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 TABLE OF CONTENTS
Contents
Disclaimer
Introduction
Warm-up
Joint rotations
Aerobic activity
Static stretching
Dynamic stretching
Duration of the stretch
Breath control
Synergy
Dynamic stretching
Forward Leg Swing
Sideways Leg Swing
Bent-over Torso Twist
Yin & Yang
Backward bend with the toe touch
Sideways bend
Tai chi waist turner
Beach ball
Buckets of sand
Towel
 Hindu pushup stretch
Tablemaker
Kneeling back bend
Rowing
Dynamic split exercise
Guidelines for increasing flexibility
Perform early morning stretching
Daily routine
Static stretches
Neck extensor stretch
Neck extensor rotation stretch
Neck flexor stretch
Neck rotation stretch
Shoulder flexor stretch
Shoulder adductor, protractor, and elevator stretch
Shoulder adductor, elevator, and protractor stretch
One-arm shoulder flexor stretch
Shoulder adductor and extensor stretch
Wrist extensor stretch
Finger flexor stretch
Finger extensor stretch
Lower-trunk flexor stretch
Seated lower-trunk extensor stretch
Standing lower-trunk lateral flexor stretch
Standing lower-trunk flexor stretch
Seated hip external rotator and hip extensor stretch
 Hip external rotator stretch
Recumbent hip external rotator and hip extensor stretch (crossed leg)
Hip external rotator and back extensor stretch
Hip extensor and back extensor stretch
Standing bent-knee hip adductor stretch
Seated hip adductor stretch
Standing knee flexor stretch
Seated knee flexor stretch
Raised-leg knee flexor stretch
Seated knee flexor and hip adductor stretch
One-leg kneeling knee extensor stretch
One-leg standing hip flexor and knee extensor stretch
Single plantar flexor stretch
Double plantar flexor stretch
Joint rotations for loosening and preparing of the joints
Wrist and elbow
Ankles
Knees
Hips
Neck
Shoulders
 Disclaimer:

The material in this book is for informational purposes only. You should use
proper discretion, in consultation with a health care practitioner, before
undertaking the exercises and techniques described in this book. The author
and publisher expressly disclaim responsibility for any adverse effects that
may result from the use or application of the information contained in this
book.
Introduction:

Flexibility and joint mobility is crucial for martial arts as well as general
well-being and health. Some martial arts techniques require a type of
flexibility that the average Joe doesn’t possess. An obvious example is the
high/head kick. If you can’t reach the head of your opponent with your
shin/foot you will obviously never be able to perform and master that specific
technique. Your balance is also connected to your flexibility. The more
flexible your leg and groin area is, the more you can lean into the kick, which
helps both your balance and the leverage of the kick. Therefore, the kicks
become stronger and faster, and your reaction time after the execution of the
kick increases. Unless it’s a fight-ending kick, you need to be very aware of
what is happening after the kick has landed, and even if it is a fight-ending
kick, you could be facing multiple attackers.

Being flexible is also very closely tied to your general health. One of the
signs of getting older is the loss of flexibility. You can help fight this aging
process by working specifically on your flexibility. Being flexible also
greatly decreases the chance of injury. Your muscles and joints can simply
withstand greater and more sudden movements, which are the most common
causes of injury.

Another thing that strongly demonstrates the close relationship between being
flexible and being a physical healthy human being is the relationship between
diet, sufficient water intake, and flexibility. Sufficient water intake and a
healthy diet increase your flexibility, and stretching will therefore become
easier. Water intake and diet will be covered in depth in another volume of
this series. Another aspect of this relationship is that excessive muscle mass
and/or excessive fatty tissue works against being flexible. A healthy diet and
sufficient water intake helps create a martial arts-style body without
excessive muscle mass or fatty tissue.

Flexibility also helps your general appearance. It increases muscle toning,

your muscles will appear longer, and your body will have a healthier look.
Health is one of the main attraction-triggers in human beings.
Be especially sure to work on the areas of your body where your muscles are
the stiffest. In this day and age where people are tall and spend a lot of their
time sitting down the lower back would be a usual problem area. Also
remember that just because you are flexible in one spot or area doesn’t
automatically make you flexible in another spot. Flexibility is not a general
thing. People who are all-around flexible are so because they stretch all
around.

