Fitness Archives

6 Benefits of stretching in the morning

There are many benefits to performing a stretching routine in the morning.

Of course, it will help improve your flexibility, which is an important factor in reducing general muscle soreness or even delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after an intense workout.

Other benefits to stretching in the morning can also improve your posture, reduce stress, and more.

6 Benefits of stretching in the morning

Reduce muscle soreness and increases your flexibility

Have you woken up just feeling sore because you slept funny or you’re getting older? If you haven’t tried stretching you should consider it in the morning as it can help reduce your soreness while increasing your flexibility. It will help prevent the muscle from causing you further pain.

Reduce delayed onset muscle soreness and improve physical performance

If you work out regularly you might feel the effects DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness. You should consider implementing a morning stretching routine to help reduce your DOMS and it can also help improve your performance during physical activities.

Increases your range of motion

Stretching regularly can help increase your range of motion, especially after a full nights rest you might find yourself a bit stiff in the morning. Taking the time to do a few stretches can help reduce your stiff/sore muscles and improve range of motion. It may also pay dividends in that you might feel less stiff every day the more you stretch.

Increases the circulation of blood to your muscles

Performing stretches regularly may improve circulation increases blood flow to your muscles, which can aid in recovery time and reduce muscle soreness (also known as delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS).

Improves your posture

Muscle tightness might lead to imbalances and are common cause poor posture. A combination of strengthening, balance, and stretching specific muscle groups can reduce body pain and encourage proper alignment which may help improve your posture.

Can help improve meditation, focus, and relieve stress

While a stretching routine can help increase your flexibility and mobility, it can also be used as a method of meditation to help focus the mind. While you stretch, focus on your breath while performing your stretches, this will help clear your mind and allow you to relax deeper into your stretches.

Stretching techniques

There are several types of stretching techniques which are outlined in more detail in the first chapter of our stretching guide, but include the following:

dynamic
static
ballistic
PNF

Here is a quick sample routine you can follow to get the benefits of stretching in the morning. Most of the stretches we will show can be done while lying in bed. So let’s look at how you can to get the blood flowing and loosen up those tight muscles.

Sample Morning Stretching Routine

Adductor Stretch Exercises

Lying Butterfly Stretch

Lie on your back.
Bend your knees and place the soles of your feet together.
Let your knees drop slowly away from each other until you feel a comfortable stretch in your groin.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Relax.

Abdominal Stretching Exercises

Baby Cobra Pose

Start lying down on your stomach with your palms on the floor directly under your shoulders. Your feet should be pointed.
Keeping your elbows to your sides, press your hands firmly into the floor and begin to lift your chest into a mild backbend.
Once in position, actively press your shoulder blades into your upper back and expand your chest as you breathe in.
Without lowering your chest, draw your shoulders away from your ears as to elongate your neck and lifting the base of your skull away from your shoulders.
When you are ready to come down, slowly lower yourself to the floor, keeping your torso long.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.

Glute Stretching Exercises

Supine Glute Stretch

Lie on your back and lift the affected leg to your chest and grab your knee with the opposite hand.
Gently pull your leg across your chest to the opposite shoulder while rotating your leg inward until a stretch is felt deep in the buttocks.
Maintain the position and relax.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.

Supine Glute Stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent, place one foot (affected side) over the opposite knee.
Grab behind the leg that is on the ground with your hands and pull it toward you until you feel a gentle stretch.
Maintain the position and relax.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.

Push on your knee to increase the stretch.
Hook a towel or rope around your leg if you have trouble reaching the back of your leg.

Hamstring Stretching Exercises

SupineHamstring Stretch With Strap

Lie on your back and place a long strap around your forefoot, holding the ends with your hands.
Lift your leg straight up, keeping your knee straight, and pulling gently on the strap with your hands until you feel a gentle stretch behind the thigh and calf.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
If you have low back issues, you can bend the leg that is not being stretched to support your back.

Benefits To Back Stretches

Supine Lumbar Flexion

Lie on your back with your knees bent.
Raise one knee towards your chest as far as you can, and then raise the other to meet it.
Place your hands around your knees and pull them gently towards you until you feel a stretch in your back.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Relax.

Supine Lumbar Rotation

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet on the floor.
Place your arms out to the side for stability.
Slowly lower your legs to one side until you feel a gentle stretch.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Return to the central position and repeat.
Keep your knees together during the movement.

Hip Flexor & Quad Stretching Exercises

Side Lying Quad Stretch

Lie on your side with your injured leg up and your bottom knee bent in
front of you to protect your back.
Reach back and grasp your ankle of your injured leg and gently pull towards
your buttocks.
Move your knee back without arching your back until you feel a stretch in
the front of your thigh.
Keep your knee as low to the floor as possible and maintain the
position.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
You can use a towel or a belt around your ankle to pull it towards your
buttocks.

