1-SHOULDER OVER AND BACK
PERFORM 15 REPS
Hold a band, dowel, yardstick, or light bar in front of your hips with hands outside shoulder width. Keeping your elbows straight, raise your arms overhead and behind your body as far as you can. Bring them back in front of you again. Continue going over and back and gradually narrow your grip as you feel your shoulders loosen up.
2-HIP HINGE
PERFORM 15 REPS
Place your hands on your hips and stand with feet hip width. Push your hips back, bending your knees only as needed, until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Squeeze your glutes as you forcefully push your hips forward again to stand up straight.
3-OVERHEAD SQUAT
PERFORM 10 REPS
Hold a band, dowel, yardstick, or light bar overhead with hands outside shoulder width. Stand with feet shoulder width and toes turned out slightly. Bend your hips back and squat as low as you can without letting your tailbone tuck under. Keep the object you’re holding above and slightly behind your head the whole time—don’t let it drift in front of you.
4-SIDE LUNGE
PERFORM 10 REPS ON EACH LEG
Stand with feet hip width and step out to your left. Lower your body until your left knee is bent 90 degrees, or until you feel a stretch in the right side of your groin, but keep your right leg straight. Repeat on the right side.
5-BENTOVER YTW
PERFORM 8 REPS OF EACH
Stand with feet shoulder width and bend your hips back, keeping your lower back flat, until your torso is about 45 degrees to the floor. Let your arms hang. Now squeeze your shoulder blades together and raise your arms up and out to your sides about 45 degrees to form a Y shape. Lower them and then raise them out to your sides 90 degrees to form a T.
Lower and then raise them out to your sides, but bend your elbows 90 degrees to form a W.
6-CAT/CAMEL
PERFORM 10 REPS
Kneel on the floor with knees under your hips and hands beneath your shoulders. Arch your back so your chest rises—you should look like a cat stretching. Now round your entire back so it looks like a camel’s hump.
7-BIRD DOG
PERFORM 10 REPS ON EACH SIDE
From the kneeling position, extend your left hand out in front of you. Simultaneously kick your right leg back straight, bracing your core and squeezing your glutes as you do so. Hold for a moment and then switch legs.
8-HIP CIRCLE
MAKE 10 CLOCKWISE CIRCLES AND THEN SWITCH LEGS; REPEATON BOTH LEGS IN THE COUNTERCLOCKWISE DIRECTION
From the kneeling position, raise your right knee off the floor and make circles with it, opening your hip as much as possible on each revolution. Keep your shoulders square to the floor.
9-GROINER
PERFORM 10 REPS ON EACH SIDE
Get into pushup position with your hands shoulder width, feet close together, and body in a straight line. Jump your left foot forward and land it to the outside of your left hand. Let your hips sink a bit to feel the stretch and then reverse it—jump your left foot back while the right one comes up to your right hand.
At this point, it’s wise to statically stretch muscles that you know to be chronically tight. For most people, the hips, glutes, and lats are bound up due to many hours sitting at desks in front of computers, but stretch whatever areas you feel need it most. Hold each stretch for 30 seconds and repeat for three sets on each side. The following are some suggestions.
HIP FLEXOR STRETCH
Get into lunge position on the floor with your right leg back. Place your hands on your hips and push your hips forward until you feel a stretch in your right hip. Squeeze your glutes on your right side. For a more intense stretch, reach your right arm overhead and lean back slightly while keeping your hips forward. Another progression is to reach back and grasp the outside of your rear foot and gently pull it off the floor. You’ll feel the stretch go into the top of your thigh.
LAT STRETCH
Grasp a sturdy upright object with your left hand, thumb facing up, and bend your hips back until your torso and arm are in line and you feel a stretch in your lat. Move gently from side to side so you stretch the entire muscle.
PEC STRETCH
Place the meat of your right forearm against a sturdy upright object (a doorframe is perfect) and bend your elbow 90 degrees. Gently lean forward so you feel a stretch on your pec.
PIRIFORMIS STRETCH
Sit on a bench and cross your left leg over your right knee, bending your left knee 90 degrees. Gently push your left knee down so you feel a stretch on the outside of your left glutes.
CALF STRETCH
Place your hands against a wall and stagger your feet so one is close to the wall and your rear leg is straight. Both feet face forward and your rear leg should be aligned with your upper body. Lean forward until you feel your calf stretch on your trailing leg.
