The Three Stretches I Make (Almost) Everyone Do
Oh, stretching, what a love/hate relationship I have with it. On the one hand, I find it boring and don’t like it. On the other, it keeps me healthy and it’s absolutely necessary, kind of like going to the dentist. It should come as no surprise to you that I have spent a great deal of time and energy figuring which ones are useful and which ones can be thrown out with this morning’s eggshells. Since you don’t have time for that, I’m going to share with you the three stretches that will help you the most.*
The Hip Flexor Stretch. This is number one for a variety of reasons. The first is that the hip flexors are chronically tight in most people. These people sit in their chairs to eat breakfast, sit in their cars to drive to work (remember commuting?) sit in their chairs to work, and so on. As a result these muscles get short and tight and there are two main consequences. First, your low back tends to arch more. Why? The hip flexors are pulling your trunk forward. To stop you from doing a faceplant, you need to bring the torso back to vertical. Since your body isn’t stupid, it does this automatically by using the muscles in your low back to get the job done. Congratulations! If you leave this chronically unresolved, you can say hello to back pain. The second consequence is that you’re unable to fully extend your hips (bring the thigh bone backwards.) “But, you fiendishly witty yet also devilishly handsome trainer,” you’re probably thinking, “who cares if I can’t extend my hips all the way?” Well, if you don’t plan on running, jumping, squatting, deadlifting, throwing a punch or kick, or doing anything even remotely athletic then you’re correct, it doesn’t matter. However, because you’re reading this expertly written article, you probably do care about those things. Therefore, this stretch is just what you need.
OK, I’ve prattled on long enough. You’re most likely begging me to shut up about the why and get to the how. First, you’ll need a wall and a yoga block or a towel or two. Go over to the wall and put your right foot flat against it with your toe touching the ground. Next, under your right knee, place the yoga block or very folded up towel. The idea is to have the knee a few inches off the ground and resting on something soft yet solid. Now put your left foot out in front of you so that your knee is at a 90 degree angle, shin vertical. Great, you’re set up. Here’s the fun part. Simultaneously push your right heel into the wall, your right knee into the yoga block, brace your abs like you’re about to get a hit from Mike Tyson, and push your hips forward. You should feel an intense stretch on the front of your right hip/top of your thigh and your right butt cheek should be so tight it’s almost cramping. Hold this for 30 seconds. Then repeat with the left leg.
The Pec Stretch. Similar to the hip flexors, these poor darlings are chronically tight mainly because people spend their time doing what I’m doing right now: sitting at a computer working. All that time with your arms in front of you and turned inward means that your pecs will end up short and tight, making putting your arm over your head a lot harder than it needs to be. And if you can’t get the arm overhead because the pec is tight, your brilliant body will find another way, usually arching your back or shrugging the shoulder up. All of this spells unnecessary pain and misery for your shoulder, which makes putting things on the top shelf an ordeal.
To fix this, the pec stretch is a must. Find yourself a door frame or any other sturdy, vertical surface. Take your right forearm and put it against the frame. Your elbow should be about even with your chin. Now squeeze your shoulder blades together like there’s a lemon you’re trying to get all the juice out of. Finally, brace your abs for Mike Tyson again and take a step forward with your left foot, making sure your hips stay squared off. If you feel an intense stretch on the outside of the right of your chest, you’re doing it right. Hold this for 30 seconds, then repeat with the left side.
The Hanging Lat Stretch. Complicit in the arm being unable to move overhead ordeal are tight lats. They and the pecs both help turn the arm inward. In addition to that, the lats also bring the arm down and backwards. Imagine throwing a basketball straight down onto the floor and you’ll see what I mean. Much of the same problems that come from tight pecs will also happen with tight lats. Fortunately, there’s an extremely simple fix for this.
The hanging lat stretch seems to do the best job I’ve seen of getting the lats to relax. It’s also the simplest stretch I know of. Find a pull-up bar. Jump up and grab the bar. Hang with your feet off the ground. Now, focus on keeping your shoulders pulled down and back. Imagine trying to push your chest toward the wall in front of you. Once again, brace your abs for Iron Mike. Do that for 30 seconds and enjoy the new freedom of movement in your shoulders.
This list is for the average Joe or Jane short on time who needs to undo the sitting they’ve done before their workout. It’s by no means exhaustive and there are certain people (usually the injured) to whom this doesn’t apply. However, if you’re main concern is getting the most bang for your buck, these are the big three you should do. Stretching may be odious to some, but like paying your taxes, it’s necessary if you don’t want to hell to pay later.
*While the stretching part is important, it’s only half of the equation. The other is to strengthen the opposite muscle group. For example, if your hip flexors are tight, you need to strengthen your glutes and abs; if your pecs are tight, you need to strengthen your rhomboids, serratus, and low traps; if your lats are tight, you need to strengthen your serratus, low traps, and delts.
