One of my fitness goals for 2020 is to increase my flexibility. I set this goal for myself last year but because I kept that goal pretty vague and broad, I wasn't able to fully commit. This year, I've narrowed it down a bit. Rather than just increasing flexibility in general, I want to be able to do a split.
Part of doing a split is having loose hips. I've always struggled with tight hips. Because a large portion of my job right now is to sit for long periods of time, my hip flexors can get super tight. With the increase in stationary jobs, I wanted to give you some great ideas on how to loosen those hip flexors for healthier hips.
Single-Leg Lunge
Placing your back knee onto the chair, firmly place your front foot on the floor. Slowly and gently move forward and shift your hips until you can feel a stretch in the front of your hip. Hold for about 30 seconds and reverse.
Modified Single-Leg Lunge
Place your front foot on the chair and your back foot firmly on the floor. Gently press forward until you feel a stretch in your back hip flexor. Hold for about 30 seconds and reverse.
Quad Stretch
You want to focus on loosening the whole front of the leg so do a gentle quadriceps stretch, holding for about 30 seconds each side.
Hamstring Stretch
Balance out the front and back of your legs by doing a quick and gentle hamstring stretch. Flex your foot forward and lean forward until you feel a stretch down the whole back of your leg. Hold for 30 seconds and reverse.
Seated Hip Stretch
Cross one ankle over the other knee, keeping your foot flexed. Keeping your back tall and straight, gently stretch forward and hold for about 30 seconds, then reverse.
These stretches are perfect for loosening your legs and hips. I've done these stretches consistently for almost a week and I can already feel the difference they have made. I hope these stretches help you at work or at home after sitting for long periods of time.
Until next time,
Amanda
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