Shoulder Stretching Exercises

Sleeper Stretch

Lie on your back with your elbow raised at shoulder height.
Pull your shoulder back and slowly lower your hand towards your feet as far down as you can without lifting your shoulder off of the ground.
Apply gentle pressure to your forearm until a gentle stretch is felt in your shoulder.
Maintain the position and relax.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
You may use a light weight to stretch instead.

Supine Flexion

Lie lengthwise on a long towel roll placed along the mid-back at the most marked curvature or on a foam roller.
Keep your knees bent for balance.
Keep the lower core engaged, and the head in a neutral nod.
Reach both arms up forward to 90 degrees. Slowly lift the arms overhead, being sure not to lift the low back up off the ground.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Return your arms to upright and repeat.
Instead of a long hold, you can also do slow, controlled movements with a short pause at the top. Repeat 10 times.

Supine Abduction (snow angel)

Lie on your back on either the floor or a foam roller, knees bent and head supported, arms by your side, palms up.
Engage your lower core muscles to keep the lower back in neutral.
Keeping the arms back in line with your body, slowly and under control, reach up sideways to overhead, like making a snow angel.
Return your arms to upright and repeat.

Howley, E. T., & Franks, B. D. (2007). Fitness Professional’s Handbook (5th ed.). Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Moore, K. L., & Dalley, A. F. (2006). Clinically Oriented Anatomy (5th ed.). Baltimore, MD: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
Nieman, D. C. (2011). Exercise Testing and Prescription: A Health-Related Approach (7th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Sá, M. A., Neto, G. R., Costa, P. B., Gomes, T. M., Bentes, C. M., Brown, A. F., et al. (2015, Mar 29). Acute Effects of Different Stretching Techniques on the Number of Repetitions in A Single Lower Body Resistance Training Session. Journal of Human Kinetics , 177–185.
Sherwood, L., & Kell, R. (2010). Human Physiology: From Cells to Systems, First Canadian Edition. Toronto, ON: Nelson Education.

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Dynamic Stretching: 62 useful stretches to warm-up with before exercising

Dynamic stretching is recommended before your workouts. Doing a light aerobic warm-up and soft tissue work can help improve your ability to perform exercises. There are many different dynamic stretching exercises you can do. We have provided some exercises you can try before your workouts that can help you loosen up.

What Is Dynamic Stretching?

Dynamic stretching is a form of stretching that involves more movement than commonly used static stretches. Rather than holding a stretch, you move your body through ranges of motion that will better prepare you for your workouts.

Why is dynamic stretching important before a workout?

The importance of dynamic stretches is that it can help prevent injuries by warming-up possibly tight/stiff muscles and joints, but more so to prevent injuries from occurring during a workout session. A 10 to 15-minute dynamic stretch makes a huge difference in preventing injuries and increasing their performance.

How Long Should a Dynamic Warm-up Be?

Generally, dynamic stretching warm-up can be between 10 minutes to 20 minutes and you should try to incorporate the following components:

Light aerobic warm-up
Myofascial Release Exercises
Dynamic stretching

Light Aerobic Warm-up

This can include light jogging, biking, or anything else that increases your heart rate and can get you to build up a bit of a sweat. This light aerobic or cardio warm-up can last 5-10 minutes, but shouldn’t be very strenuous.

Myofascial Release Exercises / Soft Tissue Work on a Foam Roller

If you’re feeling chronic tightness or have a history of injury or overuse, this could be adhesions that form in the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. This can cause a decrease in circulation and cause pain, inflammation, and limited mobility. During movement, the fascia must be able to move and stretch freely. This pressure can be done using multiple techniques, such as:

Graston technique
Strain/counterstain
Foam roller
Use of a ball to create pressure

This is highly recommended to do pre and post-workout if you want to feel and perform at your best.

Dynamic Stretching Exercises

Once you have taken the time to warm up and have rolled out your muscles you can start doing some of the dynamic stretching exercises we have provided below.

Walking running and gait

Butt kick walk

Walk forward and lift the heels toward the buttocks.
Keep the torso upright and stand tall as you do the movement.

Hips crossover

Run/walk fast sideways and cross the leg in front of the support leg with a high knee.

Straight leg walk with an arm lift

Walk forward with straight legs.
Lift the opposite arm up as you lift the leg.

Running butt kicks

Run forward and kick the heels to the butt.
Try to move the opposite arm at the same time as the leg that goes back.
Keep the torso upright and stand tall as you do the movement.

High knee walk

Take a step forward and bring one knee up, pulling it with the hands toward the chest.
Raise on the tip of your toes as you pull.
Lower the leg down in front and bring the other knee up.
Keep the back straight as you pull the knee and do not lean forward.

Cradle walk

Take a step forward and flex/rotate one knee up, pulling the instep of the foot up with the hands. Raise
on the tip of your toes as you pull.
Lower the leg down in front and bring the other knee up.
Keep the back straight as you pull the foot and do not lean forward.

