor. Position the right heel just in front of the left hip. Slide your hands back toward the front shin and push your fingertips firmly to the floor. Lift your torso away from the thigh. Lengthen the lower back by pressing your tailbone down and forward; at the same time, and lift your pubis toward the navel. Roll your left hip point toward the right heel, and lengthen the left front groin.
Hamstring bent-knee: Lying with your back flat on the floor and your knees flexed to 90 degrees, slowly raise and straighten one leg, grasping it loosely behind the thigh with both hands.
Hamstring bent knee breath & stretch: Lying with your back flat on the floor and your knees flexed to 90 degrees, inhale a large breath and slowly raise and straighten one leg, grasping it loosely behind the thigh with both hands, continuing to hold your breath. Straighten and pull back the leg as much as is comfortable. After about 10 seconds exhale. As you exhale, pull leg back a little farther, inhale, and hold again. Exhale, pull back, and hold breath one last time. Do not stretch more than is comfortable, but the exhale in breath should allow you to stretch a little further.
Hamstring leg raise: Lie on a mat with your legs flat on the floor. Lift your right leg, slightly bent, up toward your head. Use both your hands to gently pull your raised leg toward your body until you feel a stretch in your hamstring. Repeat both sides
Seated one-leg reach: Sit on a mat with your right leg extended in front of you and your left leg bent with your foot against your right inner thigh. Lean forward from your hips and reach for your ankle until you feel a stretch in your hamstring. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat for your other side.
Leg together hamstring bend: Stand straight with your feet shoulder width apart and feet pointing straight ahead. Bend forward at your hips, knees slightly bent, and reach down toward your ankles.
V-sit and reach: Sit on the floor with your legs straight out in front of your body. Now, spread your legs out to the sides as far as is comfortable to you. Reach your arms out straight while keeping legs. Repeat reach to right foot, then left foot.
Sitting knee to chest: Sit up straight. Keep your spine straight. Straighten your left leg, then cross your right leg over the left (put the right foot on the floor, outside the left knee). Keeping torso straight, gently pull the bent leg in towards the chest, so the stretch is felt in the hip flextor/butt.
Spilt: In a standing, straddle position slowly ease your feet further out to the sides until a stretch is felt. Very slowly sink hips and push feet further to the side as far as feels comfortable. Hold this for 10 seconds, then lean forward and put hands on the ground while maintaining straddle position. Hold this for an additional 10 seconds.
Cossack stretch (Russian dance): Stand with feet wide and angled 45-degrees outward. Squat to the left while keeping the right leg locked, keep the palms down flat and fingers forward. Maximally lower the pelvis while keeping the heels on the floor. Use the the elbow to press the bent knee back in alignment over the second toe
Side Angle stretch: Start with feet 3 to 4 feet apart. Rest your hands on your hips. Turn your right foot out to the right 90 degrees and turn your left foot in slightly to the right. Align the right heel with the left heel. Firm your thighs and turn your right thigh outward, so that the center of the kneecap is in line with the center of the right ankle. Exhale and turn your torso to the right until facing directly over the right leg; as you do this, lift your left heel off the floor and spin on the ball of the foot until the inner left foot is parallel to the inner right foot. Then exhale again and bend your right knee. If possible, bring the right thigh parallel to the floor. Keep your left leg active by pressing the thigh up toward the ceiling and extending strongly through the left heel. At the same time, resist the lift of the left thigh by pressing your butt down. Turn further to the right and lean the torso down, placing the left hand on the floor inside the right foot. Reverse feet and repeat.
Squat Stretch (Garlandpose): Garland pose: Squat with your feet as close together as possible. (Keep your heels on the floor if you can; otherwise, support them on a folded mat.) Separate your thighs slightly wider than your torso. Exhaling, lean your torso forward and fit it snugly between your thighs. Press your elbows against your inner knees, bringing your palms to together in Anjali Mudra (Salutation Seal), and resist the knees into the elbows. This will help lengthen your front torso. To go further, press your inner thighs against the sides of your torso. Reach your arms forward, then swing them out to the sides and notch your shins into your armpits. Press your finger tips to the floor, or reach around the outside of your ankles and clasp your back heels.