Generally speaking, there are two types of flexibility. The one that involves
motion is called dynamic flexibility. The one that does not is called static
flexibility. Dynamic flexibility is more closely related to martial arts and
athletic activity, even though static flexibility is what is usually referred to as
flexibility.

Warm-up:

The temperature of a joint has a direct influence on the level of flexibility in

that joint. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have a light warm-up before you
begin extensive stretching or a workout. There should be a difference in your
approach to stretching in regards to your goal in that specific moment. A
warm-up stretch should be light, and relatively speaking, quick compared to,
for instance, a stretching regimen that is focused on increasing permanent
flexibility, and therefore athletic ability. Not performing a warm-up can
increase the risk of injury.

For your warm-up, it is recommended that you proceed as follows: (1) Joint
rotations. (2) Aerobic activity. (3) Static stretching. (4) Dynamic stretching.

Joint rotations:

Start with your toes or neck and then move down or up. Move through every
joint. You should perform slow circular movements, both clockwise and
counter-clockwise, until the joint seems to move smoothly. Usually this
shouldn’t take more than 5-6 seconds each rotation.

Aerobic activity:
What kind of aerobic activity you chose to perform is up to you. Common
ones are jogging or skipping rope. You should aim to do this for at least 5
minutes. This point of this aerobic activity is to slightly increase your body
temperature.

Static stretching:

These stretching exercises should be performed in a slow and relaxed

manner. The goal is to prepare the body for exercise. The warm-up itself is
not the objective. Try to include every area of your body; if you don’t have
the time for stretching the entire body, then focus on the muscles you will put
the most strain on during your workout or stretching regimen.

Dynamic stretching:

Again, go light. Perform the movements relaxed and slowly, doing the
number it takes to reach the maximum movement. Don’t fatigue the muscles.

After your workout you would ideally perform a cooling down process. In
this process, you would do the dynamic stretching before the static stretching.
Try to do this immediately after your workout, and try not to allow yourself
to get tired and cold.

The goal you are aiming for after a workout is to decreases muscle soreness
and increase muscle growth. When performed quickly after the exercises that
caused muscle fatigue, static stretching of the fatigued muscles enhances the
promotion of muscular development. Besides this, it also helps your
flexibility. When you fatigue your muscles you develop a so-called “muscle
pump,” which is actually a shortening of the muscle. In a strength exercise
you usually don’t force the muscle through its full range of motion.
Therefore, it’s important to make sure the muscle doesn’t “grow” stuck in
one place, forgetting its full motion range. To prevent this, we stretch after a
workout. This also creates toned muscles compared to a more bulky looking
muscle. Stretching also helps remove some of the lactic acid that the strength
workout has created in the muscles. Besides this, you will feel better the day
after because you won’t be as sore. This helps you to perform another,
tougher workout sooner, so as to create a stronger and better-conditioned
body.
So far we have identified 3 goals related to performing stretches:

Warm-up: Usually dynamic and static stretching

Flexibility increasing workout: Usually static stretching and PNF stretching

Post-strength or cardio-based workout: Usually static and dynamic stretching

Another thing that is worth mentioning is your choice of clothes when

stretching. This is more important that most people realize. There are two
reasons for this: Your choice of clothes can hinder your movements, and
therefore your flexibility. The second reason is that you can ruin the clothes
you are wearing by stretching in them. If the purpose of your stretch is a
general warm-up, then it’s not that big of an issue since you are not going to
be engaging in the most extreme of movements, but if it’s the general
increasing of flexibility you are after, your clothes can get messed up. Ideally,
you could do your stretching naked. If that is not possible socially, then use
gi-pants/yoga pants and a t-shirt in a size that is large for you.

Duration of the stretch:

If the stretching exercises are part of a warm-up or cooling-down process,

then try to perform the stretch for about 10 seconds. If the idea is to develop
better flexibility, then try to hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds.
Stretching can be somewhat painful and uncomfortable, so it can be very
productive to count in your head or out loud. Don’t give yourself a chance to
cheat. In regards to the pain, it should be a tension or a “pins and needles”
type pain. If you experience an “ouch” type pain, a sudden and sharp type
pain, then you are overstretching and you should ease back the range of
movement. Usually the sharp sudden pain is preceded by a burning sensation
where the stretch takes place. If this happens, back off and reduce the
intensity of the stretch.

