1. Standing Calf Stretch
This simple move gets blood flowing, which helps prevent that tight, stiff feeling nobody likes. This stretch will make movements like walking, jogging, and squatting feel smoother and more comfortable.
How to:
- Find a vertical surface. (Any wall works fine.)
- With one leg on the ground, put your toes on your other leg up on the surface while keeping your heel on the ground.
- Keeping your foot in place, slowly lean forward until you feel a comfortable stretch in your calf.
2. Hamstring Sweeps
If you’ve ever felt a little tight or stiff in the back of your legs during a workout, your hamstrings are trying to tell you something! This stretch helps prevent strains, increases your flexibility, and can make movements like running and squatting feel much smoother and more powerful.
How to:
- Keep one leg on the ground and kick the other behind you. (You can also keep your back leg on the ground if you need it for balance.)
- Keeping your back flat, bend your back knee and hinge at your hips, “sweeping” your hands down toward your front foot.
- Stand back up and immediately switch legs, repeating the sweeping motion on the other side.
3. Pass-Throughs
How to:
The pass-through is like a magic eraser for shoulder stiffness. This light exercise helps increase blood flow, improves your range of motion, and gets your shoulders ready to work, which is key for preventing injuries.
- Grab a resistance band. (A broom handle could work at home.)
- Stand up tall and hold the band with a wide grip, keeping your arms straight out in front of you. Your hands should be wider than your shoulders.
- Keeping your arms straight, slowly lift the band up and over your head in a big arc.
- Slowly reverse the movement, bringing the band back up and over your head to the starting position.
