Doing this exercise in three minutes can actually improve your flexibility

Do a little flexibility test: Can you stand upright and bend over to touch your toes? If you can't, it means that there are obvious weaknesses in your physical training. Due to poor flexibility, the effect of muscle training will be greatly reduced, and you will be more prone to injury, especially in the waist and back.

If you can only briefly touch your toes when you bend down, many people would assume that the problem is a tight hamstring tendon. But the problem is often in the waist or other places.

Many people think of muscle tissue as separate parts, such as "biceps" and "triceps". However, the bones, organs, and muscles in our bodies are covered with a membrane that connects them. For example, the back muscle chain includes a series of muscles from the head to the back to the toes, and it is the myometrium that connects these muscles into tissue. One muscle affects the movement of other parts of the chain. Therefore, if you cannot touch your toes when you stand and bend over, it may not be a problem with your foot tendons. It may be a problem with your back, calves, or even the muscles in the soles of your feet.

It turns out that tightness in your lower back muscles can affect the performance of your lower body muscles during activities like squats or lunges. There is even a risk of injury. Therefore, it is important to ensure the flexibility of the back muscles.

But don't worry, by doing the exercises described below, your flexibility will be greatly improved. This simple 3-minute exercise can help you diagnose and relieve areas of tension. You can do it in the gym, at home or in the office.

1. Soothe your calves

In the previous exercise, you shifted muscle tension from your hips to your calves. This stretch will be great for soothing your calves.

Exercise: Tiptoe Dip - Place the front of your foot on a 25-pound weight plate and perform the same movement as the previous exercise. Repeat 10 times. Then try to stand and bend over to see if you can touch your toes. If not, please proceed to the next exercise.

2. Soothe your feet

Many people don’t realize that the muscles in the soles of their feet can also become tense. The muscles on the soles of your feet, called the plantar flexors, are also very important as they affect flexibility of your entire lower body in general.

Exercise: Ping-Pong Ball Roll - Stand on the ground, place a ping-pong ball on the bottom of your foot, and roll the entire sole of your foot on the ball for 60 seconds. Then switch to the other foot.

Try standing and bending over again to see if you can touch your toes. If you can't, try doing the four movements again. Pay attention to which exercises you feel most effective with; this will tell you which muscles to focus on.

3. Soothe your back

The erector spinae are the back muscles that run from the top of the spine to the coccyx. Stiffness in this muscle tissue can hinder bending of the spine and torso.

Exercise: Cat pose - kneel on the floor with your hands on the ground, with your arms and thighs perpendicular to the ground. Lift your back into a semicircular hump. Hold for a count, then push your lower back toward the floor, arching into a cat. This completes one action. After 10 repetitions, try to touch your toes when you bend over upright. no? Please proceed to the next exercise.

4. Soothe your buttocks

This exercise will stretch your hip and leg muscles.

Exercise: Heel Dip - Stand on the ground with your heels resting on a 25-pound weight plate. Using your hips as a fulcrum, maintain the curve of your back, lean forward, and try to touch your toes with your hands. Stay still and count silently, then stand up and resume. Repeat the movement 10 times, then step away from the weight plate and try to touch your toes when you stand and bend over. Still can’t? Please proceed to the next exercise.