Mummy walk

Stand upright and extend both arms straight in front of you.
Lift your leg straight toward the hands as you take a step.

Walking spiderman

Take an exaggerated lunge step forward and push the hips forward while keeping the chest up to prevent
lower back rounding.
Bring the hands to the ground (for an increased stretch, bring the same-side elbow than the forward leg
toward the heel/ground).
Go as low as your flexibility allows.
Stand up completely between repetitions.
Keep the upper back rounding to a minimum.

Walking spiderman OH reach

Take an exaggerated lunge step forward and push the hips forward while keeping the chest up to prevent
lower back rounding.
Bring the hands to the ground and reach overhead with the outside hand.
Bring the hand on the ground and lift yourself up and repeat on the other side.
Go as low as your flexibility allows.
Stand up completely between repetitions.
Keep the upper back rounding to a minimum.

Agility and Coordination

Dynamic running: Butt kicks

Run forward, bringing your heel to your butt while raising the knees.
Do a dynamic running motion with the arms that sync the legs.
Keep the torso upright and stand tall as you do the movement.

Cardiovascular and Conditioning

Flings

Start with your hands straight out to the side and legs wide. From this position, jumping crosses your
right arm over your left and your right leg over your left.
Go back to the starting position do the other arm and leg and so on.

Trunk rotation – ROM and stretch

Thoracic extension

Start on all fours and place one hand on the side of the head with the elbow elevated.
Lift the elbow up and behind while you rotate in the thoracic region. The head will follow the spine as
you induce rotation.
Lower the elbow and try to reach across under the body.
Keep the lumbar region still during the movement. Focus on the thoracic part of the spine.

Trunk rotations

Stand tall with your arms on the side 90° from the body.
Rotate the hips and torso from side to side, keeping the feet on the ground.

Trunk rotation at address

Assume the address posture with your back flat, knees bent and shoulders hanging.
Alternate reaching arms to the opposite knee, while maintaining the proper address posture.

Backswing warm-up

Step forward with one leg and turn the trunk to the same side, keeping the head still.
Return to the standing position and step sideways with the same leg, turning the trunk to that side.

Backswing warm-up 2

Stand in address posture.
With the front arm, reach at shoulder height backward.
With both arms, reach back over the shoulder.
With the back arm, reach back over the right shoulder.
Keep the head still.

Follow-through (release head)

Step back with one leg and turn the trunk to the same side while reaching back with the arm.
Return to the center and step sideways with the same leg, turning the trunk to that side and reaching
back with the arm.

Golf warm-up; Follow through

Balance on your left leg with the right toes touching the ground.
With your right arm, reach over the left shoulder.
Still balancing on your left leg, reach over the left shoulder with the left arm.

Side-lying trunk twist

Start on the side, top leg flexed at the hips with the knee at 90° and lower leg straight.
Place a med-ball, foam roller of a similar solid object under the top knee and press onto it so the knee
in constant contact with the object.
Open the top arm and reach around to the other side, going over the eyes and come back.

Yoga twist

Start on the floor with legs crossed and arms outstretched on the sides.
Twist from the hips in a fluid side to side motion.
Do not force the end range of motion.
Do both sides.

Bent Knee Twist

Start in crook lying and arms outstretched on the sides.
Keep the knees and feet together and drop the knee on both sides.
Do not force the end range of motion and allow a gentle stretch in the hips and lower back.
Keep the shoulders on the floor during the movement.

Side twist

Start side-lying, knees bent 90°, with your free hand on the floor in front of your torso.
Initiate the movement from the hips and rotate the feet to flip them on the other side
Keep the movement around hips and lower back and avoid excessive torso rotation.
Do not force the end range of motion.

Supine scorpion

Start supine with arms outstretched to the sides and legs straight.
With one leg, touch the toes on the ground on the opposite side of your body keeping the leg straight,
toward the hand.
Keep the shoulders on the floor.

Prone scorpion

Start prone with arms outstretched to the sides and legs straight.
Squeeze the glutes and bring the toes of one leg to the opposite side, toward the hand.
Keep the shoulders down.

Windmills

Start with a wide stance and rotate and flex at the hips (pushing the hips back) as you reach toward the
foot with the opposite arm.
Do not round the upper or lower back.
Keep chest and eyes up.

Walking windmill

Take a step forward with one foot.
Bring the opposite hand down to that foot, reaching backward with the opposite arm. Think of your arms
being a windmill.
Switch the arms as you step forward with the opposite foot, repeating the process.

Squat and trunk rotation

Squat down as you raise your hands in front.
In the bottom position, rotate your trunk to one side, come back to the center and rotate to the other
side.
Stand again and repeat.
Keep your back straight as you execute the movement.

Dorsiflexion

Dynamic calf stretch

Start in a push-up position with hips elevated (pike position).
Cross one leg behind the other and keep the knee straight.
Come up on your toes and lower the heel toward the ground to feel a stretch in the calf.
Do not hold the static stretch more than one second.
Do it on both sides.

