How to Stretch at Home

Stretching relieves tension, improves mobility, soothes tired, aching muscles and might reduce your risk of injury. A simple but thorough stretch routine takes no more than 15 minutes and requires little or nothing in terms of equipment. In fact, you'll accomplish plenty if all you've got is a small area of floor space and a few minutes to spare. If you're a morning person, try stretching early with the sun streaming through your window. Night owls might add stretching to their late-night routine as a way of unwinding and relaxing before bed.

Things You'll Need

  • Yoga mat or towel
  • Firm, stable chair
  • Necktie, hand towel or scarf
  • Comfortable, non-restrictive clothing
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Instructions

    • 1

      Prepare your space and yourself. Clear an area on the floor. Push light furniture to the side, remove toys, plants and other small objects from the area and vacuum or sweep. Spread a yoga mat or towel on the floor for added comfort. Collect items you want to use to assist with stretching, such as a firm, straight-backed chair. Turn on music if doing so helps you relax. Change into comfortable clothes that won't restrict your movement -- and drink a glass of water.

    • 2

      Warm up to prepare your muscles and joints for activity and minimize your risk of stretch-related injury. Walk, march or jog in place while pumping your arms or do some jumping jacks. Keep moving at an easy pace for five to 10 minutes or until you break a light sweat. Omitting the warm-up portion of your routine can lead to muscle tears, so don't skip it, even if you're short on time.

    • 3

      Stretch your body's main muscle groups, including the muscles of your neck, shoulders, arms, back, legs and buttocks. If you're new to stretching, stick with the most basic variation of every exercise. For example, use a modified hurdler for your hamstrings, the butterfly pose for your groin and the angry cat for your back. As your flexibility improves, progress to more advanced variations to target different muscle fibers, increase the intensity of the stretch and keep your home-based routine fresh.

    • 4

      Use common household items, such as a necktie, hand towel or scarf to add variety. For example, stand straight and grasp one end of a necktie with each hand. Extend your arms overhead, open your arms so the necktie is taut and bend your torso from side to side to stretch your obliques. Extend one arm overhead and let the tie dangle along your back. Reach back with your other hand, grab the lower end of the tie and gently pull down to stretch your shoulder, lats and triceps. Sit on the floor, extend your legs in front of you and loop the tie around the sole of one foot. Flex the foot and pull back lightly on the ends of the tie to stretch your calf.

    • 5

      Relish the fact that you're not limited by class times and gym hours. Because you're stretching at home, you should find it easy to squeeze in three, four, or more sessions a week. Move into and out of static stretch positions slowly and gradually. Lengthen the muscle until you feel light to moderate resistance and hold the stretch position for up to 30 seconds, without bouncing or forcing the movement. Pull back gently but promptly if you experience any pinching, numbness or pain. Repeat every stretch one to four times before switching to the other side.

    • 6

      Increase your repertoire. Consult books, magazines, DVDs and on online sources for new stretches. Experiment with new combinations of stretches, testing how different routines flow. Note which combinations leave you feeling balanced, alert and energized. Keep a notebook listing routines that work best for you and bring the notebook along with you when you travel. Your home stretch routines are portable, so use them in hotel rooms, on the beach, in the park and poolside.