Muscle stretching exercises for men. Leg stretching exercises

Stretching exercises for stretching the legs and ankles, including the calf muscles, ankle joints, peroneus muscle and plantar fascia.

Stretching for slimming legs

This exercise is effective, but you need to be careful and maintain balance.

1. Stand straight on the step platform (you can use improvised things, for example, a thick book).
2. Press your toes into the platform, keeping your heel on the floor. Make sure your knee remains straight.
3. Shift your weight forward until you feel a stretch in your calf muscles.
4. To stretch the soleus muscle, bend your knee slightly.

Muscles involved:

Soleus.
Calf.

The video shows how to do this stretch correctly:

Calf muscle stretch

Stretching the calf muscles can help prevent a range of lower extremity injuries.

1. Take one leg back.
2. Lean forward against the wall, holding back leg completely pressed to the floor.
3. Bend your front leg, placing your weight on it.
4. Stay in this position for 10-30 seconds. The back should remain straight.

Muscles involved:
Calf.

Video of this exercise:

Watch the video to see how to do this exercise correctly:

During exercise, you should feel a stretch in your legs, but not pain. Pain signals damage that should not be allowed to occur. Try to do the exercises smoothly and carefully to prevent injury.

While performing the exercise, make sure that your back remains straight at all times. Even if the exercise involves bending, try to straighten your back all the time. If you do not follow this, then efficiency is lost and muscle elasticity decreases.

Stretching the soleus muscle

This stretching exercise targets the area of ​​the soleus muscle, which is deeper, underneath the larger gastrocnemius muscle. Bend the knee relaxes calf muscle, allowing the soleus muscle of the leg to stretch.

Muscles involved:
Posterior tibial.
Soleus.

Don’t forget to warm up a little before the set of exercises: stretch and do simple charging: Jump rope, do squats a few times, do a couple of arm spins and leg lunges.

Advanced soleus stretching

Muscles involved:
Posterior tibial.
Soleus.

Stretching while standing

The lower leg is stretched all the way until a space is formed that resembles a wheel in shape.

Stretching is a way not only to stretch your limbs, but also to lose weight. When you exercise, you lose calories. Stretching can be practiced as an independent form of fitness, or along with more intense aerobic exercise.

Fascial stretch

Muscles involved:
Plantar fascia.
Long flexor fingers.
Flexor pollicis longus.

These muscles are located in a hard-to-reach area at the bottom of the leg and are hardly used during physical exercise. Try, looking at the picture, to repeat the stretching exercise for your legs.

Muscles involved:
Peroneus longus muscle.
Peroneus brevis muscle.

Watch the video: stretching for legs:

Leg stretching is an integral element of training for both beginners and experienced athletes exercising at home and in gym. Thanks to stretching exercises, the muscles become more elastic, so even the most complex complexes can be performed without damage to the ligaments and injuries.

All exercises that stretch the leg muscles are divided into two main types: static and dynamic.

Static exercises are suitable for beginner athletes. Their essence is to gradually stretch the muscles. Exercises are performed in one position for a long time. There are no active movements, so the muscles do not contract.

Dynamic stretching requires specific skill and experience. It represents active movements, such as leg swings. Use this type More experienced athletes with good flexibility need stretching. They are not suitable for beginners as they can cause injury.

Active and passive stretching also stands out. Active is done on your own, passive - with the involvement of a partner. Ballistic stretching can be distinguished as a special type of stretching. Exercises in this complex are based on jerks and springy movements.

Rules for conducting stretching training

When performing leg stretching at home, you must follow the following rules:

1. Start stretching with the simplest static exercises with a minimum duration of execution.
2. First warm up your muscles well, do a warm-up consisting of active exercises.
3. If muscle pain appears during training, immediately stop stretching.
4. After 2-3 sessions, increase the duration of the exercises.
5. Before moving on to more complex exercises, make sure your body is ready for the stress.
6. Stretching regularly. If there was a break in training, it is recommended to resume training from the very beginning. simple exercises.
7. Monitor your breathing while stretching. It should be deep and uniform.