Dynamic soleus stretch

Start in a push-up position with hips elevated (pike position).
Cross one leg behind the other and keep the knee bent.
Come up on your toes and lower the heel toward the ground to feel a stretch in the calf.
Do not hold the static stretch more than one second.
Do it on both sides.

Wall 3 way ankle mobilization

Stand in front of a wall with your foot about a foot length from the wall.
Move your knee:
Straight forward,
Inside and forward,
Outside and forward.
Alternate between these movements.

Lateral Lunges

Alternating lateral lunge

Take one step sideways and drop into a lateral lunge.
Drive with the flexed leg to get back up and do it on the other side by taking another step.
Keep the heel on the ground by pushing the hips back and balancing yourself with the hands.
Keep the chest up and toes pointing forward or slightly outward.
The knee should be constantly aligned with the foot.
Do not round the back or shoulders.

Lateral lunges

Take one step sideways and drop into a lateral lunge.
Keep your foot in the same place as you change sides.
Keep the heel on the ground by pushing the hips back and balancing yourself with the hands.
Keep the chest up and toes pointing forward or slightly outward.
The knee should be constantly aligned with the foot.
Do not round the back or shoulders.

Side lunge walking

Stand upright and take a big step sideways into a side lunge position.
Bring the trail leg next to the standing leg as you stand up.
Repeat for several steps, then lead with the other leg.

Multi-plane lunge

Lateral lunge plus rotation

Take one step sideways and drop into a lateral lunge.
From this position, rotate your hips and body to the direction of the lunge.
Keep your heel on the ground by pushing your hips back and balancing yourself with your hands.
Your knee should be constantly aligned with your foot.
Do not round your back or shoulders.

Leg swings

Leg swing

Put one hand on a wall to help your balance and swing your leg front to back, moving from the hips.
Maintain a good upper body posture during the movement.
Swing forward but squeeze the glutes and hamstrings to bring the leg down instead of forcing the swing.
Do not arch the lower back as you bring the leg posteriorly.

Lateral leg swings

Either stand in front of a wall for balance or do it free-standing.
Swing your leg with a side to side motion starting from the hips.
Do not round the upper back.

Hip flexion

Warm-up Knee-elbow

Stand with your feet wide apart.
Quickly lift your knee to the opposite elbow
Return and repeat with the other leg.

A medial hip static stretch

Adductors mob.

Start half-kneeling with the front leg rotated 90° to the side.
Lean toward the front leg to stretch the adductors of the back leg and get back up.
Repeat.

A hip hinge on one leg

1 Leg toe touch

Take a step forward and place the weight on the heel as you bend forward from the hip.
Keep the back straight, chest out and a slight bend in the knee.
Try to push the heel of the opposite leg toward the ceiling.
Look straight ahead as you lower the fingers to the ground.
Go as deep as your flexibility allows.

Hip abduction

Hip activation

Start on all four with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders.
Abduct the hip on one side as high as possible then extend the leg back completely and return to the
starting position.
Do not rotate the trunk.
Do not rush the movement.

Hip correction

Stand on one leg and drop the hip down.
When the hip is down completely, bring it back up to the starting position.
Keep the torso level and do not allow any rotation in the hips.
Do it in front of a mirror if you have difficulty moving only at the hips.

Knees warm-up at address

Assume the address posture with your back flat, knees bent and shoulders hanging.
Roll the feet and knees in and out.

Mini-band side steps

Place a mini-band around the thighs, just above the knee or around the lower leg near the ankle.
Take a step sideways using your abductors (gluteus medius), without rotating at the hips.
Keep the rubber band taut during all the duration of the movement.
Keep the back straight.
Keep the toes pointing forward at all time.

Hip mobilization

Hip rock

Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
Rock your hips forward to have your trunk and thighs aligned, and rock backward in a fully flexed
position with knees at your chest.
Keep your head neutral (e.g. do not lookup).

Back & hips side to side rock

Start on all fours with feet off the floor. Your hands should be under your shoulders and knees behind
your hips.
Drop your hips to the side to mobilize the hip and lower back.

Hip rock with leg abducted

Start on all fours with your hands under your shoulders and knees under your hips.
Stick one leg out to the side with knee straight.
Rock your hips forward to have your trunk and thigh aligned, and rock backward in a fully flexed
position with your knee at your chest.
Keep your head neutral (e.g. do not lookup).

Shoulder circumduction

Shoulder rotations

Place your hands on your shoulders and rotate your arms.
Do both directions.

Arms circles

Stand tall and rotate the arms backward then forward in a big circular motion.
Do not move the head while doing the movement.

Shoulder mobility with a stick

Grab a broomstick or similar object with a wide overhand grip in front of you.
Raise the bar all the way over your head to stretch the pectorals and shoulders and go all the way back
to the lower back/glutes.
Bring your grip closer as you warm-up.
Do not bend the elbows or arch too much in the lower back.