Breath control:

Always perform slow and relaxed breathing while stretching. After holding a
static stretch for a while, it is usually possible to stretch the muscle or joint
further. This should be done while exhaling. You should inhale through the
nose using the abdomen, and exhale through your mouth. Hold the breath for
a moment before exhaling. Don’t force the breathing at any time; always try
to relax while stretching.

Synergy:

You can increase the effectiveness of your stretching by performing the

exercises in synergy. This means that you stretch a muscle or joint together
with its synergist. The synergist is the opposite, or supporting, muscle or
joint. Use this general outline covering the main areas. I have included some
suggestions from this book:

Upper back: Seated lower-trunk

Lower back: Lower-trunk flexor stretch
extensor stretch
Sides: Shoulder adductor, protractor, and
Entire back: The two above elevator stretch, shoulder adductor and
extensor stretch.
Buttocks: Recumbent hip
Hamstrings and/or groin: Seated knee
external rotator and hip extensor
flexor and hip adductor stretch
stretch (crossed leg)
Calves: Single plantar flexor
Hamstrings: Standing knee flexor stretch
stretch
Shins: Double plantar flexor Quadriceps: One-leg standing hip flexor
stretch and knee extensor stretch
Arms: Shoulder adductor,
Chest: Shoulder flexor stretch
protractor, and elevator stretch

Dynamic stretching:

One very important thing to remember with dynamic stretching is to work

towards your full range of motion in a gentle way. The movements should be
slow and controlled; no bouncy or sudden movements. Dynamic stretching
exercises are not strength exercises, so they should not be treated as such,
meaning that you don’t work towards muscle fatigue and push yourself
towards feeling tired. Tired muscles have less elasticity and you therefore
won’t be able to extend to your full range of motion. This defeats the entire
purpose. Also, this can actually decrease flexibility, as the muscle will
remember this shortened movement. In a way, dynamic stretching exercises
are light imitations of sport or martial arts movements. Do these 8-15 times
when you decide to do them. Try to put every part of the body through a
dynamic stretch if you have the time, or else focus on those that most closely
resemble the movements you will perform in your workout.

Examples of dynamic stretching exercise:

Forward Leg Swing:

This is a great exercise that dynamically stretches your hamstrings, hip

flexors, and extensors. Find something you can hold onto that provides
enough space for you to swing your leg forwards and back in front of you. A
wall or tree will do.

Flex and extend one leg at a time. Keep your legs straight (but knees
unlocked) and your upper body straight and facing forward. Your eyes should
be facing in front and your shoulder blades should be retracted.

Start by making small swings and progress the stretch a little bit every swing.
After 10 or 15 swings you should be reaching your highest point. Do the
same thing for the other leg.

If you would like to do something more advanced, don’t hold onto anything.
This takes great balance and coordination. It helps if you focus on one point
and use your opposite hand to touch your toe.
Sideways Leg Swing:

This exercise dynamically stretches your adductors, and it goes great with the
forward leg swing.

Find something to hold onto. I typically do mine against a wall. Face the wall
and place both hands on it for balance. Swing one leg at a time from side to
side. It helps if you get on your toes as you swing.

Make sure you are facing the wall throughout the entire swinging process.
Don’t let your torso rotate as you swing, because you want to place the focus
on your adductors.
Bent-over Torso Twist:

Start by standing with your feet wide apart. Extend your arms out to the sides
and bend over, touching your right food with your left hand. Rotate your
torso so that your right hand touches your left foot. Ensure that both arms are
extended out so when one hand touches the foot, the other hand is pointing to
the sky. Look at the hand pointing towards the sky. Keep rotating like this for
30 repetitions at a moderate pace.
Make sure that your back is straight (not arched) and that your shoulder
blades are retracted. Don’t flex your back! Keep your upper body aligned
properly. Keep your legs extended (but knees unlocked) as you perform your
repetitions.
Yin & Yang:

Start in a downward-facing position with your weight on your left foot and
the other leg extended with both feet flat on the ground. Try to keep your
back straight and the shoulders up. Shift your weight to the other foot. Keep
your hands on your knees or thighs as you’re doing this. This exercise in
particular stretches the groin area.
Backward bend with the toe touch:

Put your hands on your hips, and lean back as much as you can. Push the hip
forward when you’re leaning back. Then lean forward while exhaling with
knees straight and then touch the ground if possible. Put the entire hand on
the ground if you can, then repeat.
Sideways bend:

Put your hands behind your head and pull your elbows back. Your heels
should be kind of together pointing slightly outwards. Go sideways as far as
you can, and then the other way. Hold the stretch for a couple of seconds.
You can breathe in on one side and breathe out when you come down the
other side.
Tai chi waist turner:

The simple way to explain this exercise is that you simply rotate your waist
and have your arms follow the rotation. The arms should dangle by your
sides in a relaxed manner. The rotation is what moves them. They should slap
the back and kidney area lightly. Do around 50-100 rotations. This exercise
loosens up the waist and back, and massages the inner organs.
Beach ball:

Raise your hands over your head with your hands turned inwards. Go as high
as possible, raise your traps as high as you can, and then relax them and then
repeat. Imagine you are holding a beach ball over your head and you should
get the idea.
Buckets of sand:

Imagine you are holding two buckets of sand in your hands. Lift your hands
up all the way to your armpit. Then raise your elbows up and down, and also
back and forth. Your elbows should be around ear-height.
Towel:

For this stretch you could use a towel of some kind or a stick, for instance.
Your arms should be straight at all times. Inhale, lift your arms up, and go
down to your buttocks while exhaling. Inhale again and do the opposite. The
further your hands are from each other, the easier the exercise will be. In time
you should move your hands closer to each other. Most people would start
with their hands as far from each other as possible. Also do the exercise
sideways.
Hindu pushup stretch:

This exercise is performed on the ground. Your legs should be wider than
shoulder-width, hands straight but turned slightly outwards. Push your body
back and look at your feet. Push your shoulders back with a flat spine, hold
that position, and then come through and under with your head up and butt
down. Look towards the sky. Then repeat.
Tablemaker:

This is also performed on the ground. Assume a sitting position with your
hands by your side and push up and lift your body high up into the air, as
high as you can, then come back down to your hands. Your upper body is the
table, per se.
Kneeling back bend:

For this stretch, you are kneeling down with your back straight and hips and
pelvis pointing forwards. Lean back as far as you can go, preferably all the
way to the ground. Have your hands behind your buttocks. Try not to bend
your hips when you come up.
Rowing:

This stretch works your hamstrings and your lower back. Have your legs
straight or slightly bent and your arms gently folded. Have your arms in front
of knees, and then just roll down across your knees. Here you can be
exhaling. Come out and up, don’t stand all the way up. Try to keep the back
bent and parallel.
Dynamic split exercise:

With your leg spread out wide on floor, move down in front, move hands
forward and out, then repeat; back goes up every time.
Guidelines for increasing flexibility:

If you are serious and want to see results quickly; I suggest following all
these guidelines. Following one or some will also have a significant and
positive effect. It’s better to start out with one and then slowly add more to
your day as you develop your new routines than to start out with all of the
guidelines and then crash and burn because you undertook a larger task than
you were ready for. A simple plan that is adhered to is infinitely better than a
complex plan that’s not. Making a plan and following it is covered more in
depth in volume 5 of this series.

Perform early morning stretching:

It is best to do this every morning. Make sure you warm up first; go through
the warm-up structure mentioned previously: (1) Joint rotations. (2) Aerobic
activity. (3) Static stretching. (4) Dynamic stretching.

After this warm-up, you have two choices: You can make this early morning
stretching routine your primary daily flexibility-increasing workout, or you
can keep it for what it’s intended to be, which is a short stretching routine
intended to take advantage of the time of day to increase the body’s
receptiveness to later exercise, which could, but doesn’t have to, include
stretching. This morning stretching routine prepares the body for flexible
movements later in the day, and is very productive if you need to perform
large movements with little or no thorough warm-up. If you have some sort
of class later in the afternoon or night this would be a great idea. In a class or
training session, the warm-up can sometimes be very thorough and
sometimes not.