Is it possible to stretch muscles quickly?

Stretching the legs at home can be done for general muscle strengthening or in the process of mastering the longitudinal or transverse splits. Regardless of the end goal, it is impossible to stretch muscles quickly. Experts warn about the dangers of accelerated stretching.

To quickly achieve results, many decide to start immediately with active and difficult exercises. Muscles unprepared for such a load will not only not become elastic, but will also be seriously damaged. Therefore, it is necessary to be patient and also make efforts to make the body flexible without injury.

To master longitudinal or transverse splits, it takes at least 6 months with regular training. If stretching is carried out in combination with other exercises, then there is no need to leave it until the end of the complex.

How to Warm Up Your Legs Before Stretching

To do stretching at home, you need to remember to pre-warm your legs to avoid injury to muscles and joints.

The main pre-warm-up exercises are:

After warming up, you need to even out your breathing. To do this, you can walk in place or do breathing exercises.

A few exercises for beginners

You need to start stretching your legs with static exercises.

The simplest and most accessible of them are the following:

Stretching for weight loss

Stretching at home will help you lose weight in your legs.

Perform the following exercises:

Before performing a set of stretching exercises for weight loss, it is important to remember to pre-warm up.

Muscle stretching for splits

To learn how to do longitudinal or transverse splits, you need to perform a set of the following exercises daily:

To do the splits for a beginner, you need to practice for a long time. Stretching should be done for 4-6 months to prepare the muscles and joints. Gradually you need to increase the duration of each exercise by an average of 5 seconds.

Exercises for stretching the back (spine)

Exercises for stretching the back muscles will relieve tension, get rid of pain and defects of the spine, and improve blood circulation.

Back stretching for beginners is represented by a set of the following exercises:

Post-workout muscle stretching for women and men

After training at home, stretching your legs is necessary to help tired muscles recover and rest faster, as well as to regulate blood flow. Stretching also helps consolidate the effect of the exercises that make up the complex.

Features of post-workout stretching:

• Minimum duration is 5 minutes. The optimal duration of such stretching is 12-15 minutes.
• The best option for post-workout exercises is static exercises.
• Partner stretching is not suitable for post-workout exercise as it puts additional pressure on the ligaments.
• It is very important to control your breathing while performing the entire set of exercises. Deep and even breathing helps you relax and restore strength faster.

Exercise options:

How to stretch your muscles while doing yoga

Stretching with yoga elements will help you achieve quick results. Yoga helps to relax muscles and joints, as well as strengthen them and make them elastic without injury or damage, so leg stretching exercises often include elements of yoga.

A set of stretching exercises with yoga elements:

1. Sit on the floor, bending your right leg under you. The left leg is pulled back, keeping it straight. Bend your torso forward, resting your elbows on the floor. Maintain the position for 25-30 seconds, then change legs.
2. Squat down, placing your legs at shoulder level. After bending forward, stretch your arms in front of you. They rest their palms on the floor with their heads bowed. Depending on the physical development The duration of the exercise can range from 30 to 50 seconds.
3. Lie on your back, raising your knees bent to chest level. Straight arms clasp the feet, fixing the position for 20-30 seconds.
4. In a sitting position, cross your legs. Hands move back slightly, touching the floor with your fingers. Lean forward a little to maintain balance. Remain in this position for 40-50 seconds.
5. In a sitting position, spread your legs with your knees to the sides and bring your feet together. They clasp their feet with their hands, performing a deep bend forward. At the same time, you need to press your elbows on your knees, pressing them to the floor. Fix the position for 20-30 seconds.
6. In a sitting position, bend the right leg at the knee, extending the left leg forward. They reach out with their hands to the outstretched leg, trying to clasp the foot with their palms. Fix the position for 20-30 seconds.
7. Sit down on your left knee, bending your other leg. Lean on your right leg, stretching your left back. Fix the final position for 20 seconds, after which the leg is changed.

