Lower Body Stretches

Lower body stretches to perform after high intensity training to strengthen your muscles.

Hey there! I’m coming at you today with my favorite lower body stretch routine. As you know I’m a sucker for HIIT training. Give me some dumbbells and mat and I’m in heaven. The only downside is that the continuous pounding on my muscles and joints is hard on my body and I often wake up stiff the next morning.

In middle school I was so inflexible. It wasn’t even funny. I could barely touch the thing-a-ma-bob that measured sit and reach and I certainly couldn’t touch my toes. It was almost embarrassing. But then in the spring of my senior year I wanted to get “excellent” in all fitness testing areas, and sit n reach was the only thing standing in my way. Two months before the test, I started stretching every night and when it came time to do it, I only got average, but I was super excited because it was better than below average like all the previous years. It’s funny that I can still remember that. Flexibility has never been my strength, but I’m here to tell ya that if you stretch every day, it’ll get easier and easier.

Here are 9 moves I like to do after a hard workout. It helps cool my body down while stretching the muscles. Static stretches, like the ones below, are good for after a workout. If you stretch before a workout, try performing dynamic stretches – ones that require some movement. i.e – walking lunges or walking RDLS.

Let me know which lower body stretches are your favorite so I can add them to my routine!

Lower Body Stretch Routine

Perform these stretches for 30 seconds each after a cardio or strength workout.

1. 1. Wall Calf Stretch – facing a wall, place your toe on the wall and keep you heel on the ground. Lean into the wall for a deeper stretch. You can also try turning side to side to feel the stretch in different parts of your calf.
   2. Quad Stretch – from standing, lift one leg and grab your shoe laces. Keep your knee close to the other and lift your chest.
   3. IT Band Stretch – from standing, bring right leg behind left and reach right arm up and over to the left. Feel the stretch along the side of your body. Repeat stretching to the left.
   4. V-Hamstring Stretch – from standing, widen stance so that legs are in a “v” shape. Bend at hips and reach for right foot. Hold. Walk hands over to left foot. Hold. Then wrap arms and let body hang in the center. Slowly roll upper body back to starting.
   5. Inner Thigh Stretch – with feet wide, lower body into sumo squat position (knees pointed out). Bring right elbow to inside of right knee and dip shoulder down, opening up your inner thigh and and stretching your back. Switch to left elbow to left knee and dip shoulder. 5.2 Deep Sumo Squat – (not pictured)with feet and knees wide, lower body all the way down so butt hovers over floor. Hold or bounce slightly to feel the glutes stretch.
   6. Seated Glute Stretch –  in seated position, bring right leg up so foot lays flat on floor and knee is bent. Position left leg across right leg, so legs create a figure “4”. For a deeper stretch, walk right foot in closer to your butt and/or press left knee down toward ground.
   7. Seated V-Hamstring Stretch – in seated position, bring right leg out straight and keep left foot pull in toward the body. Bend at hips and stretch toward right foot. Hold. Repeat on the left side.
   8. Butterfly Stretch – in seated position, bring feet together with knees pointed out. Lift upper body tall and press knees toward ground. For deeper stretch, bring feet in closer to your body.
   9. Child’s Pose – bring knees to ground and fold body over legs. Walk arms out as far as possible to feel stretch in back.