1.

Place your right foot against the wall with your laces-side touching the wall. Be sure your toe is pointing neither in nor out, but perfectly straight.   (How high you place your foot on the wall is directly dependent on how tight your thigh and hip flexor muscles are.)

2.

Place your right knee as close to the wall as is comfortable. 

3.

Place your left foot out in front of you in a lunge position.

4.

Lift your upper body to a vertical position, and attempt to make your body as tall as possible. Attempt to touch your hands to the wall behind you without losing the vertical positioning of your torso.  DO NOT hyper-extend your back to touch the wall!!

5.

Attempt to pull your hips forward. If you feel a tight pinch in your lower back, then move your knee a little farther away from the wall and attempt the hip movement again. Repeat this knee adjustment until you can comfortably raise your torso and pull your hips forward without discomfort in your lower back. The reason you feel tightness in your lower back is likely that your psoas muscle is unusually tight, and it is pulling on the attachments to your lumbar vertebrae.  Repeat 5-10 breaths.

  top                             Stretch 102:  The Floor Chest Touch

Before you get into this stretch:   Begin by sitting on the floor with your legs apart as far as possible.

This is a primary stretch for the middle back, hamstrings, and inside thighs. When done correctly, this stretch will simultaneously lengthen many of the back and leg muscles that get tight from poor sitting or standing positions. There are too many muscles to list, but the main purpose of this stretch is to allow you to comfortably stand or sit with good posture. 

If you suffer from knee, hamstring, or lower/mid-back issues, then this is a very strongly recommended stretch to do daily.

Click the picture above for a printer-friendly version of this stretch.

Place your hands on the floor in front of you as far forward as possible.

2.

DO NOT BOUNCE!  Attempt to touch the floor with your elbows.  Keep your hands on the floor, and if possible, your elbows too.

3.

Breathe and as you exhale let the weight of your torso pull your chest closer and closer to the floor.  Repeat 5-10 times.

(It may take over a year of stretching before you can actually touch the floor with your chest, but keep at it, and NEVER bounce!)

4.

The progression of this stretch goes like this:

Imagine there is a line between your ankles.  Get your fingers past the line, then your wrists, then your elbows, then touch your chest to the floor.

  top                         Stretch 103:  The Wall Piriformis Stretch

Before you get into this stretch:  Begin by lying on the floor with your legs straight and your heels up on the wall with your hips a

comfortable distance from the wall so that your hips and back are flat on the floor.

This is a primary stretch for the hip, lower back, and knee (yes, the knee...especially the muscles that might affect the IT Band, which inserts just below the knee). When done correctly, this stretch will lengthen the hip muscles that externally rotate the thigh. These muscles can ruin your ability to walk/run/jump correctly, which can lead to numerous joint issues in the knee, hip, and lower back. If you suffer from maladies in these areas (especially sciatica and arthritis), then this is a very strongly recommended stretch to do daily.

Click the picture above for a printer-friendly version of this stretch.

1.

Bend your right knee and place that foot flat against the wall.

2.

Cross your left ankle over your right knee.

3.

Make sure your hips are still flat on the ground.  If not, shift your body a little farther away from the wall to allow you to cross your legs and still maintain contact between both sides of your hips and the ground.

4.

Place your hands on the inside of your left knee and take a deep breath.  As you exhale, gently push your knee away from your torso so that it gradually rotates outward.  You should feel a gentle tug deep in the outside of your left hip.  That tug should gradually subside as you hold this position.  Take 5-10 breaths in this position and then switch legs and repeat.

Hot Tip:  To maximize your stretching efforts, flex your left groin muscles for 5 seconds to try to rotate your thigh inward against your hands while holding your knee in place with your hands (only use about 20% leg effort).  After 5 seconds, relax the muscles of your thigh and try to push your thigh outward with your hands for 5 seconds.  You should see a slight increase in range of motion.  Repeat 3 times.

  top                                   Stretch 104:  The Wall Squat

Before you get into this stretch:   If you cannot lift your hands to at least shoulder level, go see a therapist to work on your shoulders and back. Know your limits and listen to your body.  Call a professional when in doubt.

This is an assessment exercise to determine whether your back or your legs need more stretching. 

When done correctly, this exercise stretches the kinetic chain of muscles attached to the hips from above and below.

Try to complete 10 reps of this exercise with your toes against the wall and your hands above your head.

Click the picture above for a printer-friendly version of this stretch.

1.

Stand with both your feet touching the wall. If you can't complete the steps below without losing your balance, then step one foot away from the wall and try again. Gradually work your way closer to the wall.

2.

Place your hands against the wall above your head, the higher and closer to each other the better. Start with a height that is comfortable and reach higher as you get more flexible.

Begin to squat as deeply as possible without allowing your knees to touch the wall. If your knees touch the wall, step back and try again. DO NOT let your heels leave the ground.

4.

As you practice this type of squat, you should gradually see your hips getting lower and eventually get below the level of your knees. Do not force this movement, simply practice it. The more repetitions you do without forcing them, the more flexible you will get.

This is by far the simplest, yet the most frustrating functional movement to ever attempt. Do not worry if you can not do it at first, and it takes quite some time to actually do a proper overhead squat with your toes touching the wall. Take a deep breath, relax, try again. NEVER force this movement! Just take a deep breath, relax, and try again. Good luck! With time and practice you'll get it.