If you choose to make this morning routine your general daily flexibility-
increasing workout, you would just combine it with the next guideline that I
am about to discuss.

Daily routine:

Have a daily stretching routine that consists of static stretching 3 times a

week and PNF stretching 3 times a week.

Do this so that the two types of stretching alternate, meaning that one is
followed by the other. For instance: static on Monday, PNF on Tuesday, and
so forth. Then have one off day per week. Off days and their usefulness will
be discussed more in depth in another volume of this series.

But what is PNF stretching? It’s simply static stretching with intervals of
opposite force or contraction, which means that you press in the opposite
direction of the stretch. Start with going out in your widest range of motion in
a static stretch. After you do that, relax and press in the opposite direction of
the stretch. Make sure you contract and press hard, and hold that for
preferably 30 seconds. After that, relax, and then go back out into the static
stretch. If done correctly, you should be able to go out further in the static
stretch position compared to before. Hold this new range for 30 seconds, and
then relax and press hard in the opposite direction again. The longer you keep
this going, the better the results.

If you have any doubts as to how and where to press opposite, just do the
static stretching and feel where the tension is. That is where you should press.
Also think to yourself: What is the opposite movement of what I’m doing?
Another way of explaining it is that you fight the stretch when you apply
force in the opposite direction. You’re violently fighting the static stretch.

The last guideline is to always do a thorough warm-up and cool down

before and after any athletic activity. You don’t need to perform a cool down
if your workout is a stretching routine or if the stretching routine is at the end
of a workout, but you do need to perform a warm-up. Always make sure your
muscles are warmed up before you stretch.

Static stretches:
This means moving to the outer limit of movement and staying there for a
period of time.

Neck extensor stretch:

Sit or stand upright. Interlock your hands on the back of your head near the
crown of your head. Lightly pull the head straight down and try to touch your
chin to your chest.
Neck extensor rotation stretch:

Sit or stand upright. Place a hand on the back of your head near the crown of
your head. Pull your head down toward the same side and try to touch your
chin as close as possible to your shoulder.
Neck flexor stretch:

Sit or stand upright. Interlock hands and place your palms on your forehead.
Pull your head back so that your nose points straight up to the ceiling.
Neck rotation stretch:

Stand or sit upright. Place a hand on your chin. Pull your head back towards
the right or left so that your head points toward your shoulder. Keep your
head straight; do not lay your head down to either side.
Shoulder flexor stretch:

Stand upright while facing a doorway or something similar. Place your feet
shoulder-width apart. With a straight arm, raise your arm to shoulder level
and place the palms of your hands on the walls or doorframe with the thumbs
on top. Lean your body forward on the side of the arm that is on the wall.
Shoulder adductor, protractor, and elevator stretch:

Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Bring one arm across the
front of your body. With the other hand, grab with the wrist around the elbow
area of the first arm. With the hand now located by the elbow, try to pull your
elbow towards the other side of your body.
Shoulder adductor, elevator, and protractor stretch:

Stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Raise one hand high and
behind your head so that your hand is between your shoulder blades. Then
bring the other arm up, and with it grab your elbow. Push your elbow
downwards.
One-arm shoulder flexor stretch:

Stand upright with one arm behind your back and your elbow bent at about
90 degrees. Place your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes pointing
forward. Grasp one elbow with the other hand. Pull the arm across your back
and up towards the opposite shoulder.
Shoulder adductor and extensor stretch:

Stand in a squatting position while facing a doorway or something similar.

