So here's a quick tip I just gave a patient this morning in the clinic:
If you are stretching your quads and want a deeper stretch, squeeze your glute muscles! Let me elaborate.
The quads is a group of four muscles at the front of your thigh. It's petty standard that most people who are stretching things out before or after a workout will at least briefly stretch this muscle group. Great! And also if you want to get more out of it, a squeeze of your glutes (those muscles also known as your butt) will do the trick to take your stretch to the next level. Your glutes are responsible for hip extension (think kicking the leg behind you) so by activating those muscles, they are pulling the front of your thigh back further than if you were just standing there passively while holding the stretch. That's what makes this so impactful. So next time you are doing a quick stretching session, keep this trick in mind!
How to stretch:
Stand near something to hold on to for balance if you need. Bend your knee so that you can grab your ankle. **If that's a challenge, hold on to a towel at both ends with it wrapped around your ankle to extend the length of your arm. Keep your knees aligned with each other, then tighten your glutes!
Hold 45 seconds. Perform twice on each leg.
Do you want more quick tips like this one? Leave a comment below and let me know what you'd like to know more about! I'd love to share my expertise on that topic.
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