The elements of yoga not only have a beneficial effect on the leg muscles. They allow you to relieve stress and fatigue at home while stretching your legs.

Regardless of whether stretching exercises are performed at home or in the gym, you need to remember basic safety rules. Violation of the stretching technique can result in serious muscle injury, which will make it impossible to do exercises of any degree of complexity.

Video about stretching leg muscles

Stretching complex at home:

Stretching for Beginners:

PROfit

Sports play a very important role in a person’s life. It is thanks to regular physical activity that all internal processes proceed normally, and the body remains strong and healthy for many years. Healthy image life and active pastime are becoming more and more popular every day, everything more people go to the gym and watch their diet. However, few people think that not only physical activity is important for the body, but also periodic muscle stretching. To get the maximum effect from your training, you need to alternate power loads with stretch.

Despite the fact that flexibility is largely a criterion for female beauty, men are also actively involved in stretching.

Stretching is a set of exercises whose main task is aimed at developing flexibility and mobility. But many men will have a question: why do we need it?

The well-known cyclist Armstrong noted that stretching directly affects: endurance (due to which muscles recover much faster after physical activity), joints (their capabilities increase significantly), and stretching is also used after injury for rehabilitation purposes. It is worth noting that this type of activity is included in training process professional athletes. But note that among them there are both women and men.

Anyone can learn to stretch, regardless of age or body flexibility. To do this, you do not need to be at the peak of physical development or have special sports skills. Whether you sit in an office all day or dig, do housework, drive a car, or regularly run in the morning, the same stretching techniques will work for you all. The exercises are performed easily and smoothly, in accordance with the individual level of muscle tension and flexibility. Therefore, if you are healthy and do not experience any physical problems, you will be able to learn to stretch without any risk and with pleasure.

The benefits of stretching.

As stated earlier, stretching is necessary to increase efficiency. strength training. The thing is that the muscles, being subjected to intense physical activity, overexert and overheat, which makes them stiffer and causes them to shorten. As a result, the muscles become less elastic, which significantly reduces the range of motion and reduces the effectiveness of the workout, and can also lead to injury due to decreased joint mobility. Stretching helps to get rid of back and lower back pain, it improves posture and relieves muscle pain that appears after an intense workout. By increasing muscle elasticity, blood circulation accelerates, and, consequently, all internal organs and tissues receive sufficient oxygen and nutrients, which has a positive effect on their condition and function. People who constantly stretch their muscles are always in high spirits and good mood, since their muscles are in constant tone. It should also be mentioned that stretching has a positive effect on coordination of movements and helps normalize blood pressure. In a word, if you want your body to be healthy, do not forget to include stretching in your set of mandatory exercises.

Stretching gives your brain a chance to relax and restores your body's rhythm, so it should become part of your Everyday life. Regular stretching has many benefits:

• reduces muscle tension and makes the body relax;
• develops coordination, allows you to move more freely and easily;
• expands the range of available movements;
• helps prevent injuries such as muscle strains (a strong, flexible, warm muscle can withstand tension better than a strong, stiff, and unstretched muscle);
• prepares you for physical activity and facilitates activities related to heavy loads; this is a kind of way to warn the muscles about the upcoming test;
• helps maintain the flexibility of your body and prevents a decrease in joint mobility;
• teaches you to feel your body: by stretching various parts of the body, you concentrate your attention on them and establish mental contact with them, thus gradually getting to know yourself;
• provides good health.

Muscle tone.

When doing stretching, the muscles become noticeably more elastic and are better supplied with oxygen due to increased blood flow. Static stretching training allows you to feel the work of each muscle, controlling tension, increasing your performance. You will learn to control your body better.