Shoulder mobility with band

Grab a rubber band with a wide overhand grip in front of you.
Raise the band all the way over your head to stretch the pectorals and shoulders and go all the way back
to the lower back/glutes.
Do not bend the elbows or arch too much in the lower back.

Shoulder mobilization

Arms horizontal swings

Stand tall and do horizontal movements of the arms.
Do not move the head during the exercise.

Transverse arms swing

Open and close your arms in front of your body.
Keep the arms straight.

Glute bridge

Supine bridge

Start supine with your knee bent at 90°.
Squeeze the glutes and lift the hips off the ground parallel with the torso, without using the lower
back or hamstrings.
Do not go too far in the range of motion.
Repeat without touching the ground.

Supine leg whips

Start supine in a supine bridge position.
Lift one leg perpendicular to the ground.
Lower the elevated leg to the side and bring back to the starting position in dynamic motion.
Do not turn or drop the hips as you lower the leg.

One leg supine bridge

Start supine with your knee bent at 90°.
Bring one knee to the chest and hold it in place with the arms.
Squeeze the glutes and lift the hips off the ground as high as you can, without using the lower back or
hamstrings.
Do not go too far in the range of motion.
Keep the head on the floor.
Repeat without touching the ground.

Wrist mobilization and stabilization

Warm-up wrist

Put your arm(s) out
Move your wrist(s) up and down

Wrist rotation

Rotate your wrists not too fast nor too slow, working in all the range of motion that you can get.
Do rotations in both directions.

Specialty push-up

Yoga push-up

Start in push-up position hands under the shoulders and push your hips up and back, keeping the knee
straight. The goal is to make a continuous line with the arms and the torso.
Get back in the push-up position and do a regular push-up.
Repeat.

Cat-Cow

Start on all fours with hands underneath the shoulders.
Lift the head and chest simultaneously while letting the stomach sink and the lower back arch to perform
the cat.
Round the back and let the head and neck drop while trying to get the head and pelvis as close as
possible.
Do not force the end range of motion as this is not a stretch.
Repeat.

Inch Worm

Start in a push-up position.
Walk your feet toward your hands while keeping your weight on both your feet and hands.
When you cannot ‘inch’ any further, walk back to a push-up position.
Repeat the process.

Duck walk with a band

Wrap an elastic band around your ankle tight enough so it doesn’t sag when your feet are shoulder-width
apart.
Crouch and walk in a duck-like way forward. Take a step with your front foot, have it flat on the floor
then follow with your back foot, keeping the band tight.

Squat to stand

Start with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width.
Bend over and reach the front of your foot/shoes.
Pull yourself into a deep squat position and hold for one second.
Keep the lower back straight, chest out and heel on the ground.
Keeping a good posture at all times, go as low as your flexibility allows and try to go a little deeper
each repetition.

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Full Lotus For Rubber Guard

Full lotus much like many other yoga poses can be helpful when trying to add new moves to your Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) arsenal. If you are looking to improve your ground game, you should consider building up your ability to perform the full lotus and implementing rubber guard into your game.

The rubber guard was invented by Eddie Bravo founder of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, it is one of the more effective guards from the bottom you can utilize.

We will be covering various stretches you can do to help improve your flexibility and mobility that can help you get into the full lotus pose and inturn help master the rubber guard technique.

But to learn how to implement it into your BJJ game, please check out Eddie’s online subscription courses and/or instructional videos.

The stretches below will help your flexibility to achieve full lotus and better develop your Rubber Guard. Here are some stretches you can do to help you loosen up your tight muscles:

Adductor Stretches

Sitting butterfly Stretch

Sitting with your legs extended.
Bend your knees towards you while keeping your feet together.
Let your knees fall out to the sides.
You should feel a stretch in the groin region.
To increase the stretch, place your elbows on your knees and push down.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.

| Rehab & Fitness Equipment

Hip and Quad Stretches

Hip Flexor Stretch

Kneel on one knee creating a 90-degree angle with the opposite hip (use a
chair for support, if needed).
Tilt your pelvis backwards to flatten your lower back and transfer your
weight forward until you feel a gentle stretch on the front of your hip of the
lower leg.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Relax and repeat on the other side.
Maintain your upper body upright and your lower back flatten (not
arched).

Hamstring Stretches

Sitting Hamstring Stretch

Sit on a chair with one foot on a small bench.
Maintaining a straight back.
Pull your toes towards you while you extend your leg until you feel a stretch behind your leg.
Maintain the position and relax.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.

Calf Stretches

Standing Calf Stretch (v.1)

Stand and place both hands on a wall.
Place one leg behind the other and lean your body forward without bending the back knee until you feel a
stretch in your back calf.
Maintain the stretch and relax.
Hold the stretch for 20-30 seconds.

