Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, pull your abdominals in, and relax
your shoulders. Bend your left leg, bringing your heel toward your butt, and
grasp your left foot with your right hand (see Figure 6-5) or with your left
hand, if the opposite hand is too uncomfortable. You should feel a mild pull
gradually spread through the front of your left leg. Then switch legs.Keep these tips in mind as you perform the standing quad stretch:Hold onto a chair or the wall if you have trouble balancing.
Don’t lock the knee of your base leg.Photograph by Sunstreak Productions, Inc.Double calf stretch ..............................................................................
This stretch offers some relief for the calf muscles, which tend to be tight and
bunched up from daily activities such as walking and standing.Stand with your feet together about 2 feet from a wall that you’re facing. Pull
your abdominals gently inward and don’t round your lower back. With straight
arms, press your palms into the wall and lean forward from your ankles,
keeping your heels pressed as close to the floor as possible (see Figure 6-6).
You should feel a mild stretch spread through your calf muscles.Figure 6-5:
The
standing
quad stretch
targets your
front-thigh
muscles.76 Part II: Enjoying Total-Body Health: Eating Well and Staying Injury-Free