6 Essential Post-Workout Stretches

If you’re not stretching after your cardio or strength training workout, you’ll most likely end up with tight, sore, or aching muscles the next day. Not only that, but stretching also increases your flexibility, which makes you less susceptible to fitness injuries. I think my favorite thing about a good stretching session though is how calm and relaxed I feel afterward, so stretching is good for your body and your mind. Here are six essential stretches I always include in my post-workout stretching routine. Each one targets different areas of the body, so by the end, you’ll have stretched all your major muscle groups. Butterfly: Hips and lower back Seated Wide Straddle: Hamstrings and lower back Tipover Tuck: Hamstrings, chest, and shoulders Foot and Hip Flexor Wall Stretch: Hip flexors, calves, and feet Lying Side Quad Stretch: Quads and shins Half Wheel: Quads, abs, shoulders, and neck

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6 Essential Post-Workout Stretches

Avoid the Hamstring Cramp When Stretching Your Quads

Post-workout, the two most common stretches seem to be the standing quad stretch and just about any hamstring stretch, and they are usually done in that order. But if you tend to cramp in the backs of your legs, I highly suggest switching it up. Since the quads, on the front of the thigh, and the hamstrings, on the back, are antagonist, one tends to engage as the other stretches. If you have really tight hamstrings, pulling your heel to your booty to stretch your quad can engage muscles on the back of the thigh, making it cramp unpleasantly. Before you stretch your quads, lengthen the back of your legs first with one of these easy hamstring stretches . Once you have stretched your hamstrings, then move on to stretch the front of your legs.

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Avoid the Hamstring Cramp When Stretching Your Quads

Stretch It: Straight Leg Hamstring Stretch

I’ve been exploring new trails in the woods near my house for hiking and running, and man, are my hamstrings sore from all those steep hills. If the backs of your legs could use a good stretch, try this one that will effectively target that area and challenge your core a bit as you balance during the stretch. To learn how to do this stretch and to also see a more relaxing variation, read more. Sit on the floor, extending both legs straight out in front of you. Sit up tall, lengthening the crown of the head away from the hips. Relax the shoulders away from the ears. Bend your right knee and draw it into your chest. Hold the sole of your right foot with both hands. Keeping the spine straight, begin to straighten the right leg. If your hamstrings are tight, hold your leg lower behind the calf or back of the thigh. If your hamstrings are extremely tight, wrap a towel or strap around your leg and hold on to that. The goal is to keep the right leg straight, to target the back of your right leg. Draw the right leg as close as you can toward your torso without rounding the spine. Hold for 30 seconds, and then gently release the leg back to the floor. Repeat this stretch with the left leg. You can also do a variation of this stretch by lying on your back .

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Stretch It: Straight Leg Hamstring Stretch

Stretch It: Relaxing Hamstring Stretch

Stretching my hamstrings after a run is a must, but since I bike and swim as well, my hamstrings could use all the stretching they can get. So I try to squeeze hamstring stretches in whenever I can. Here’s one that you can do while watching TV or lying in bed. To learn how to do this simple yet effective stretch, read more. Roll onto your right side with both legs straight, propping yourself up on your left elbow. If it’s hard to balance, bend your bottom knee. Lift your right leg in the air, keeping it straight, and reach your right hand to the back of your right thigh, calf, ankle, heel, or toes. Make sure your knee and toes are pointing toward your body to target your right hamstring. Use your right hand to add weight to your leg and deepen the stretch. After 30 seconds, release, roll over, and repeat this stretch with the left leg.

