Best Stretching Exercises for Better Flexibility

Standing Hamstring Stretch

• Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, arms by your sides.
• Exhale as you bend forward at the hips, lowering your head toward floor, while keeping your head, neck and shoulders relaxed.
• Wrap your arms around backs of your legs and hold anywhere from 45 seconds to two minutes.
• Bend your knees and roll up when you're done.
  

  Piriformis Stretch

  The piriformis muscle is a deep internal hip rotator, located on the outside of the butt. "Stretching this muscle can prevent potential future sciatica, or help treat it."
• Sit on the floor with both legs extended in front of you.
• Cross your right leg over your left, and place your right foot flat on the floor.
• Place your right hand on the floor behind your body.
• Place your left hand on your right quad or your left elbow on your right knee (as shown) and press your right leg to the left as you twist your torso to the right.
• If the spinal rotation bothers your back, take it out and simply use your left hand to pull your right quad in and to the left.

  
  

   

  Lunge With Spinal Twist

  
  
  
  Atkins notes that this stretch is commonly referred to as the World's Greatest Stretch (WGS) in the fitness community. And for good reason "It helps open your hips and improve thoracic (mid-back) mobility," he tells SELF.
• Start standing with your feet together.
• Take a big step forward with your left foot, so that you are in a staggered stance.
• Bend your left knee and drop into a lunge, keeping your right leg straight behind you with your toes on the ground, so you feel a stretch at the front of your right thigh.
• Place your right hand on the floor and twist your upper body to the left as you extend your left arm toward the ceiling.
• Hold for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
• Repeat on the other side.

  Triceps Stretch

• Kneel, sit, or stand tall with feet hip-width apart, arms extended overhead.
• Bend your right elbow and reach your right hand to touch the top middle of your back.
• Reach your left hand overhead and grasp just below your right elbow.
• Gently pull your right elbow down and toward your head.
• Switch arms and repeat.
  

  Frog Stretch

  "Most of us sit and cross our legs, which can lead to tight hips and result in lower-back pain,".This stretch directly target tights spots in the hips/groin and is especially useful for runners."
  

  • Start on all fours.
  • Slide your knees wider than shoulder-width apart.
  • Turn your toes out and rest the inner edges of your feet flat on the floor.
  • Shift your hips back toward your heels.
  • Move from your hands to your forearms to get a deeper stretch, if possible.
  • Hold for for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
    
    
     

    • Butterfly Stretch

    • Sit tall on the floor with the soles of your feet together, knees bent out to sides.
    • Hold onto your ankles or feet, engage your abs, and slowly lower your body toward your feet as far as you can while pressing your knees toward the floor.
    • If you're too tight to bend over, simply press your knees down.
    • Hold this stretch for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
    
    
    

    Side Bend Stretch

  • Kneel on the floor with your legs together, back straight, and core tight.
  • Extend your left leg out to the side. Keep it perpendicular to your body (not in front or behind you).
  • Extend your right arm overhead, rest your left arm on your left leg, and gently bend your torso and right arm to the left side.
  • Keep your hips facing forward.
  • Hold this stretch for 30 seconds to 2 minutes.
  • Repeat on the other side.
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