mobility
Lower-Body Stretch
quads · hamstrings · glutes · calves
bodyweight · beginner
How to do it
- 1Quad stretch: stand, hold one ankle behind you and keep your knees together. 30 seconds each leg.
- 2Hamstring stretch: heel on a low step with the leg straight, then hinge forwards from the hips until you feel the back of the leg. 30 seconds each.
- 3Figure-four: on your back, cross one ankle over the other knee and pull the bottom leg towards you. 30 seconds each.
- 4Calf stretch: hands on a wall, one foot back with the heel pressed down. 30 seconds each.
What to think about
- Settle into each one and breathe out slowly.
- Hold still. A mild pull is the right amount.
What usually goes wrong
- Bouncing to get further.
- Rushing through it because the hard part is over.
Worth knowing
- A stretch should pull in the muscle, never hurt in a joint. Ease off to where it is mild.
What the cautions rest on
The safety points above come from these, not from house opinion.
- Before lifting, warm-ups that move through range are preferred to long held stretches; held stretches belong after the session.
- Stretching improves range of motion; it does not meaningfully reduce muscle soreness in the days after training.
Who checked this
Nobody qualified has. These are standard coaching points and ordinary gym safety, written down: how to set the thing up, what to control, and when to stop a set. They are not a clinical opinion and no physiotherapist or strength coach has read them back. If they disagree with somebody who can actually see you lift, believe that person.