Benefits of stretching for muscles:

• stretching warms up the muscles, which will protect you from injuries (strains, micro-tears of muscle fibers);
• such exercises will launch muscle metabolism;
• tension will be replaced by static tone;
• if you use stretching after the main workout, it will help relieve fatigue, return the fibers to their previous state, and reduce painful sensations after strength training.

Strong ligaments and joints are an athlete's dream.

The ligamentous and joint apparatus will thank you for signing up for stretching lessons. The tendons will become more resilient, which a priori reduces the likelihood of injuries. Also, the body will become more resistant to stress and will recover faster from it.

The amplitude and range of motion of the joints will noticeably increase, stretching will also protect your body from untimely aging - prevention of salt deposition, the development of arthritis, arthrosis, etc.

Stretching will save you from physical inactivity, improve your posture and increase your love for life. After these classes, you will see your body again, love it and learn what it is really capable of.

Let's go to training, gentlemen!

Your personal trainer,

Many people have heard about the benefits of stretching. Experts recommend doing it after training. In addition, in sports it has formed into a separate direction, known as stretching. And even those who do not play sports should at least sometimes stretch to keep their body toned and healthy. This is especially true for those who work sedentary work and leads a sedentary lifestyle. Let's look at why stretching is needed for beginners at home, and what exercises it may include.

Stretching will also give you the following: advantages:

• muscle elasticity, joint health;
• minimizing the risk of injury;
• relieving muscle tension after physical activity;
• blood circulation will improve;
• the body will become more flexible, posture – straight;
• It will become easier for you to maintain balance and control your body;
• you will become more flexible and flexible, girls will gain grace and become more sexy.

Types of stretching

Stretching is divided into several types. They differ from each other in amplitude, duration of the lesson, as well as the time it is carried out - before or after the main training. You can choose any type you like, the main thing is regularity and effectiveness. So, there are the following types of stretching:

• Static. Very popular among athletes and yogis. Its essence is that, having stretched the muscles to the limiting position, you must stay there for 20 seconds. It is recommended to perform the exercises in several approaches, but if the pain is unbearable, you do not need to endure it.
• Dynamic. Dynamic stretching involves you being in constant motion. One of its simplest examples is a lunge forward and back with a constant change of legs. The effect can be enhanced if you increase the amplitude and distance between your legs. In fitness, this type of stretching is often alternated with strength exercises.
• Passive stretching. It is often performed with a partner—mostly an instructor or coach—who applies gradual effort. The passive partner must only inhale, exhale and relax.
• Active stretching. Classic stretching, in which you need to exert maximum effort to stretch the muscles. For example, you need to hold onto a support, lift one leg and strengthen the action using your hand.
• Ballistic stretch. This is a rather risky stretching option that is not suitable for beginners and is often practiced by fans of Japanese martial arts. Its essence is in fast, sharp and sweeping movements.

For beginners, static and dynamic stretching is suitable. You can also start with passive.

Stretching exercises for beginners require compliance with certain rules, because you should get maximum benefit and effectiveness from it, and not the opposite effect. The basic rule is that all movements must be performed smoothly, carefully and without jerking. Decide in advance which muscle group you will use and warm it up well to avoid injury.

At the beginning of the lesson, you need to pay as much attention to the muscles as possible in order to improve blood flow to their small fibers, which are very vulnerable.

• If you plan to practice at home, be sure to learn safety precautions to eliminate the risk of injury.
• If your goal in stretching is to do the splits, work not only your legs, but also your back. If it is constantly bent, the muscles will not be able to become elastic. Also keep in mind that when you stretch, you should not hold your breath, otherwise the body will suffer from lack of oxygen.
• The muscles should be as relaxed as possible during the stretching process. Also It is important to increase the training time and stretching amplitude each time. But this needs to be done gradually - mild pain is acceptable, but serious discomfort is contraindicated. You must learn to listen to your body and understand when to stop.
• If you work out in the gym in groups or master video stretching lessons for beginners, you don’t need to try at all costs to reach the indicators of the instructor or your neighbor on the mat. Each person’s flexibility level is different, and it also develops differently. Try to be better than you were yesterday, not better than someone else.
• Severe pain is an alarming symptom. It indicates that the load is not yet up to you, or that you are violating your execution technique.
• Don’t rush to start doing split stretches. This complex is always designed to improve the plasticity of the whole body, and not just the legs, as many people think.

