Leg day is always very taxing on your muscles and stretching is extremely important to promote blood flow, oxygen dispersion, and improve your recovery. That’s why it’s always best to stretch right after your workout, while your muscles are still warm and flexible, allowing you to go deeper into your poses.
Stretching your legs includes other areas of your body as well, especially your lower back, so you’ll definitely benefit from these stretches. Especially if the rest of your day is more sedentary.
Lunge to Twist
Low Lunge to Quadriceps Stretch
Standing Forward Fold to Twist
Lying Figure Four to Twist
Child’s Pose to Twist
Lunge to Twist
Start by placing your right foot in between your palms and stretching the left far behind you. Come high on the ball of your left foot and activate your quadriceps. Feel your kneecap lift and your entire leg elongate. Take a big inhale and gaze forward, feeling the stretch in your right hamstring. With every inhale try to elongate your left leg and with every exhale, try to go deeper into your stretch.
After three long breath cycles, leave your left palm on the floor and lift your right, shooting your arm straight into the sky and opening your palm to stretch your fingers. Gaze toward your fingers and send your shoulders away from your ears, creating space for your neck. With every inhale, stretch through your low body, with every exhale twist a little deeper. Stay for three inhales and exhales before returning to your lunge and doing everything on the other side.
Low Lunge to Quadriceps Stretch
Start in a runner’s lunge on your right side and bring your knee to the floor. Place your palms above your right knee and gently push down, feeling the stretch in your right hamstring and your left hip flexor. Breathe into the stretch and feel yourself getting deeper with each exhale.
After three inhales and exhales, place your left palm on the floor, bend your back leg and grab your foot with your right hand. Take a big inhale and on your exhale pull your left shin towards you, feeling the intense stretch in your left quadriceps. Breathe through the stretch and stay for three breath cycles. At the end of your last exhale, take a big inhale and then push your left foot into your right hand, opening the front part of your body and getting deeper into your left hip flexor.
Stay for at least three long inhales and exhales and then slowly release the back foot, reset, and repeat everything with your left leg forward.
Standing Forward Fold to Twist
Come to a standing position with your feet separated hip-width distance. Take a big inhale, slightly bend your knees, and begin rolling down towards the floor. Keeping your legs mostly straight and only slightly bent, relax your torso and grab your elbows. Gently sway side to side and feel your lower back extend. With every exhale, feel the stretch in your hamstrings get deeper. After your third exhale, relax your arms and let them dangle.
Bend your left leg and place your right palm on the floor. Lift your left arm straight into the sky and feel the stretch in your right leg, all the way from your hip to your heel. Keep pushing your palm into the floor and growing tall through your left arm, shooting it as high as it will go. Stay here for at least three long inhales and exhales, then repeat everything on the other side.
Lying Figure Four to Twist
Lie on your mat and bring both knees into your chest, hugging them tightly and feeling your lower back relax. Place your left foot on the floor close to your sitting bones and bring your right shin perpendicular to your left, placing your right foot above your left knee. Grab your left thigh and pull your left leg towards your chest. You’ll feel an intense stretch in your right hip and if you want to take it further, use your right elbow to push your knee out.
Stay here for three long inhales and exhales and then let your right foot slide over to your left, touching the floor. Drop both knees to the left and gaze to the right, coming into your twist. Stay here for as long as it feels comfortable, breathing deeply and getting juicy with your twist. On your last exhale, slowly come back to the center and switch legs.
Child’s Pose to Twist
Come to a kneeling position and separate your knees wide, almost to the edges of your mat. Extend your arms in front of you and let your torso come long in between your thighs. Feel your lower back extend and your hips open. Stay for at least three long inhales and exhales and at the end of your last exhale, gaze forward and lift your hips.
Lift your right arm and thread it under your left, pushing your left palm into the floor. You can choose how deep you want to go so listen to your body and make necessary modifications by shifting more forward or back depending on what feels good and what doesn’t. Stay for three long inhales and exhales before coming back to child’s pose and switching your arms.
Leg days can be really tough on the body and these stretches will undoubtedly help. And in case you needed some extra help, here are the best exercises to help you warm up for your lower body sessions.
