Strength Training vs Cardio: Which Is Better?

Everyone wants to have a flexible body but does not know how to achieve the same. Some still believe flexibility is just for sportspersons and gymnasts. However, it is not. A person with a desk job also needs to be equally flexible to avoid muscular tension.

Doing simple flexibility exercises improves blood flow to the joints and organs. This, in turn, reduces the risks of injuries and muscle spasms or strains. In this write-up, you will get 26 different kinds of exercises that can enhance flexibility.

The following section is divided into two sections, one for beginners and the other for intermediate or experts.

Most of the exercises to increase flexibility includes stretching. So, with your daily workout, mix some of these exercises to relax your muscles.

1. Standing Side Stretch

Muscles involved: Intercostal muscles

This is a basic exercise. Keep your feet together and lift your arms overhead. Now, clasp your fingers and bend your upper body to either side. Continue breathing normally and stay in the same position for 5-10 seconds. Return to your starting position and do the same on the opposite side.

2. Standing Quad Stretch

Muscles involved: Thighs

One of the easiest exercises to improve flexibility is a standing quad stretch. Here you need to stand straight, then lift and hold one foot behind you. Now you need to pull your foot upwards. When you feel the stretch, hold it for 5-10 seconds. Repeat the same with your other foot.

3. Standing Hamstring Stretch

Muscles involved: Hamstrings, neck, back, glutes, and calves

Another easy stretching exercise is to stand straight with your hands by your side, and your knees slightly bent. Lean forward while keeping your head, neck and shoulders relaxed. Slowly wrap your arms around your legs and stay in this position for a minimum of 40-45 seconds.

4. Seated Hamstring Stretch

Muscles involved: hamstring, feet, and shoulder

This exercise for flexibility and strength relaxes all your leg muscles. To do this, you must sit upright, extend one leg and fold the other, and ensure the feet are touching your inner thighs. Then you try to reach your ankle and pull your toe towards your body. Hold this position for a while, and then repeat this same with your other leg.

5. Standing Calf Stretch

Muscles involved: Calves

To do this stretching at home, you need to stand at least 3 feet away from a wall with your hands on it. Now, keep your right foot behind with heels touching the ground and then lean forward. Stay in this posture for a few seconds, then relax and repeat this set.

6. Shoulders Stretch

Muscles involved: Shoulders

While standing, hold one of your elbows with the opposite hand. Then slowly pull the elbow across your chest. Hold the stretch for a few seconds, and then repeat the same on the other elbow.

7. Forward Hang

Muscles involved: Neck, back, hips, and glutes

Stand straight with your feet slightly apart, bend your knees, and then lock fingers behind your back. Extend your arms while inhaling. On exhaling, bend at your waist and extend your hands toward your head. Keep stretching for at least 5 seconds, then come back to your starting position.

8. Split Squat

Muscles involved: Glutes, pelvic, calves and hips

From standing upright, keep your right foot in front and hands intertwined under your ribs. Take a long step as if you were making lunges. While keeping the upper body straight, lower down until it touches the floor. Push yourself back up and keep doing it by switching the legs.

9. Back Stretch

Muscles involved: Back, shoulders and stomach

Lay down on your stomach, and keep your feet slightly at a distance. Inhale and lean backwards, creating a curve. After staying in this position for a few seconds, return to the starting position. Repeat this exercise to strengthen your back.

10. Butterfly Groin Stretch

Muscles involved: Groin, inner thighs and pelvis

Sit straight on the ground and bend your knees to touch the feet together. Now try pulling them towards your groin, then with gentle pressure on your knees, put them down. You will experience the stretch on the inner thigh and groin area. Repeat this once to loosen up muscles in that region.

1. Piriformis Stretch

Muscles involved: Back and pelvis

These stretching exercises for flexibility are a little more complicated than the previous ones. Sit on the ground with both legs extended. Now, cross your right leg over the left. Place your right foot flat and the same hand on the floor behind your body. Now rest your left elbow on your right knee. Twist to your right and press your right leg to the left.

2. Lunge With Spinal Twist

Muscles involved: Back, quad and flexors

Stand straight and then step forward as you are in a staggered stance. Then bend your left knee and drop it as you do in lunges. The leg behind your back must be kept straight, and your toes touch the ground. Then you need to place your right hand on the floor and twist your torso to the left while extending your left arm upwards. After holding this pose for 30 seconds, repeat on the other side.

3. Figure Four Stretch

Muscles involved: Hips, glutes, lower back, hamstrings

Lie on your left side and rest your head on your arm. Fold your right knee and move your hip towards your chest without lifting it off the ground. Now, bend your left knee and hold your left foot. If you cannot reach your hands, use a strap. Keep your leg, and the upper body remains in line when you are trying to touch the ground with your shoulder blade.

4. Triceps Stretch

Muscles involved: Neck, shoulders, back and triceps

Among the upper body flexibility exercises, this one is the most common. You can kneel, stand or sit with feet and hips-width apart and arms overhead. Bend your right elbow and touch the top-middle of your back. Then reach your right elbow by the left hand and gently pull it towards your head. Hold and keep breathing, then change your sides.

5. 90/90 Stretch

Muscles involved: Hips

Bend your knees at 90 degrees, calf perpendicular to your body while the sole facing to your left. Bend and place your left knee on the left side, and your foot faces behind you, so your foot muscles are tightened. Keep your right hip on the floor, and move the other side as close as possible. Attempt to hold this position for 30 seconds, and then repeat the same on the other side.