Myofascial Release

Foam Rolling IT Band

Place your foam roller on the floor. Take a side plank position with the outside of one hip over the
foam roller and your other leg in front for support.
Roll the entire outside of your leg from your pelvis to your knee in an up and down motion.
Pause at any spots that feel especially tender.
Avoid the hip bone and knee joint.
Can stack legs on top of each other for extra pressure, if needed.

See more in our stretching guide

Doing these stretches can help reduce tightness in your legs and hips to help improve your ability to get
into full lotus position ?‍♀️.

This yoga position is a great indicator of mobility and flexibility that will allow you to perform rubber guard offensive and defensive moves.

The stretches provided will help improve your mobility & flexibility to get to full lotus if you have tight muscles.

You should also slowly move into phases of the lotus pose in conjunction with the stretches provided or
the other stretches provided in our stretching guide.

Additionally, here are a few options of poses you can perform to build up your flexibility to achieve the
full lotus pose:

Example 1:

Example 2:

Example 3:

Enjoy the stretches and keep training, OSS!

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Proprioception

Proprioception can help improve your ability to know your bodies position, which can be extremely beneficial.

In sports, it can be the difference, between being the zero or the hero.

Proprioception plays a big role in someone’s performance.

It’s one’s ability to move fluid and naturally. The quick cuts that we see in football, soccer, basketball, etc… it’s almost completely dependent on balance.

Proprioception

[PRO-pree-o-SEP-shən]

Definition: 1. A sense or perception, usually at a subconscious level, of the movements and position of the body and especially its limbs, independent of vision; this sense is gained primarily from input from sensory nerve terminals in muscles and tendons (muscle spindles) and the fibrous capsule of joints combined with input from the vestibular apparatus.

Cite: Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

In other words, proprioception is the ability to determine the position of a joint in space. The ability to do this is done using mechanoreceptors that are found in both muscle and joints.
This is important to train whether you are recovering from an injury or are trying to improve balance and prevent future injuries.

Our body relies on these receptors and the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord) to interpret and integrate the information it receives and then control the muscle and joints to produce a coordinated movement.

The joint mechanoreceptors are found in ligaments, capsules, menisci (cartilage), and skin. The different joint mechanoreceptors include:

Ruffini’s corpuscles

Located in:

Joint capsule, ligaments, and skin

Sensitive to:

Touch, tension, and possibly heat
Changes in the position of the joint, and the rate and direction of the movement
Pacinian corpuscles
Located in the skin
Sensitive to deep pressure
Merkel’s corpuscles
Located in the skin
Sensitive to deep pressure, but respond more slowly than Pacinian corpuscles
Meissner’s corpuscles
Located in the skin
Sensitive to light touch
Free Nerve endings

Extreme mechanical, thermal, or chemical energy

Respond to:
- Harmful stimuli — impending or actual tissue damage
- Before the 1970s, they were thought to be the sole receptors for joint proprioception
- However, it’s now known that they aren’t and work in a complementary fashion with muscle receptors.
- Muscle mechanoreceptors play a more important role in joint proprioception

As discussed in the stretching exercise guide, the muscle has two mechanoreceptors, muscle spindles, and Golgi tendons. You can refer there for an in-depth look at how they work.

After an injury

After an injury, there are several components in a rehabilitation program. After swelling/inflammation, and pain are under control, one of the next steps is to regain what is called neuromuscular control.

When an injury occurs and you have your joint immobilized and/or take time off to rest, your central nervous system, in simple terms, it forgets how to put together and interpret the information it is receiving from the joint and muscle mechanoreceptors.

So now comes the question. How does someone regain this control?

Regaining neuromuscular control means restoring a previously established sensory pattern.

Four elements are critical for reestablishing neuromuscular control:

Proprioception and kinaesthesia (ability to detect movement)
Dynamic stability
Preparatory and reactive muscle characteristics
Conscious and unconscious functional motor patterns.
Re-learning normal movement patterns and timing can take several months.

So, now that you know all the benefits of proprioception you probably want to get started on training.

So how do you train proprioception?

It requires many repetitions of the same movement, that goes from simple movements to more complex.

Guide to gaining better balance and proprioception

Lower Body

Ankle Alphabet

Lie or sit.
With as big movements as possible, draw the letter A with your toes.
Follow this with the letter B and so on.
Continue through the letters as advised.

Tandem Balance

Stand on a firm surface.
Place one foot directly in front of the other.
Maintain your upright posture.
Switch feet, and repeat
Progress by standing on a folded towel then on a pillow.

Single Leg Stance (SLS)

Stand in front of a counter or wall if needed to maintain balance.
Lift one leg off the ground so as to stand on the affected leg without losing your balance.
Goal – 30s to 1min
Repeat 3-5 times

Proprioception Alphabet

Stand on one leg (injured leg) with your knee straight.
Have the opposite leg move forwards and draws the letters of the alphabet in the air, trying to keep your balance on the stance leg.
Increase the difficulty by slightly bending the stance leg.

