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Leg Stretches to
Reduce Tight Leg Muscles
Incorporating leg stretches for your whole leg, such as quadricep stretches, hamstring stretches and calf stretches into your daily routine can help to prevent muscle imbalance and posture issues, which a lot of people suffer from.
Having tight leg muscles can also be a cause to injury during daily and recreational activities. This tightening can contribute to the development of back pain later in life.
These flexibility stretches are also perfect to loosen up your muscles before any activity.
Don't bounce during these stretches, just hold the position. You're stretching to relax your muscles, not to contract them by bouncing.
Stretches for the Legs:
Standing Quadricep Stretches
Hamstring Stretches
Calf Stretches on Step
Lunging Calf Stretch
Kneeling Calf Stretch
Hip and Butt Stretches
Learn more about your Leg Muscles.
Standing Quadricep Stretches
Main Muscle Worked= Quadriceps
Other Muscles Worked=
Note: You can also do these leg stretches while laying on your stomach and grabbing your leg from behind.
- Stand up straight, shoulders back.
- If you're unable to balance on one foot, you can hold onto a chair or a wall.
- Bend one of your legs and grab the top of your foot from behind you.
- Hold this position for about 10-15 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
Quadricep stretches help to strengthen your knees. Keep in mind that by keeping your quads strong, you reduce the risk of knee injuries.
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Calf Stretch on Step
Main Muscle Worked= Gastrocnemius
Other Muscles Worked= Soleus
Note: When the knee is bent forward, calf stretches focus on the soleus muscle. When the knee is extended behind you, it focuses on the gastrocnemius muscle.
- Place the balls of both your feet on a sturdy step. Hold onto the rail or wall for balance.
- Making sure the whole ball of your foot for each foot is on the step, drop your heels down past the step and hold for 10-15 seconds.
- Now, do the same move on just one side.
- Take your right foot and place it behind your left ankle (just to keep it out the way).
- Again, make sure the ball of your foot is on the step and then drop your heels down past the step and hold.
- Repeat on the other side.
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Lunging Calf Stretch
Main Muscle Worked= Gastrocnemius
Other Muscles Worked=
Note: When the knee is bent forward, calf stretches focus on the soleus muscle. When the knee is extended behind you, it focuses on the gastrocnemius muscle.
- For balance, hold onto a sturdy chair or wall.
- Get into a lunge position (not all the way down into a lunge, just the stance for it). Right leg slightly bent, while left leg is also slightly bent behind you with your left foot flat on the floor.
- Now, straighten your left leg that is extended behind you and hold for 10-15 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
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Kneeling Calf Stretch
Main Muscle Worked= Soleus
Other Muscles Worked=
Note: When the knee is bent forward, calf stretches focus on the soleus muscle. When the knee is extended behind you, it focuses on the gastrocnemius muscle.
- Get down on one knee (lets say it's you're right knee that's down on the floor).
- While your left leg is bent at a 90° angle, keep your left foot flat on the floor.
- Slowly lean your left knee forward while keeping the foot flat (be sure not to go too far forward, just what's comfortable for you and feel the stretch in your soleus muscle).
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Strengthen Your Legs
Your leg muscles are a powerful group of large muscles. These muscles act on the hip, knee and ankle joints. So that's one of the main reasons
to do leg stretches to keep the joint flexible.
Everyday you rely on your legs to do simple things like standing, walking, running or gardening. Having strong quadricep and hamstring muscles help to protect your knees.
While leg stretches are great for flexibility, you need strong legs to support the weight of your entire body. You wouldn't be able to walk around without the strength from your legs.
Return from Leg Stretches to Stretching Exercises
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