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Stretch It: Relaxing Hamstring Stretch

Learn to Love: Jumping Rope

Join the ranks of Katy Perry and get your heart rate up with a little jump rope . Common in elementary schools and boxing gyms, jumping rope is a great cardio workout that also challenges your coordination, balance, and agility. Also a great calorie burner - you’re moving your own body weight against gravity - jumping rope tones your calves, thighs, back, abs, shoulders, arms, and bum. It’ll strengthen your bones . You might not love jumping rope yet, but maybe you’re ready to give it a try. So check out some moves to try, when you read more. Jump with both feet together. Focus on keeping your back straight and drawing your abs in. Jump like you’re jogging, alternating feet. Hop on one foot for 10 seconds, then switch to the other foot for 10 seconds, and continue alternating. Hop with one foot for 10 seconds, while raising your other knee up toward your chest (you have to squeeze it in as tight as you can so the rope doesn’t get caught on your knee. You’ll feel this move in your abs). Then do the other side. Move forward while jumping rope. Jump rope backwards - this takes considerably more coordination. Jump rope as fast as you can for one minute, then slow down the pace for two minutes, and continue the pattern. Yep, you can even do intervals with a jump rope. Cross your arms while jumping rope for 30 seconds to stretch your shoulders. This should make you feel like Rocky. Practice jumping as high as you can and swinging the rope under your feet twice. This is my nephew’s fave trick. After you’re done jumping, you can use the rope to stretch out your hamstrings . Don’t forget to stretch your calves too. Jumping rope is hard work, so a session might only be 10 to 15 minutes. I like to add it into circuit training to keep my heart rate elevated while working. Tell me, do you love jumping rope?

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Learn to Love: Jumping Rope

Foods to Fuel Runners

If you’re a runner, you need the proper fuel to build muscle, sustain your energy, and increase your endurance. Not all foods are created equal, and according to Fitness magazine , here are seven foods that are musts for runners. What else should runners eat? To find out, read more. I eat most of these foods on a regular basis, but must admit I have a hard time getting enough wild salmon into my diet. Any suggestions for recipes would be greatly appreciated.

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Foods to Fuel Runners

Jackie Warner’s Moves to Get Bikini Ready

If you’re dreaming of wearing a string bikini come Memorial Day, fitness expert Jackie Warner and star of Work Out has a workout for you to try. She stopped by the Today show to share her beach body workout, which is made up of five compound multi joint moves , designed to target several muscle groups in each exercise. Along with toning your lower body, abs, and arms, the workout will raise your heart rate getting you solidly into the fat-burning zone. For this strength training circuit, Jackie suggests using “three- to five-pound weights if you’re a beginner and if you’re more advanced go into the eight- to ten-pound range and do 10 to 15 reps, rather than 30.” To complete the circuit you need to complete three total sets of 30 reps each when using lighter weights. Jackie explained that “you want to work your delts when you’re getting your bikini body because you want the nice shape, the V-taper we call it, to give you that cheat in the waistline.” Nice to know that shapely shoulders can make your middle look smaller. If you’re afraid of weights bulking you up, Jackie says: “You’re not going to get bulky. [If you're concerned about that] do more repetitions with a lighter weight, but you need to feel that burn. Remember you can’t change your body type. If you’re are a little thicker or a little smaller, you’re going to build a little bit more [muscle]. Would you rather have fat under those jeans or a little bit of tone?” I want tone! What about you? To see the workout and video demo of the moves, just read more. Deadlifts for the hamstrings and glutes paired with front arm raises to work the front of the deltoid for shapely shoulders. Jackie reminds us to only lower the weights to the knees at the bottom of the deadlift and to not lift the dumbbell above your shoulders on the arm raises. Plié squats for the inner and outer thigh as well as some “booty work” with lateral arm raise to work the medial deltoid. Squats with overhead press - remember form on your squats: “knees should be kind of over the ankles, so pop the booty back . . . toes should be kind of coming up. Your back should be arched and thrust a little forward at the top. Famous for her crunchless abs, Jackie included the core move of bringing the elbow to knee on all fours to work obliques and back. This challenging exercise can be done with or without a hand weight. Jackie says this is a great move for toning the muffin top. “You need to have a strong back to have a beautiful core.” The “classic yoga move the bridge ,” to work your glutes and hamstring, paired with triceps press for toning the back of the arm. Visit msnbc.com for breaking news , world news , and news about the economy I am excited to try this workout. Not sure if I will go for the 30 reps per set with my five-pound dumbbells or fewer reps with my heavier weights. Are you going to try it?