Grab the inside of the doorjamb at shoulder level with either hand. While
keeping your arm straight and your feet firmly planted, lower your buttocks
toward the floor.
Wrist extensor stretch:

Flex both wrists and place the back of each hand on the floor or a table,
shoulder-width apart. Point your fingers toward your knees. While keeping
your elbows straight, lean backward (buttocks to your heels), keeping the
backs of your hands on the floor or table.
Finger flexor stretch:

Sit or stand upright. Flex one elbow at a 90-degree angle, and extend your
wrist as far as possible. Point your fingers upward. With the other hand, push
the fingers of the first hand towards the elbow.
Finger extensor stretch:

Sit or stand upright. Turn one arm so that your palm is facing up, and flex
your elbow to a 90-degree angle. Flex your wrist to a 90-degree angle, and
flex your fingers so that they are pointed toward your elbow. Place the other
hand on top of your fingers and press your fingers down toward your
forearm.
Lower-trunk flexor stretch:

Lie face down on the floor. Place both hands palms-down on the floor;
fingers point forward by each hip. Slowly arch your back, contracting your
buttocks. Continue arching the back and lift your head and chest off the floor.
Seated lower-trunk extensor stretch:

Sit upright in a chair with your legs separated. Slowly round your upper back
and begin to lean forward. Continue to bend at the waist and lower your head
and abdomen between your legs and below your thighs.
Standing lower-trunk lateral flexor stretch:

Stand upright with your feet together and with one side of the your facing a
wall or something like that, about an arm’s length away. Place the palm of
the one hand on the wall at shoulder height, and place the heel of the other
hand or the elbow at the hip joint. While keeping your legs straight, contract
your buttocks and slightly rotate your hips inward toward the wall.
Standing lower-trunk flexor stretch:

Stand upright with your legs 2 to 3 feet apart, with your hands placed on your
hips. Slowly arch your back, contracting your buttocks and pushing your hips
forward. Continue arching your back, and drop your head backward.
Seated hip external rotator and hip extensor stretch:

Sit on the floor with one leg extended straight out in front. Bend the knee of
the other leg and place that foot flat against your inner thigh, as close as
possible to the pelvic area. Place your hands on the floor next to your thighs.
Bend your trunk over toward the straight knee as far as possible until you
start feeling a slight stretch. If possible, keep your knee down on the floor as
you bend over. As you bend over, reach out with your arms toward the foot
of the straight leg.
Hip external rotator stretch:

Stand upright on one leg with your knee straight; face a support surface (such
as a table or beam). The other leg should be bent at the hip at about a 90-
degree angle and rested on the support surface; the outside of the lower other
leg rests as flat as possible on the surface. (You can place a towel or pillow
under the foot and lower right leg for cushioning if you feel the need.) Lower
your trunk as far as possible toward the foot on the support surface, keeping
your knee as flat as possible on the surface.
Recumbent hip external rotator and hip extensor stretch (crossed leg):

Lie on your back. Bend one leg so that your knee is raised up off the floor
while keeping the other foot on the floor. Bend the second knee and cross the
ankle over just above the first knee. Grasp the leg just under the knee with
both hands, and pull that knee along with the bent knee toward your chest as
far as possible until you start feeling a stretch.
Hip external rotator and back extensor stretch:

Sit on the floor with one leg extended. Bend the other leg and place your foot
on the outside of the other knee. Bend the closet arm and position the outside
of your elbow against the outside of the upraised knee. Now hug your knee
and bring it towards your chest.
Hip extensor and back extensor stretch:

Lie on your back. Bend one knee and bring it toward your chest. While
keeping the other leg flat, grasp the bent knee with both hands and pull it
down toward your chest as far as possible.
Standing bent-knee hip adductor stretch:

Stand upright with your legs more than shoulder-width apart and with one
foot turned out. Lower your body (hips) to a half-squatting position, bending
one knee and sliding the other foot outward to the keep the non-bending knee
straight. While going down, place your hands on the top of the bent knee for
support and balance.
Seated hip adductor stretch:

Sit on the floor in the lotus position (knees bent, feet together with the soles
touching). Bring the heels of your feet as close as possible to your buttocks.
Grasp your feet or just above your ankles with elbows spreading sideways
and touching your legs just below the knees. Bend the trunk over toward your
feet, and press the lower part of your thighs and knees down with the elbows
while stretching.
Standing knee flexor stretch:

Stand upright with the forward heel 1 to 2 feet ahead of the toes of the other
foot. Keeping the forward knee straight and the back knee slightly bent, bend
your trunk over toward the forward knee. Reach your hands toward the
forward foot.
Seated knee flexor stretch:

