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36 Pictures To See Which Muscle You’re Stretching




36 Pictures To See Which Muscle You’re Stretching

Everyone needs a good stretching, regardless whether he is a weekend warrior, daily exerciser, or chronic sitter. Namely, stretching works on several levels. It helps the blood reach the muscles and helps the joints move through full range of motion. In addition to this, it reduces the risk of injuries and pain, it improves the athletic performance, and it significantly improves the posture.


However, do you know which muscles you are stretching or whether you are doing it properly as part of your flexibility or yoga routine?
Luckily, we offer few tips on the topic, and having this knowledge will help you choose the stretch that fits your needs. If you start feeling any pain, meaning a good, stretchy pain, pinpoint the painful muscle and change the current technique so that you prevent any unwanted injury.
These stretches are designed to be felt in the belly of the muscle. However, you shouldn’t feel any strain or pressure in the joints. If you do feel any pressure, it means that you are pushing too far. Focus on the breathing while doing the stretching and make sure the movements are completely natural.
While doing the stretching, you should focus on feeling the muscles relaxed and going back to their natural length. Forget about the time while holding the stretch! The stretching itself should last about 5-30 seconds. If you feel that for any reason the stretch doesn’t work for you, try another one.
The illustrations presented in this article are made by Vicky Timon, a yoga expert and author of “Encyclopedia of Pilates Exercises”, and James Kilgallon, CSCS, creator of Mazio’s Body Maintenance Program.

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  1. Camel Pose
Muscles Emphasized: Rectus Abdominus and External Obliques
This stretch is most suitable for people who have a good flexibility already. You should sit on the heels, place the hands behind you, and push the hips up and forward. Don’t put much pressure on the lumbar spine and don’t drop the head back if you are experiencing some issues with your neck.
  1. Wide Forward Fold
Muscles Emphasized: Adductors
This exercise which is excellent for stretching both adductors and the hamstrings only requires opening of the hips. Bend your knees and hold the spine straight. Straighten the legs, round out the back and reach for the feel once you feel the muscles starting to release. In order to release the calf muscles, pull easily on the bottom of the balls of your feet. If you are a beginner and feel unable to reach the feel, don’t worry. Feel free to use a towel or belt.
The wide forward fold can be also performed while lying on the back and pushing the legs up the wall.
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  1. Frog Pose
Muscles emphasized: Adductors
It is recommended to perform this stretch on a soft surface, as this stretch for the groins is likely to put pressure on the knees too. All you have to do is to rest the hands and knees, and then bring the knees wider, until you feel that the groins are well stretched. You are supposed to feel a quite different stretches as you push the hips back and forward.
  1. Wide Side Lunge Pose
Muscles Emphasized: Adductors
You should start by putting the feet forward in a wide stance while holding the legs as straight as you can. Using your hands, walk to the right foot and bend the right knee. Rotate the left toes up to the ceiling while sitting in the right hip. Your right food should be kept flat on the ground.
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  1. Butterfly Stretch
Muscles Emphasized: Adductors
Begin in sitting position, bring the soles of the feet together, and sit tall through the sit bones. You should put pressure on the knees by using your hands. For better results and more intense stretch on the groins, keep the feet closer to the body. It is important to make sure that your feet are from the hips! Finally, slowly round the upper body to loosen the back muscles.
  1. Forearm Extensor Stretch
Muscles Emphasized: Forearm Extensor
In order to get into the optimal position to stretch the forearm muscle, you need to pack the shoulders and back down while rotating the shoulders towards outside. Once you manage to reach this position, apply pressure on your hand in order to start the stretch. This stretch can be performed by touching the tips of the fingers together in a shape of a tea cup.

