The Muscles Used in the Toy Soldier Stretch

A thorough warmup before exercise or sporting activity loosens up your muscles and joints, helps your muscles perform more efficiently and reduces risk of injury. Dynamic stretches that involve continuous movement such as the toy soldier stretch are ideal for warming up, says the University of West Virginia. The toy soldier stretch raises your core temperature in preparation for vigorous physical activity by engaging a variety of muscles, including your core, hip flexors and hamstrings.

  1. Considerations

    • The toy soldier stretch strongly works your hamstrings. If you have tight, inflexible hamstrings, do a short cardiovascular routine to warm up these tight muscles. A 10- to 15-minute ride on a stationary bike, a brisk walk or a gentle jog on a treadmill should increase blood flow to your hamstrings and reduce the risk of injury when you do the toy soldier stretch.

    Main Muscles Used

    • Your leg muscles work extensively as you perform the toy soldier stretch. The hamstrings of your kicking leg lengthen and stretch as you swing your leg up toward your upraised opposite arm, while your quadriceps contract to keep your leg straight. The hamstrings of your standing leg work to stabilize your knee and hip. Your quadriceps also help stabilize your knee, and together with your calf, help maintain your balance. The gluteal muscles of your butt kick in to stabilize your hips. Your hip flexors at the top of the thighs activate to swing your leg up. The toy soldier stretch is an ideal warmup for activities that strongly engage your quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals and calves. These include running, sprinting and jumping. The toy soldier stretch is also ideal preparation for weight-lifting exercises such as squats, leg presses, deadlifts and good mornings.

    Other Muscles Used

    • The tibialis anterior is a minor muscle that runs down your shin bone between your knee and ankle. It plays an important role as you perform the toy soldier stretch by working in conjunction with your calf to keep your standing leg stable and maintain your balance. There is little activation of your upper-body muscles except your anterior deltoids and triceps isometrically contracting to keep your arms raised in front of you.

    Stabilizer Muscles

    • Your abs and obliques work to stabilize your upper body as you swing your legs up, while the erector spinae of your lower back work in conjunction with your obliques to stabilize and twist your body as you swing your leg toward the opposite arm.