6. Frog Stretch

Muscles involved: Hips and inner thighs

Get down on both hands and knees, then spread your knees wider than the shoulder gap. The next step is to turn your toes and other inner edges of your feet flat on the floor. Try shifting the hips towards your heels. After mastering this position, try with your forearms for a deeper stretch. Keep stretching in this position for at least 30 seconds.

7. Seated Shoulder Squeeze

Muscles involved: Upper back, chest and shoulders

Sit on the floor with your feet flat on the ground, and hold your hands behind your back. Then straighten and extend your arms in such a manner that it presses the shoulder blades together. Hold this stretch for 3 seconds, then do it 5 to 10 times.

8. Side Bend Stretch

Muscles involved: Inner thighs, groin, hips, and obliques

By keeping your back straight, kneel and core tight, and extend your left leg to one side. Make sure your legs are perpendicularly bent at the back. Lift your right arm overhead and rest the left arm on the left leg. Now, slowly bend your torso to the left side. Stay in this position for 30 seconds and then repeat the same on the other.

9. Lunging Hip Flexor Stretch

Muscles involved: Hips, glutes and thighs

Kneel on your left and place your right foot on the floor, just in front of the knee bent. Stretch forward so that it can impact your hips. Contract your hips to stretch more. You can hold onto this pose for 30 seconds, then switch and repeat the same flexibility exercise.

10. Lying Pectoral Stretch

Muscles involved: Chest and shoulders

Make a ‘T’ shape with your body, lie down on the floor and extend your arms on the side of your head. Push off the ground with one hand, bend the same knee to get some balance, and then roll in the opposite direction. With more practice, your body will increase mobility and help you stretch more.

11. Knee to Chest Stretch

Muscles involved: Hamstrings, lower back and hips

Another easy but highly impactful flexibility exercise is this stretching. Lie on your back, and pull your left knee into your chest. Remember to keep the other leg straight and the lower back fixed to the ground. Hold one leg for at least 30 seconds, then put it on rest and repeat the same with the other leg. Once both legs are done separately, bend them together and repeat the same position.

12. Lying Quad Stretch

Muscles involved: Quads

This is similar to the quad stretch. The only difference here is that you must do the same by lying on the ground. Lay down on any one side and keep the bottom leg straight. Bend the other one so that it touches your hips. Try not to move while you are in this position. After holding the pose, change the sides and repeat this stretching.

13. Sphinx Pose

Muscles involved: Chest, shoulders, and lower back

One of the best flexibility exercises is doing the sphinx pose. Lie down on your stomach and make sure to align your shoulders with your elbows. Now with the support of your forearms, lift your upper body. Make sure your belly remains touched down. Try contracting your hips and thighs as you lengthen your spine and keep your shoulders relaxed.

14. Extended Puppy Pose

Muscles involved: Glutes, back and shoulders

Again, get down on your hands and knees and slowly move your arms forward while curling up your toes. Push your hips up but halfway back towards the heels. Maintain the straight arms by keeping them pushed against the floor. When you feel a stretch, hold on to that position for a while, then get back to the relaxed position and repeat once more.

15. Pretzel Stretch

Muscles involved: Glutes, quads, hips, back and obliques

Lie on your left side and rest your head on your arm. Fold your right knee and move your hip towards your chest without lifting it off the ground. Now, bend your left knee and hold your left foot. If you cannot reach your hands, use a strap. Keep your leg in that position and make sure that your upper body remains in line when you are trying to touch the ground with your shoulder blade.

16. Reclining Bound Angle Pose

Muscles involved: Inner thighs, groin and hips

In this exercise, you need to lie on your back. Gently put your soles together and let the knees open up. Try to move it closer to the floor to get more stretched out. As per your convenience, stay in this position for as long as possible, then slowly move back to the starting position.

The major benefit of doing physical activities is that it prevents injuries, backache and issues with body balance. Regularly stretching and doing other exercises improves and regulates blood flow.

Here are the benefits of combining correct stretching methods with other workouts.

• Enhances your performance in every kind of physical activity
• Reduces risks of getting injured
• Improves joint movement
• Boosts blood flow to all organs and joints
• Impacts on muscular movements
• Improves daily functional activities

Doing flexibility exercises on a daily basis can improve several health aspects. However, there are certain scenarios when one must refrain from doing these exercises. 

The list below highlights some instances when you should avoid stretching exercises.

• People with a knee or any joint injury.
• Someone with acute muscle or ligament strain.
• Those with a nerve injury.
• An individual who had surgery and still recovering.
• A person when suffering from a muscle spasm.

Although doing flexibility exercises at home looks very harmless, some of them do require proper guidance. Therefore, those who can get a trainer or a healthcare supervisor while stretching or exercising. Others can carefully understand the correct technique before beginning.

Following are certain safety measures you can take while doing these exercises.

• Start with a brief but effective warm-up session to avoid muscle stiffness.
• Do stretching exercises until you have reached a point of tightness but never force it beyond your comfort level.
• Stretch slowly, do not hurry while stretching.
• Remember never to bounce or create any jerk when stretching.
• Concentrate on breathing naturally. Never hold your breath.

Some of these flexibility exercises can be done while warming up, while others can be done when cooling down. However, it remains a mandate that these must be done by combining with other forms of exercises. This is because only stretching cannot effectively promote flexibility in your body.