Day 3: Bend & Straight

What this exercise is for:

  • Hamstring stretch

  • Hip Flexor stretch

  • Quad activation

How to do it:

  • Lay on the ground and hold one leg behind the knee (or back of thigh)

  • Let the other leg rest on the ground if you can. This should give a nice stretch through the front of that leg at the hip flexor. **If this position feels too aggressive or is uncomfortable, then please bend the knee of the lower leg, placing the bottom of the foot on the ground.

  • Bend and straighten your knee of your raised leg.

  • Squeeze your quads to fully straighten the knee of your raised leg.

  • You should feel a stretch in the hamstrings in the straightened position.

  • If you actively dorsiflex your ankle (I am doing this in the animation) you will also get a nice calf stretch in the straightened position. If you leave your ankle relaxed there won’t really feel a calf stretch.

  • TO DORSIFLEX: pull tops of toes toward your shin and drive away with your heel.

Nicole Sifuentes