How to Increase Flexibility

Muscle stretching, even though it is done by those who workout regularly is not a thing which is always in the limelight. Everyone talks about cardio and aerobics and weight training, but muscle stretching is seldom talked about. When, in fact muscle stretching plays a significant role in retaining the suppleness and toning of our muscles. In addition to that, those who indulge in heavy workouts, it is essential for them to do stretching as a warm up and cooling session to avoid injuries. Want to know how to increase flexibility? Let's get on with the warm up!

Flexibility Exercises
One of the most basic steps to increase flexibility is to do some stretching exercises. You need not stretch a lot, a few basic stretches will be just fine. So are we all geared to do those stretching exercises and know how to improve flexibility.

Calf Stretch

• You would need to take support of a wall for this. Stand around 2 to 3 feet away from the wall.
• Put your hands against the wall around shoulder level, for supporting your weight.
• Bend your elbows, thus leaning towards the wall, till you feel a stretch in the back of your calves.
• While doing this keep your body erect, knees straight and the hips forward.
• Do not let your heels move rise up from the ground and avoid bending at the waist.
• What you can also do is alternate the position of the foot by turning the feet outward, stretching, then inward and repeating the stretch.

Thigh - Anterior Part

• Stand in an erect position, holding one to a wall or chair with one arm.
• Now with the free hand, hold the instep of the same foot- (if the right hand is free grab the right foot).
• Pull the heel of the foot behind you in the direction of your buttocks.
• Do not let your knee come forward, keep it back.
• Do not bend or lean while doing this stretch.

Thighs - Inner Part

• Sit on the floor, and have a erect stature.
• Get the soles of your feet together.
• Stop when they are around 2 feet away from your body.
• Then place your hands on your knees and slowly push towards the floor.
• Gradually bend forward and try and touch your nose to your feet.

All these above exercises contribute to the solution for how to increase flexibility in legs. Let's look at some more exercises when it comes to how to increase flexibility.

Pilates Exercise

• Sit up straight, with your legs extended in front of you, around shoulder width apart.
• Stretch your arms wide on your sides in line with your shoulders.
• Now inhale and turn your whole torso, using your abs for keeping your hips even.
• Now follow your back hand, while reaching your little finger of your front hand, by stretching forward across the outer end of the opposite foot.
• Exhale, as you stretch further.
• Once you stretch till the farthest point, stay in the turned position and return to sitting while you inhale.
• Again, exhale and undo your turn getting back to the original position.
• This is called saw and it will be good to do this thrice on each side.

Now this one, the last one is going to get you rid of the doubt as to how to increase flexibility in hips.

Hip Stretching

• Lie on your back, knees bent and feet flat, on the ground or floor.
• Bend the right knee, till the thigh is perpendicular to the ground. You can drop the shin, no problem.
• Now get your left knee up, rotating your left leg outward, at the hip. Rest your left ankle on the right thigh just above the knee .
• Follow that by taking your right hand outside the right thigh.
• Thread the left hand through the opening created as a result of crossing the left leg over your right.
• Get your hands together behind the thigh.
• Press your left thigh open using your left elbow and simultaneously pull the right thigh in the direction of your chest, with your hands.
• After all these acrobatics, I am sure you are going to feel a good stretch, in the portion of our left hip on the outer side.
• Hold this for 30 seconds and then repeat on the other side and remember to breathe deeply into the stretch.

These were some of the stretching exercises which are good for increasing flexibility. However, these are not the only ones, there are many more, which as you go along you would know more about how to increase flexibility quickly.

At the end, how to increase flexibility also involves a good, healthy diet, drinking lots of water and most of all, starting slow and not going too much beyond your physical limits. So that's it and this is where I stop stretching my words!

Take Care!