Child’s pose: Lie on a mat with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift your right leg, slightly bent, up toward your head. Use both your hands to gently pull your raised leg toward your body until you feel a stretch in your hamstring. Hold for 15 seconds, then repeat for your other side.
Cross legged stretch: While lying on your back, cross your legs, placing one ankle on the opposite knee. Use to flex leg to push the crossed leg back until you feel a stretch in your buttocks and hip.
Lying knee to chest: Start off by lying on the floor with one leg straight and pull the other knee to your chest. Hold under the knee joint to protect the kneecap. Gently tug that knee toward your nose. Switch sides. This stretches the buttocks and lower back of the bent leg and the hip flexor of the straight leg.
“back of the couch” stretch (internal): Stand 6-12” from a (facing a) bench, couch arm, table, or chair (preferably a strong/firm padded surface). Lift one leg and place the bottom half of your leg across the surface so it is perpendicular to your body. Position the rest of your body so you feel a good stretch in your hip.
“back of the couch” stretch (external): Stand sideways 6-12” from a bench, couch arm, table, or chair (preferably a strong/firm padded surface). Lift one leg and place the bottom half of your leg across the surface so it is perpendicular to your body. Position the rest of your body so you feel a good stretch in your hip.
Butterfly stretch: Sit up straight while balancing on your sit bones. Touch the soles of your feet together with your feet six to eight inches in front of your hips. (Don’t pull your feet in too close—that’s tough on the knees.) Rest your elbows or hands on your inner thighs (relax your shoulders as you do this) and incline your chest forward. You don’t need to round your shoulders to perform this stretch.
Standing quad stretch: Face a wall or a fence and put both hands on the surface in front of you. Extend one leg straight behind you. Bend the other leg so that the knee doesn’t extend over the toes. Incline your torso forward, keeping the extended heel down. Ideally, you should try to maintain a straight, diagonal line from the heel to the top of your head. To add a soleus and Achilles tendon stretch, bend your back knee but to keep the heel on the ground. Be gentle with it. Never force a tendon stretch. Switch sides.
Lying quad stretch: Start off by lying on your right side, with your right knee bent at a 90-degree angle resting on the floor in front of you (this stabilizes the torso). Bend your left knee behind you and hold your left foot with your left hand. To stretch your hip flexor, press your left hip forward as you push your left foot back into your hand. Switch sides.
Stomach quad stretch: Lie facedown on a mat or a rug with both legs straight on the floor. Bend your right knee so you can hold the foot in your right hand. Lift the foot up toward the ceiling (not to the buttocks) and raise the thigh a little off the floor. To stretch the hip flexor (if you have no lower-back pain), lift the thigh higher and press your abdominals into the floor to maintain torso stability. Keep your chin tucked under (you can rest it on your other hand) as you lift the leg. Switch sides.
Downward dog w/leg raise: While in downward dog stretch, lift one leg so that it extends in the air and creates a line with your torso. Be sure to keep the heel of the leg that stays down as close to the ground as possible.
Triceps stretch: Reach your hand behind your head, grasp your elbow and gently push downwards.
Shoulder stretch: Reach your left arm across your body and hold it straight. With your right hand, grasp your left elbow and pull it across your body towards your chest.
Calf stretch (leaning on wall): Standing 3-4 feet from a wall with your feet in perpendicular to the wall in a ready stance. Lean your forearms against the wall, maintaining a straight line through your spine and pressing your back heel into the ground. Lean forward further for additional stretch.
Standing calf/Achilles stretch: Stand with your back straight and palms against the wall. Stager stance with the leg you want to stretch is the back leg. Squat down into a seated position. Foot and heel should remain straight ahead, while maintaining your heel on the ground. Slowly lean forward until
Calf wall/step stretch: Stand 12 inches from wall, step one foot toward wall so heel is on the ground just in front of wall, and toes/ball of foot are on the wall. Lean forward so stretch is felt in calf.
Wrist/Forearm 1: Start by kneeling on a mat with your palms flat and your fingers pointing back toward your knees. Slowly lean back keeping your palms flat on the floor until you feel a stretch in your wrists and forearm