Please note that stretching exercises have contraindications. These include hypertension, injuries and ruptures of tendons and muscles, diseases of the spine, arthritis and arthrosis, damage to the pelvic joints, as well as some problems at work of cardio-vascular system. If in doubt, consult your doctor first.

Stretching for beginners: an effective set of exercises

Stretching exercises for beginners at home don't have to be too difficult. It is better to start small, safely and comfortably increasing the load in the future. Let's consider one of the options for simple home complexes.

Popular myths about stretching

Before you start stretching, you need to learn as much as possible about it. There are many misconceptions about this type of activity. These include the following:

• Myth 1. Stretching requires special abilities. This may be true for professional athletes and gymnasts, but those who practice purely for themselves do not need any talents. It is enough to start doing the most simple lessons stretching for beginners, gradually increasing the load.
• Myth 2: It is impossible to start stretching as an adult. Many people believe that stretching exercises should begin in childhood, and that they are no longer available to adults. This is wrong. Yes, children are indeed more flexible and mobile in terms of joint mobility - it’s easier for them. However, in reality, you can start exercising at any age. Of course, you won’t do the splits right away from scratch - you’ll have to try, again, starting with light loads.
• Myth 3: Flexibility exercises always cause pain. This is fundamentally wrong. The pain can be mild and pleasant. Under no circumstances should you stretch to the point of serious discomfort - stop at the state of tension.
• Myth 4. Stretching will not make you lose weight. Actually it is possible. Of course, it does not burn as many calories as cardio, but, as with any physical activity, there is an energy expenditure. Accordingly, this promotes weight loss.

1. Exercise for the back “Cat”

Get on all fours. Smoothly arch your back up, then also smoothly bend it down. Hold each end position for a while.

2. Exercise for stretching the buttocks

Lie on your back. Bend one leg at the knee, pull the other towards your chest, keeping it as straight as possible.

Another exercise for the buttocks is to sit on the floor, bend one leg, and try to lean forward towards the other leg.

3. Calf stretch

While standing, lunge with one leg and bend your knee. Make sure that your feet are well pressed to the floor. Repeat the same for the other leg.

4. Exercise for the front of the thigh

In a standing position, bend one leg at the knee and pull it towards the buttock. Do the same for the other one.

5. Chest stretching exercises

For chest use the following simple exercises:

• Place your hands behind your back and lift them up in this position.
• Stand up straight, keep your back straight. Raise your hands up in the lock, begin to stretch.

6. Lateral thigh stretch

You need to sit down, bend one leg at the knee, and move the other to the sides. Now bend to the side. For the other side we repeat similar steps.

7. Ab exercise

Lie on your stomach with your hands on the floor. Lift up top part housings.

To get started, this complex will be enough. Over time, the load will become too light for you, and then you can begin to perform more complex stretching variations, increasing the load and amplitude.

Stretching for beginners on video

The complex proposed above is just one of the options. There are a large number of stretching exercises that are suitable for beginners. Stretching for beginners on video will help you learn more about it. Choose the most suitable complex for yourself, perform it regularly and follow safety precautions. Then you soon noticed that both your health and your figure are constantly changing for the better.

For some reason, it is believed that stretching is the prerogative of women. But meanwhile, stretching is also useful for men. It helps to get the maximum effect from training, relieve fatigue and improve sexual health. We'll tell you what stretching exercises men should do.

Leg stretching at home: exercises

Stretching is important for men. Feel free to do exercises after your main strength training: this is the way to beautiful relief and elastic muscles.

If you don't exercise, don't ignore stretching. It affects endurance, joint health and reduces the risk of injury.

