5 Easy Stretches for Beginners

Stretching can benefit your health and help prevent injury. Here are some easy-to-do stretching exercises that will give you more flexibility.

Important instructions before you start

• Stretch slowly and hold the position for at least 15 seconds before releasing, gently.
• Do each stretch twice in a row, switching smoothly from one movement to the next.
• Stretch your muscles until you feel a little tension, but no sharp pain.

Touch the sky

STRETCHED MUSCLES AND JOINTS: Back, shoulders, sides (oblique muscles), abdominals and hands.

• Standing with your feet hip-width apart, stretch your arms out with your fingers pointing up.
• Slowly get up on your tiptoes and spread your fingers apart.
• Stretch upwards as much as you can by lengthening your whole body and lifting your chin slightly.
• Stay in this position, then release and come back to the starting point.

The wall

STRETCHED MUSCLES AND JOINTS: Calves, posterior thighs (hamstring muscles), back and shoulders.

• Standing about one meter (three feet) from a wall, place your hands on the wall, at shoulder height.
• Step back with your feet until you feel a little tension in your calves.
• Slowly push your hips back, your back still straight.
• Press your heels onto the floor so that you can also feel tension in your back.
• Stay in this position, then slowly return to the starting point.

Open arms

STRETCHED MUSCLES AND JOINTS: Chest, arms and wrists.

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent, keep your back and chin straight.
• Slowly raise your arms out to the sides until they are below shoulder level.
• With palms facing forward, slowly stretch your arms back.
• When you can’t go any further, gently bend your wrists back so you can feel tension on the inside of your arms.
• Stay in this position, then slowly return to the starting point.

Sit down without sitting down

STRETCHED MUSCLES AND JOINTS: Hips, buttocks and thighs.

• Standing with your hands placed on the back of a chair or on a table for balance, lift your right leg.
• Place the right ankle on the bottom of the left thigh, just above the knee.
• Bend the left leg and push the buttocks back slightly, as if you were going to sit down.
• Push the right knee towards the floor, so that you can feel tension in the right hip and behind the thigh.
• Stay in this position, then slowly return to the starting point.
• Repeat the exercise on the other side.

The triangle

STRETCHED MUSCLES AND JOINTS: Sides (oblique muscles), inner thighs, posterior thighs (hamstring muscles) and neck.

• Standing with feet shoulder-width apart, left foot pointed to the side, right foot pointed forward, raise arms out to sides to shoulder height.
• Lean to the left to touch your left shin with your left hand.
• Lower the left hand as low as possible while pulling the right hand towards the ceiling.
• Turn your head slightly to look at the ceiling.
• Stay in this position, then slowly return to the starting point.
• Repeat the exercise on the other side.

After you try these stretches, you will find that they take little time and can give you a great sense of well-being. Think about it, you might even regain the flexibility of your youth!