How to Improve Flexibility

Due to lack of exercise, many young people's bodies are becoming increasingly stiff and their flexibility is appalling. Flexibility is important for our daily life and the pursuit of a healthy body, but how to improve flexibility? It still requires practice, starting with simple exercises and gradually increasing the difficulty. This saves time and energy, can be practiced anytime and anywhere, and can help lose weight and shape your body.

1. Cat-Cow Pose

Let's start with this exercise, which works the shoulder blades well and improves spinal flexibility. In the first part of the movement, press your arms into the ground and open your shoulder blades while keeping your chin close to your sternum. In the second part, you need to simultaneously draw your shoulder blades inward and look forward while extending your spine. Here you must always keep your body straight and not overextend your cervical spine.

2. Lunge side leg press

This exercise can improve the flexibility of the hips and legs. The key is to keep one leg straight and the other leg bent. You need to determine the distance between the two legs that is suitable for you. When choosing the distance, you need to pay attention to choose one that allows you to straighten your back and ensure that your body does not lean back or lift your heels. The power for this movement comes from the hips, not the spine. You can do this move with your heels on the ground to stretch the Achilles tendon, or with your toes pointed inward to stretch the abductor muscles. Always maintain muscle tension and do not overstretch the straight leg. It may be difficult at first and it may be hard to maintain body balance. Don't worry, try to increase the range of motion step by step.

3. Spiderman lunge stretch

This movement stretches your hip flexors and mobilizes your spine and shoulder muscles. Bend your front leg and keep your back leg straight. Now move your hips as close to the ground as possible, rotate your body, and stretch it out. You can keep your eyes on your hands and rotate both hands to their maximum limit.

4. Frog Stretch

Use your hands, head, and spine to perform a similar movement. Start in a squat position, squatting as deep as possible with your heels touching the ground. Your body should remain as upright as possible as you stretch. Be careful not to pull your knees inward, but try to hit them outward.

5. Jefferson Curl

One of the most popular and beneficial exercises for our posterior chain is the Jefferson curl, which mobilizes and stabilizes your spine and stretches the Achilles tendon area. This movement should be done slowly, keeping your body under control. Start with your chin and gradually try to bend your spine forward. Your knees should always remain straight. If you are a beginner, use your own body weight to practice. If you get used to this movement, you can slowly add some weight, hold some heavy objects in your hands, etc.

6. Suspending the body

If you always have problems with the flexibility of your shoulder blades, or you can't control them well, I recommend trying this movement. Hang your body on a horizontal bar, and then pull up with straight arms. Just bring your shoulder blades together as much as possible without doing any more movements. As you become more flexible and stronger, you can do this with your upper body arched, which can also improve the strength of your back muscles.