Toe Walk

Stand.
Walk on your toes and lift your heels as high as you can.
Hold on to a solid object if needed.

Heel Walk

Stand.
Walk on your heels and lift your forefoot as high as you can.
Hold on to a solid object if needed.

Single Leg Stance (SLS) (On cushion)

Stand on a cushion/pillow (anything that makes it unstable) with your feet comfortably apart.
Lift one foot and balance yourself on the other leg.
Hold for prescribed time
Get back on two feet and repeat.

Goal: 1 min || Repeat 3-5 times

Note:

You can add in a ball throw to challenge yourself

Single Leg Stance (SLS) Clock

Stand on one leg and lightly tap the floor on an imaginary clock around you. Bend your support knee slightly.
Start with tapping forward (12 o’clock) and continue your way to 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
Keep your balance.

One Leg Toe Touch (Deadlift)

Standing upright on one leg, tip the body forward, hinging at the hips and keeping the back straight. Touch or try to touch the floor and use hamstring to lift you back to the starting position.
Make sure that your knee is aligned with your foot and hips and keep your hips and lower back level as you go down.

Stabilization Squat

Stand on the round part of Bosu ball with feet facing forward at hip width apart and arms out in front of body.
Slowly lower body until knees are flexed to 90 degrees (don’t go as low as picture)
Try to maintain your balance, your back straight (slightly arched) and your kneecap aligned with 2nd toe at all times.
Return to standing position and repeat.

Stabilization Lunge

Stand in front of a bosu.
Take a step, placing your foot on the round part of the bosu.
Lower your body down bending, your knees to 90 degrees, keeping your back straight (slightly arched) and your kneecap aligned with the second toe.
Return and repeat.

Upper Body

Proprioception Alphabet with weight

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your back flat on the floor.
Extend your arm in front of you holding a weight in your hand.
Slowly draw out the letters of the alphabet with the arm, keeping your body, shoulder blades and head stable.

Alphabet on wall with a ball

Stand with your arm extended in front of you at shoulder height, holding a ball against a wall.
Pull the tip of your shoulder backwards and slowly draw out the letters of the alphabet with the arm, keeping the shoulder blade stable and chin tucked-in.
Relax and repeat.

Prone Ball Toss

Lie down on the edge of a bed or table.
Pull your shoulder blade toward the middle of your back and lift your arm up and out from your body.
Bend your elbow so your palm faces down toward the floor.
Hold a small weighted ball in your hand in this position. (can start with a unweighted ball ex, tennis ball)
Release and then catch the ball repeatedly, allowing it to barely fall from your hand.
Maintain the position of your arm and shoulder blade throughout the ball tosses.

Principles of Athletic Training: A Competency-Based Approach

By: William E. Prentice

Pg 424-25

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10 easy exercises to prevent pain and gain strength in your glutes!

Glutes can be a problem, whether you go to the gym regularly or not, sometimes our muscles don’t activate and work the way they should…

Or maybe you have an injury/nagging pain, and you need some extra attention. Rather than being bedridden or continuing with the same routine that made you feel this way.

Try taking a step in the right direction to getting back to feeling like your normal self by performing specific exercises to help you get there faster.

Glutes: Rehab Exercises

The first step is figuring out what exactly is causing the pain.

This can be a challenge to diagnose, so don’t do it yourself, and be sure to seek professional to help from a doctor and/or physiotherapist.

There is a large range of exercises that can help with glute function, but they do vary in difficulty.

You should be sure to consider the difficulty.

It’s important to start with easier exercises to get proper activation and form.

Then, once you have mastered the easier exercises for your glutes, you can move onto more complex/harder exercises.

Exercises that will be covered are:

Isometric glute,
glute bridge,
clamshell,
hip extension and abduction,
variations of squats,
and an intro into proprioception exercises (Link)

proprioception

[pro″pre-o-sep´shun]
Definition
1. A sense or perception, usually at a subconscious level, of the movements and position of the body and especially its limbs, independent of vision; this sense is gained primarily from input from sensory nerve terminals in muscles and tendons (muscle spindles) and the fibrous capsule of joints combined with input from the vestibular apparatus.
Cite: Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

Proper Form

Prone Glute Squeezes

Lie on your stomach with your legs straight.
Contract and squeeze your buttocks (or you can do one at a time).
Allow your knee caps to turn outward.
In a controlled manner, slowly relax and repeat.
Hold for 5-10 seconds

Prone Hip Extension

Lie face down while bending one knee.
Tighten your abdominals to keep the spine and pelvis neutral.
Contract your buttocks to lift the bent leg off the ground without moving the pelvis.
Hold for 5-10 seconds and slowly release and lower.
Repeat on the other side.
You can place a pillow under your hips for comfort.

Isometric Hip Extension

Stand on one leg, extend and externally rotate slightly the leg that is unsupported.
Keep your balance and do not allow any movement at the trunk or pelvis.
Hold the position and slowly return to the starting position.
Repeat with the other leg.