Stretching will help relieve any pain and improve your mood. Stretching is especially important for men who have a sedentary job.

Stretching your legs helps relieve tension in the pelvic region, improves blood circulation and relieves back pain. Indicated for men of any age.

Anyone can start stretching, regardless of their physical training and areas of activity.

Make it a rule to do exercises at least a couple of times a week.

Let's tell you what leg stretching exercises you can do at home:

• Knee to chest.

Stand up straight. Grab your right leg with your hands and slowly pull it towards your chest. Freeze for 30 seconds.

Then move your leg back, grabbing your heel with your hands, and hold the pose for 30 seconds.

Repeat with the other leg.

• "Frog".

Sit on the mat, bend your knees. Feet on the floor. Spread your knees as far as possible, trying to place them on the floor. You can press lightly on your legs with your elbows.

Do the exercise dynamically or statically. Stay in this position for 30–45 seconds.

• "Frog" lying down.

The principle of the exercise is the same. Only this time lie on your back. Hold the position for 30–50 seconds.

• Cross twine.

Sit on the floor, spread your legs as far apart as possible. Bend your body and stretch forward, trying to reach your stomach to the floor.

• Lotus pose.

Sit on the mat. Take the lotus position: bend your knees, place the heel of your right foot under your left buttock, and your left under your right.

Spread your legs as wide as possible, pressing lightly with your elbows on your hips.

Hold the pose for at least 30 seconds.

• Ring.

Lunge onto your right leg as in the previous exercise.

Then put left leg on the floor, bend it at the knee and grab the toe with the opposite hand.

Turn your body to the right. Freeze for 30 seconds and change the position of your legs.

• Lunge.

Get on your knees. Right leg put forward.

Straighten your left leg and rise up, placing emphasis on your right leg, bent at an angle of 90°C. Make sure that your knee does not extend beyond your toe.

Freeze for 30 seconds, then change leg positions.

Perform these leg stretching exercises in clothing that does not restrict movement.

Like any sport, stretching needs to be approached wisely.

Most often, two techniques are used in stretching - dynamics and statics. The first method is characterized by a small, soft range of motion, for example, stretching your arms forward while stretching in a cross split. With statics, the body position is motionless.

Use these tips to help you get the maximum effect from stretching and avoid injury:

• Warm up.

Warming up the muscles - required condition when doing stretching.

If you have just finished a workout, then there is no need to warm up.

If you start stretching in free time, warm up your muscles well. To do this, take time to warm up and do some cardio.

Training time is at least 15 minutes.

• Don't overestimate your strength.

The main thing in stretching is a slow technique. Therefore, do not try to immediately spread your legs as far as possible, otherwise injuries are inevitable.

When performing exercises, you may only feel slight muscle tension, but not pain.

• Don't make sudden movements.

Stretches for beginners should be performed smoothly, without jerking.

Do you want to do a dynamic exercise? Watch for softness and range of motion.

• Control your time.

For maximum results When stretching, hold in one position for at least 30 seconds.

With each workout, increase the time by 5 seconds.

• Breathe correctly.

Many people forget about breathing when doing exercises. It is not right. Breathe through your nose, evenly and deeply.

• Exercise regularly.

If you think that you can stretch out in a week, then we hasten to disappoint you: this is impossible.

It will take at least a month to achieve tangible results. And that's on condition regular classes- 3–4 times a week for 15–20 minutes.

In addition to stretching your legs, take time to do other types of stretching. Stretch:

• Triceps.

Pull right hand forward, grab your wrist with your left, pull your hand to the left. Switch hands.

• Back and arms.

Bend your right arm at the elbow and move it back. Bend your left one at the elbow and place it behind your back. Try to lock your hands behind you.

Place your right hand on the top of your head and tilt your head to the right. Stretch your other arm down as far as possible. Repeat for the left side.

You learned how to do stretching for men at home.

Exercise regularly and you will soon feel how your physical and mental state has changed.