Stretch it. Stretch it real good. Try these easy stretches before or after a workout, or any other time.
Alice Mongkongllite / BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed Life spoke with personal trainer Mary Jane Detroyer, M.S., R.D., C.D.N., who recommended these 10 easy stretches. She says they'll help reduce muscle soreness, lower your stress, and minimize your risk of injury, while improving athletic function and performance. Pretty great.
The best part: You can do these stretches anytime you need to, and pretty much anywhere. Just make sure that you ease into them slowly if you haven't already warmed up, so you don't hurt yourself. Also if any of this is painful, you either shouldn't stretch as deeply or you should stop doing the stretch altogether. Feeling stiff is normal, and some people will be more flexible than others. But you want this to feel good, not bad.
If you want to give your abs a stretch:
You should feel this one in both your upper and lower abdominals. This feels great after doing sit-ups or planks.
Here's how to do it:
1. Lie down and roll over onto your stomach with your forehead down on the ground.
2. Bring your hands by your chest and your elbows by your ribs.
3. Push your hips into the floor and slowly raise your head and your chest up away from the floor towards the ceiling.
4. Hold for 15-30 seconds.
Lauren Zaser / BuzzFeed Life
If you want to stretch those hip flexors:
You should feel this stretch on the front of your leg, up high where it meets your pelvic bone. This one will feel especially great if you sit at your desk all day.
Here's how to do it:
1. Standing, raise both hands straight up in the air in line with your shoulders.
2. Take one foot and step back into a slight lunge, making sure your back heel is lifted up off the ground.
3. Lean up and back until you feel the stretch.
4. Try to hold the position for up to 15 seconds.
5. Release and repeat with opposite leg.
Don't
• Lean back further than you can maintain balance or hold the position comfortably. This could lead to you possibly hurting yourself.
Lauren Zaser / BuzzFeed Life
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