10 Poses To Improve Flexibility
Can’t Touch Your Toes? These Poses Can Help!
I know the feeling. You wake up one morning and think to yourself “It’s been a while since I’ve stretched”. You then try to touch your toes without bending your legs and realize how something that was once so simple to do, is now damn near impossible!
So what happened to the flexible you? The culprits are usually age and lack of activity. The less active we are as we age, the tighter our muscles and joints become. This can lead to feeling stiff in areas that used to be quite flexible. So what is one to do to stop these tight muscles from ruining your day?
Well, for one thing, you can do yoga! One of yoga’s primary benefits is improved flexibility and the following 10 poses will help you regain some of that lost flexibility in your body.
See the poses below and be sure to pass these along to friends and family that could use some improved flexibility in your life!
By Libby Birk
Child’s Pose: A great beginner pose, child’s pose is a resting pose that you can hold for a couple minutes. Here’s how.
Mountain Pose: This basic pose allows for you to stand tall and connect with your breathing. Here’s how to do it.
Downward-Facing Dog: This pose is challenging for beginners, but you can increase the distance between your feet for an easier time. Click here to learn how to do it.
Tree Pose: This pose requires you to balance on one leg. It builds your confidence and clears your mind. Click here to see how it’s done.
Bridge Pose: This energizing move opens the whole front of the body; the hips, abdomen, and chest will all be flexed. Here’s how to do it.
Locust Pose: This pose is perfect for improving posture, and for many of us with weak upper back muscles (largely due to desk jobs) it works the upper back muscles. Click here to learn how to do it.
Warrior 2: Embrace your inner warrior and hold this pose! See it done here.
Thread the Needle: You’ll give your hips a great stretch with this accurately-named pose!Click here to see how to do it.
Plank Pose: You thought you’d get away without doing a plank, didn’t you? Here’s how to do it.
Corpse Pose: Think doing nothing is easy? See how long you can hold this pose! Here’s how.
Half Dog: If the Downward-Facing Dog from earlier was too difficult, this pose will be perfect for you. Check it out from Greatist here.
