So many people believe that stretching is only for the warm-up before workouts, and they do not normally try to do full-body flexibility exercises. If you think the same way, you are missing out on a secret for feeling great.
Full body flexibility is important for pain-free movement, improved posture, and a body that feels as good as it looks. This is the reason we are going to talk about the workouts you can use to increase body flexibility and have a flexible body.
You already know ways to improve body flexibility, as we have talked about it before (you can check it out at the link). But here, we are going to introduce you to some amazing exercises to increase full-body flexibility.
If you feel pain while bending to pick up something or your hand aches while putting a jar in the kitchen cabinets, do not hesitate to read this article. You are only 3 minutes away from having a flexible and healthier body!
Top 10 Exercises to Increase Body Flexibility
In this section, we explore a range of exercises designed to target every major muscle group, from your neck and shoulders down to your hamstrings and calves.
No matter your age or fitness level, there’s something here to help you reach your flexibility goals.
Best body flexibility exercises :
1. Quad Stretch
- How-to: Stand tall with one foot behind you. Keeping your front heel flat on the ground, lean forward from your hips, reaching your hand towards your back foot’s toes. Maintain a slight arch in your lower back.
- Advances: This is one of the full-body flexibility exercises that helps you to loosen tightness in the quadriceps muscles at the front of your thighs, which can improve mobility in activities like squatting and running.
2. Leg Swings
- How-to: To do this exercise, you have to stand on one leg with your other leg extended straight out in front of you. Keeping your core engaged and back straight, gently swing your extended leg forward and backward in a small, controlled range of motion.
If you want to get the best out of this full-body flexibility exercise, you have to avoid going too high or being forceful; just switch legs and repeat.
- Benefits: Increases blood flow and loosens tight muscles in the hamstrings (back of the thigh) and hips, improving overall flexibility and range of motion.
3. Standing Hamstring Stretch
Are you looking for workout to increase body flexibility workout at home? This is one of them!
- How-to: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Hinge at your hips and slowly fold forward, reaching for your toes with both hands. Keep your back relatively flat, and avoid rounding your shoulders. If you can’t get your toes, hold onto your shins or calves.
- Advantages: Lengthens the hamstring muscles, which are crucial for activities like bending over and touching your toes. Improved hamstring flexibility can also reduce lower back pain.
4. Glute Stretches
- How-to: Lie on your back with both knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross one ankle over the opposite knee, creating a figure-four shape. Gently pull the top knee towards your chest until you feel a stretch in the glute (buttock) of the crossed leg. Hold for a steady breath, then repeat on the other side.
- Profits: Enhances flexibility in the glutes, which are important for balance, stability, and power in various movements. Tight glutes can contribute to lower back pain, so stretching them regularly can be beneficial.
5. Kneeling hip flexor stretch
- How-to: Kneel on one knee with your other leg forward and your foot flat on the ground. Keeping your torso upright, gently lean your hips forward until you feel a stretch in the front of your hip (hip flexor) on the kneeling leg. Hold for a steady breath, then switch sides and repeat.
- Benefits: This full-body flexibility exercise helps you improve flexibility in the hip flexor muscles, which can become tight from sitting for long periods. Tight hip flexors can limit your ability to perform activities like lunges and squats with proper form.
6. Shoulder roll & Neck roll
These two are so recommended for individuals who are sitting too much behind the system and work for 6 to 8 hours a day.
This can be counted as one of the easy, full-body flexibility exercises; let’s learn it:
- Shoulder Roll: Stand tall with shoulders relaxed. Roll your shoulders forward in a circular motion for ten repetitions, then reverse the direction and roll backward for another ten repetitions.
- Neck Roll: Sit or stand tall with your shoulders relaxed. Slowly roll your head in a circular motion, leading with your chin. Make complete circles forward five times, then reverse direction and perform five backward circles.
- Advantages: Loosens tightness in the shoulders and neck, which can contribute to headaches and posture problems. These gentle rolls improve circulation and promote a feeling of relaxation in the upper body.
7. Dynamic Lunges
- How-to: Stand tall with feet hip-width apart. Take a large step forward with one leg, lowering your hips until both knees form 90-degree angles. Keep your back straight and your front heel flat on the ground. Push off with your front foot and jump to switch legs in mid-air, landing softly with the other leg forward.
- Pros: This dynamic stretch is a great way to warm up the legs and core before a workout. It improves flexibility in the front thighs, back thighs, hips, and core muscles, all of which are crucial for balance, stability, and athletic performance.
8. Lizard Pose
- How-to: Start in a high plank position with hands shoulder-width apart. Step one foot forward outside of your same-side hand, keeping your hips square. Lower your torso towards the ground, bending your front knee and keeping your back leg straight. Feel a stretch in the front thigh and hip of the extended leg. Hold for a breath, then return to plank and repeat on the other side.
- Payoffs: This yoga-inspired stretch lengthens the hamstrings, hips, and groin muscles, promoting a greater range of motion in these areas.
9. Cat-Cow
This is the other yoga exercises for increase body flexibility:
- How-to: Arrange your hands shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart in a knee-down position. While taking a deep breath in, arch your back, lower your belly to the floor, and raise your eyes to the sky. When you let out a breath, roll over onto your back, bringing your chin in towards your chest and tightening your abdominal muscles.
- The gains: This gentle stretch mobilizes the spine, promoting flexibility and reducing stiffness. It also massages the internal organs and improves circulation in the back and shoulders.
10.Chest stretch
- How-to: Stand in a doorway with your forearms shoulder-width apart and lean into the doorway until you feel a stretch across your chest. Then simply hold for a steady breath, then release.
- Targets: Chest and shoulders
In The End
Improved flexibility isn’t just about being able to do heavy workouts!
It is about having your routine as easy as possible and having better posture, reduced risk of injuries, increased athletic performance, and even improved circulation.
Feeling good has never been easier; all it takes is a few minutes a day and a commitment to making your body move with more freedom.
Now that you are familiar with the top 10 exercises to increase body flexibility, tell us, which stretch surprised you the most?
Did you find any particularly effective for targeting specific areas of tightness? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.
