Stretching is a vital as we all know to maintain flexibility and mobility yet many of us skip this essential part of our training for the sake of finishing a few minutes early!

So the next time you start or finish your work out, remember this - stretching also improves recovery from injury, helps to prevent stiffness and lengthens and elongates those muscles.....

And after all who doesn’t want leaner, longer legs?

Always remember, that a stretch should be gentle and should never go to the point of pain or discomfort!

Quad Stretch with the Band

Wrap the band around the foot and lay on your front, with one hand underneath your forehead, the other hand holding the band around the foot. Keep the knees together and push the pubic bone into the mat. Pull the heel towards the bottom as you breath out. Change sides

Top Tip

The more you push the pubic bone into the mat and keep the knees together the deeper the stretch in the quads. Remember to relax the shoulders.

Hamstring Stretch

Laying on the back with knees bent in Relaxation Position, bring one knee towards the chest and wrap the band around the foot. Holding the band quite close to either side of the foot, stretch the leg upwards towards the ceiling as you breath out. Keep the foot flexed and pull the elbows down towards the floor so that the shoulders don’t lift off the mat. Keep taking deep breaths in and out and keep the tail bone to the floor. Change sides.

Top Tip

For a deeper stretch, stretch the bent leg out along the mat and pull the band a little tighter so that the toes come towards you.

Mermaid Stretch

Sitting on the mat with the knees bent to one side and the front of the knees facing directly forward, pull the heels into the bottom with one hand. Then with the other hand reach over the body to the side, lifting up and over. Hold for a few seconds breathing in and out.

Bring the arm back, then leaning on that arm now push the hips off the floor and reach with the other arm to the opposite side. Hold again for a few moments and take deep breaths in and out. Change sides.

Top Tip

Make sure you are sitting on both bottom cheeks evenly and when you stretch lift out of your waist. When lifting the hips off the floor, really push them over to the opposite side you are stretching with your arm to feel a deeper stretch.