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Jackie Warner’s Moves to Get Bikini Ready

Snow Shovel Stretch: Lower Back

If you live in a place where Winter means lots and lots of snow, chances are you’re burning tons of calories from shoveling. While you’ll end up with a toned core and upper body, bending and lifting heavy loads of the white stuff can really do a number on your back. Take a break while shoveling and try these two stretches to relieve your sore lower back and hamstrings. If you don’t live in a Winter wonderland, do these stretches the next time you’re sweeping or mopping the floors. Here’s how to do the first forward bend stretch. Stand with the shovel in front of you, holding the handle with both hands. Begin to walk your feet back, lowering your chest, and stopping once your feet are underneath your hips. Relax your head and draw your shoulders away from your ears. Stay here for at least 30 seconds, breathing deeply and allowing your lower back to release. For another stretch you can do right after this one to deepen the stretch in your lower back and target your hamstrings, keep reading

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Snow Shovel Stretch: Lower Back

You Asked: Late Workout and Even Later Dinner

Dear Fit, The only time I can exercise is after work, but I don’t get to the gym until 6:30. By the time I’m finished, showered, and get home, it’s 8:00, and I’m starving for dinner. Is it too late to eat a big meal? Am I undoing all the work I did at the gym? - Working Hard and Hungry This is an excellent question I’m sure many others who work or go to school full-time can relate to. I’m happy to hear that you’re still fitting exercise in, and not letting work commitments get in the way. That said, I have some thoughts about how to handle dinner after your late night workouts, so read more. Refueling after you work out is a must, so don’t worry about eating dinner, even if it’s late at night. You may have heard that eating past 7 p.m. will lead to weight gain, but that’s a myth , so don’t be concerned with your late night meal undoing all your hard work. That said, you still want your evening meal to be healthy, and you should eat an appropriate portion size that contains protein and carbs to refuel your muscles for your next sweat session. I’m concerned that since you’re famished upon arriving home, you’re more likely to reach for quick and easy junk foods, and eat more calories than you would if you were only slightly hungry. To prevent this from happening, make sure you eat a pre-workout snack around 4 p.m. that contains carbs and protein and fiber. Yogurt and a piece of fruit or a KIND fruit and nut bar are great options. This snack will give you energy to sweat it out, but should also keep you fuller longer. Be sure to pack a small post-workout/pre-dinner snack to munch on while you drive home from the gym. A piece of fruit or some trail mix will be just enough to ease your hunger so that when you get home, your starving state doesn’t cause you to devour an entire bag of pretzels for dinner. You should also try to plan ahead and pre-make some dinners so when you get home, you can grab a salad, warm up some soup, or heat up some grilled chicken and broccoli, and not have to waste time preparing a nutritious meal.

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You Asked: Late Workout and Even Later Dinner

Strike a Yoga Pose: Head to Knee B

Runners and other athletes need to spend extra time stretching their hamstrings. If you like the Head to Knee A pose, you’re going to love this variation that will stretch the part of your hamstring closest to your glutes. I always do this stretch after a run. This pose looks very similar to Head to Knee A, but to see what the difference is read more. Begin in a seated position with both legs straight out in front of you. Bend your right knee and place the sole of your foot against your inner thigh, pulling your heel as close to your body as you can. Sit up nice and tall, lengthening through the spine and keeping your left leg straight. Press your hands into the floor and lift your hips up so they’re higher than your right foot. Slide your left heel away from you slightly as you shift your torso forward, coming to sit on the arch of your flexed right foot. Then fold your torso over your left leg. Rest your hands on the floor on either side of your leg or on your shin. Or if your hamstrings and hips are more flexible, reach for your foot - the right hand holds the left wrist. Rest your forehead on your leg and stay here for five breaths, being sure to continue lengthening the spine as you relax the shoulders away from your ears. Then release your hands, sit up, and either take a vinyasa to switch sides, or just switch sides from here. This time the left knee will be bent, and the left hand will hold the right wrist. Have any burning questions about yoga? Then post them to the Yoga Stretch and Tell group.

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Strike a Yoga Pose: Head to Knee B

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