Well-stretched muscles not only not only improve blood flow and flexibility, but also athletic performance — like an easier, less restricted golf swing or tennis serve — and functional abilities, such as reaching, bending, or stooping during daily tasks.
But not all of us are natural contortionists, heck, touching our toes can sometimes be a challenge. So actual professional contortionist Jonathan Nosan breaks down five ways anyone can become a little more flexible:
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1. Make everything a stretch
Even daily chores and actions can be an opportunity to stretch. “Catch moments throughout your day when you can steal five seconds or two deep breaths to find a lengthening,” he says. “From tying your shoes to doing the laundry, engage your core, extend one inch further.” These subtle daily movements may not seem like much, but over time, they can help make you progressively more flexible and bring you more in tune with your body.
2. Squat often
Squatting is not only great for toning your legs — it’s actually one of the best ways to improve your flexibility. “The squat fires up the hip flexors, which are tight for most people because they sit a lot,” Jonathan explains. Tight hip flexors make it hard to bend and touch your toes. “Squatting is the target, or bull’s eye, of where to attack to get the hip flexors open, and will make everything from crossing your legs to tying your shoes feel easier and better.”
Here’s how to do what Jonathan calls the “Contorture Squat”:
• Standing with feet slightly turned out, at a stance just a little wider than your hips, plant your ankles into the ground. While doing this, suck in your gut and “tuck” your tailbone.
• Drill your elbows directly into the spot where your calf meets your thigh, and make fists with your hands.
• Round your back, all while engaging your core, and then push with your shoulders to open your hip flexors.
• Return to standing without collapsing in the lower back, but instead by lengthening from your engaged core and tucked tailbone.
Jonathan recommends working up to five reps using easy breaths to build better mobility and balance.
3. Every hour, take a one-minute break to do a front bend
While Jonathan is able to do handstands and full-on splits, it’s perpetual slight movements in major muscle groups that will make touching your toes much easier. “A front bend stretches and lengthens your hamstrings, neck, and back — all things that tend to be tight and prevent us [from] bending over easily,” he adds. Do this move enough times, “and you’ll be able to tie your shoes without bending your knees.”
Here’s how to do a front bend:
• Start from standing, with your feet parallel and hip width apart, your arms by your sides.
• Exhale, and bend your waist, letting your chin drop to your chest and your forehead pull toward the ground.
• Let your arms and head dangle down. Hold this position for five easy breaths. With each exhale, let gravity take you a bit deeper down.
• To finish, slowly roll back up to standing, with your head being the last part of your body to come up.
4. Practice “Buddup-Buddown”
While this move might sound like something out of a children’s cartoon, Jonathan says this move stretches and strengthens your lower back, paraspinal muscles, and multifidus muscle, and improves your lower back flexibility. “It’s a small engaged exercise that packs a wallop,” he says.
Here’s how to do a “Buddup-Buddown”:
• Lying on the floor or mat with your belly down, bring your elbows directly under your shoulders with your hands flat in front.
• Broaden your chest by bringing your shoulder blades together, and drop your shoulders away from your ears.
• Drill your belly button into the floor and rotate your pelvis/hip bones to bring your butt into the air. This very small movement is your Buddup.
• Then, relax the butt, with the belly button staying down. This movement is your Buddown.
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5. Stand up regularly from your chair
Sitting at a desk all day leads to tight hip flexors that prevent us from bending forward or backward easily. “Think about picking up a laundry basket or your kids from the floor; each of those moves requires frontward mobility and a lot of us use our lower backs, leading to injury,” says Jonathan. “Open strong hip flexors are the key to any sort of flexibility, and you can begin to open them by simply standing with targeted core engagement.”
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Here’s how to get the most out of standing:
• Get up from your chair and stand with feet hip-width apart, toes pointed out 20 degrees.
• Tense your abs (as if someone was about to punch you).
• Pull your butt cheeks together, tighten the glutes, all while engaging your abs. Feel your hip flexors start to open.
• Hold this position for five seconds and then relax. Do five reps and gradually increase the length of gluteal engagement with each rep.
Curated Article from Yahoo! Health