Glute Bridge

Lie on your back with your knees bent.
Squeeze your buttocks together and lift them off the ground to make a straight line with your body.
Slowly lower your body and repeat.
Your head, shoulders and feet are the points of contact on the ground in the high position.
Try holding for 5-10 sec at top position

Bilateral with ball

Bilateral with a ball or pillow (works adductors and gives extra support)
Lay down on your back with knees bent and a ball or pillow between them. Squeeze the ball and then
Squeeze the glutes and contract the abdominals to lift the hips off the ground. As you lift, squeeze the ball or pillow between the legs.
Hold for 5-10 seconds and slowly release as you lower.

Single Leg Bridge

Lie on your back with one knee bent, foot on the floor, and the other leg straight.
Contract your abdominal muscles and your buttocks while lifting your buttocks off the ground until your trunk is aligned with your supporting leg.
Hold for prescribed time (5-10 sec)
Lower your body slowly and repeat.

Clamshell

Lie on your side with both legs slightly bent and pelvis pointing slightly down towards the bed (rotate hips towards bed/floor)
Lift your top leg keeping your pelvis stable, your leg slightly bent and your heels together.
Make sure your hip does not rotate backwards
Hold for 5-10 seconds
Return to initial position and repeat.
Should feel it in the “back pocket” of your glutes – If you don’t, a quick fix is to ensure that your hips are rotated towards the bed/floor and are not moving throughout the exercise
If it begins to feel too easy, you can add a theraband around your knees or try the side step exercise

Side Steps

Start in a squat position with a band around your lower leg (above ankle).
Keeping the band stretched at all times, step to the side.
Push the knees out while taking the steps so they don’t cave in.
While stepping to the side, make sure that your hips stay at the same level (no bobbing up and down)
Each step is about 50% of the starting position stance.

NOTE:

In a study it has been shown that having the band placed around the ankle or the foot instead of the knee increases activation of the gluteus medius ~ 25% and ~ 40%, respectively. It also increases activation of gluteus maximus 60% and ~ 40%, respectively.

Squats

Partial Squat

Stand in front of a stable chair or countertop and hold onto it, if necessary
Pretend that you are going to sit in a chair – Stick your butt backwards
While maintaining your back straight and your hips above the level of your knees, slowly lower your body into a semi-squat position without leaning forward and keeping your heels in contact with the ground at all times.
Knees should not go past your toes.

Wall Squat W/ Ball

Place a ball between your back and the wall with your feet shoulder width apart and facing forward.
For more knee stability, you can place a small ball between knees.
Slowly bend your knees to 90 degrees keeping knee caps in line with 2nd toe (toe beside big toe), whilst squeezing ball between knees.
Don’t let your knees go further than your toes.
Slowly return to standing position and repeat.

NOTE:

Maintain proper low back posture (slightly arched) and stability of the knees (avoid any lateral movements).

Benefits

Using these exercises will help you focus on activating the glutes, which is key to building the muscle. Sometimes the muscles can become fatigued and/or weak.

With exercises that focus on using the glute muscles, your body can begin to utilize them properly.

This is an important step as it builds a strong foundation for your muscles to grow on.

The result will be an improved ability to perform complex movements and/or movements with weights.

Injury Prevention

Be sure to begin your exercises with a warm-up prior to a leg workout or by themselves.

Do all exercises within pain limits.

If the exercises begin to hurt, either decrease the amount of sets and/or reps you do or change the exercise.

Be sure that you are targeting other muscles, such as the gluteus medius which can become weak.

Ensuring your exercises are activating the various glute muscles is very important.

If you are having issues reaching your goals alway consult a professional such as a physiotherapist for help with an injury.

Final Thoughts

Pain and dysfunction in our movement are two things we would like to avoid if possible.

Sometimes, especially living an active lifestyle or being an athlete.

Injury can take us away from the activities we enjoy doing and can be difficult to fix.

But by doing exercises that focus on the muscle group can help strengthen weak/fatigued muscles.

Allow you to engage your glutes properly and build a foundation making them stronger over time.

There are many different exercises that focus on your glutes outside of the sample list of exercises we have provided, but it’s a great place to start.

To ensure proper form or to get further advice/assistance with exercises get in touch with your local physiotherapist professional.

Also, balance is a huge factor in improving strength – read more about proprioception better understand how balance exercises can aide in making you stronger.

An examination of the gluteal muscle activity associated with dynamic hip abduction and hip external rotation exercise: A systematic review
Progressive hip rehabilitation: The effects of resistance band placement on gluteal activation during two common exercises
Edward D.J. Cambridge ⁎, Natalie Sidorkewicz, Dianne M. Ikeda, Stuart M. McGill Department of Kinesiology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
Progressive hip rehabilitation: The effects of resistance band placement on gluteal activation during two common exercises

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