Positive Life NSW

Ingrid Cullen is a gym instructor with many years experience working with HIV positive people.

Stretches to add to your home or gym workout

The four stretches that follow are some good general stretches that can be added to your fitness program. As I said in the last Talkabout issue, when you stretch is not important, but make sure you are warmed up and not cold when you stretch. If you spend one hour working out or being active allow ten minutes as a minimum for stretching during or after each exercise session.

The chest stretch is important, as most activities we do in our every day life are in front of us, which leads to these muscles becoming tighter than the opposing muscle group, the upper back. This ultimately puts extra pressure on your neck and shoulder joints. I will talk about this in a later stretch.

The hamstring and glutes (bum and back of thighs) stretch is important for keeping your lower back in good shape. If the hamstring and bum muscles are tighter than your quads (front of thighs), your lower back is put under extra pressure.

The hip flexor (front of hip) stretch is important as the pelvis is stabilised by these muscles and the upper gluteus, and if they are unbalanced, abdominal strength can’t be fully developed. Make sure this little muscle is kept flexible to retain full abdominal rotation. When it is too tight, this muscle will not let the abdominal muscles work through their full range, thereby wasting your hard efforts toning those abs.

The final stretch is for your upper back. This stretch is not as important if you don’t workout as for many people the chest is tighter than the upper back. Always spend a little more time on chest stretches than upper back stretches. If you workout and exercise your back on a regular basis then this stretch needs to be added, because as you strengthen a muscle it tightens up if you don’t regularly stretch it.

If you spend one hour working out or being active allow ten minutes as a minimum for stretching during or after each exercise session.

Chest stretch
Clasp your hands behind your back, lift your chest and arch your back as you lift your hands up and away from your body keeping your arms straight. You will feel this stretch most strongly in the outer and upper part of the chest near the shoulders. You will also get a good stretch in the front of your shoulders. As you become more flexible you will notice that you feel this stretch more in the chest and less in the shoulders.

Hamstring stretch
Have a piece of furniture or the wall handy to balance with. Place your ankle on the opposite leg just above the knee. The supporting leg is bent, and as you lean forward, arch your back as you sit back a little and really stick your bum out. Pull your toes back and push your knee out and down on the leg that is being stretched.

Hip Flexor Stretch
Kneel on the floor with one knee on the floor and the opposite leg bent at the knee with the foot about one foot length in front of you. Lift through your stomach muscles as you tuck under with your bum and tilt slightly to feel a stretch at the front of your hip. This stretch can be a bit tricky to get, so play with small movements of the hip and pelvis until you feel it. Lean forward slightly, or squeeze your bum cheeks a bit more. Very small movements without letting your body slump will change the stretch.

Back Stretch
Bend over and clasp your hands behind your legs, this time let your back curve as you pull up and away from your legs. Keep your legs bent as you wrap your shoulders around and think of pulling the shoulder blades apart as you pull smoothly away from your legs. You may find a deep breath inwards helps you feel this stretch a bit more.

Happy stretching and keep those questions coming for next issue.

Do you have any fitness questions for Ingrid? Email them to: editor@positivelife.org.au