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  1. Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck
Muscles Emphasized:  Sternocleidomastoid “SCM”
Extend the neck as much as possible and drop the ear to your shoulder very slowly. Make sure that you are not collapsing your cervical spine! You can additionally develop and advance this stretch by sitting on a chair and holding onto the bottom of the seat. By doing so, you will make the tension down the arm and neck more consistent, which in turn targets the upper traps.
  1. Neck Rotation Stretch
Muscles Emphasized: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM”
First, rotate the neck slowly, while keeping the chin a bit elevated in to isolate the SCM. If you want more advanced stretch, apply pressure with the opposite hand from the direction you are rotating.
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  1. Neck Extension Stretch
Muscles Emphasized: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM”
Put the hands on your hips while keeping the spine long.  Start to tilt your head back, making sure that you are not collapsing the cervical spine.
  1. Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck with Hand Assistance
Muscles Emphasized: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM” and Upper Trapezius
Extend the neck as much as you can while dropping the ear to your shoulder. Again, make sure you are not collapsing the cervical spine. You can advance this stretch by sitting on a chair and holding onto the bottom of the seat. By doing so, you will create tension down the arm and neck, which in turn targets the upper traps.
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  1. Half Kneeling Quad / Hip Flexor Stretch
Muscles Emphasized: Psoas and Quadriceps
Start in a half-kneeling position and bring the right hip forward. You should feel a stretch in the fron of the hip while doing this. Then, take the back foot and squeeze the back glute so that you add to the stretch on the hip flexors.
  1. Forearm Extensor Stretch
Muscles Emphasized: Forearm Extensor
Pack your shoulder and back down. Then, rotate the shoulder towards outside in order to get into optimal position to stretch the forearm muscle. Once you come into this position, apply pressure on the opposing hand to start the stretch. Feel free to advance the stretch by touching the tips of the fingers together, in the shape of a tea cup.
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  1. Lateral Shoulder Stretch
Muscles Emphasized: Side Deltoid
While keeping the arms across your body, apply pressure on the arm in order to add to the stretch on the shoulder.
  1. Standing Assisted Neck Flexion Stretch
Muscles Emphasized: Trapezius Muscle
Stand on the ground with your feet together. Keep the spine extended and sit your hips back slowly. Then, round the upper back while pushing the chin to the chest in the meantime.
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  1. Lat Stretch with Spinal Traction
Muscles Emphasized: Latissimus Dorsi
Take a form grip on a bar and lift the feet off the ground very slowly. You should feel this stretch in the chest and lats. If you have taken the feet off the ground completely, you are likely to feel traction in the lumbar spine. This stretch is not recommended for people who have undergone a shoulder injury recently or have impingement of the shoulder.
  1. Lat Stretch at the Wall
Muscles Emphasized: Latissimus Dorsi
Place the hands on the corner of a wall or post. Keeping your spine extend, push the hips out to the side slowly. If you are experiencing some issues with your lower back, don’t perform this stretch.
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  1. Child`s Pose
Muscles Emphasized: Latissimus Dorsi
Stand on the ground with your hands and knees firmly on the floor and then slowly bring the hips back until your forehead reaches the floor. You should bring the knees wider if you want to advance the stretch. Keep the upper back positioned in the shape of an arch, and then rotate the shoulders externally so that you stretch the lats and chest muscles.
  1. Standing Calf Stretch
Muscles Emphasized: Soleus and Gastrocnemius

You can either perform this stretch on a rack or on the edge of a stair step. Rotate the ankles towards inside and outside to stretch the calf muscles.

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  1. Front Split
Muscles Emphasized: Psoas and Hamstring
Given the fact that this stretch is quite advanced and it is not appropriate for beginners, you should be extra cautious. This is especially applied to people with hip problems. Start in a kneeling lunge position. It would be good to have the support of a chair, while the hip flexors and hamstrings release.
  1. Seated Forward Fold/ Seated Toe Touch
Muscles Emphasized: Hamstrings and Calfs
Sit on the seat bones and bend the knees, if necessary. As the flexibility gets better, your legs will become much stronger. Keep the spine as straight as possible, especially if you are experiencing some back issues. You can also perform this stretch by lying down on the back with the feet up the wall.
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