Sit on the floor with the legs extended and the inside of the ankles as close
together as possible. Keep your feet relaxed in a natural position. Place your
hands on the upper part of your legs. Bend at the waist and lower your head
toward your legs. Keep the back of your knees on the floor. While bending
forward, slide your hands toward your feet and keep them alongside your
legs.
Raised-leg knee flexor stretch:

Stand upright with your weight balanced on one leg. Place the other leg with
your knee straight on a stable object. Bend at the waist, extend your arms
over the lower straight leg, and lower your head toward the straight leg,
keeping the knee as straight as possible. Keep the knee of the leg on the
ground straight and both feet pointing in the same direction.
Seated knee flexor and hip adductor stretch:

Sit on the ground with your legs extended in a “V” position (feet far apart
from each other). Place your hands on the ground in between your thighs.
Keep both knees straight and as flat against the ground as possible. Reach
your hands out toward the center or slide your hands forward along your legs
and bend your trunk over between your knees.
One-leg kneeling knee extensor stretch:
One-leg standing hip flexor and knee extensor stretch:

Stand upright with your weight balanced on one leg. Keep that foot pointing
straight forward and your knee almost straight. To help maintain balance,
brace your free hand on a wall or something similar. Bend the knee of the
other leg; grasp that foot or ankle tightly and pull your heel backward and
slightly upward to within 4 to 6 inches of your buttocks. At the same time,
push your hips forward.
Single plantar flexor stretch:

Stand facing a wall, around 2 feet away. Brace your hands against the wall,
and while keeping one foot in place, place the other foot 1 to 2 feet behind
the first foot. The front foot is 1 to 2 feet away from the wall and the other
foot is 2 to 4 feet away from the wall. While keeping your back heel on the
floor, lean your chest toward the wall. You can bend the forward knee
slightly to facilitate moving your chest up against the wall.
Double plantar flexor stretch:

Stand upright on the edge of a stair or beam, with both heels unsupported out
past the edge. Keep both knees straight, and hold on to a support with at least
one hand. Lower both heels down as far as possible.
Joint rotations for loosening and preparing of the joints:

Always remember to rotate both ways. Do the rotations until you feel loose;
this would usually be 2-5 seconds. Do this before any major physical activity.
It should only take 2-3 minutes at the most, and can save you a later injury
and general wear and tear of your joints.

Wrist and elbow:

Put your left hand up – turn it over, right hand up, turn it over, palm down,
interlock your fingers, bring your hands in and bring them out. Then undo
your hands and cross them over the other way and repeat the exercise, trying
to extend all the way. If you can’t extend them all the way don’t worry about
it. You’ll get there in time. After this then crack your fingers and knuckles.
Ankles:

You can roll them out on the floor. Put your toe down and really roll it out.
Really put your hip into it. Keep the ankle loose while doing this. You can
also do this with your foot up in the air. That can help your balance as well.
Imagine your big toe is a paintbrush and you’re painting a circle.
Knees:

You can do this with your feet together, hands on your knees and then roll
your knees around in a circle. Don’t snap your knees; keep them bent at all
times. You can also lift your foot in the air and paint like a paintbrush with
the bottom of your foot.
Hips:

Bring your leg around in a wide circle – to the outside and come in, you can
touch your hand if you like, and then go the other direction. You can also try
and keep the leg moving the entire time – without touching the floor. This
helps work on your balance if you choose to do it that way. You can also do
the classichands on the hips and then rotate. Do this in a moderate circle and
try to keep your head still.
Neck:

Let your ear go towards your shoulder, then let your chin drop down, go all
the way around, also in at the back. Do this at a moderate pace.
Shoulders:

Bring your shoulders up and roll them backwards, in both directions. You can
also do this one arm at a time. You can also hold one arm out and shrug the
shoulder as if you’re hitting the other arm. You can also swing the arm
forward and have your bicep touch your ear without moving your head, and
swing the other way with the other arm – your waist should turn with it.
Another variation is to bring one arm up and the other one back as far as you
can, and hold briefly when you get to the maximum.