Stretching Exercises

COBRA

Lie on the floor face down with palms on the floor under your shoulders. Begin to arch your spine up leading with your chin. Arch as far back as possible. Each repetition should last between 5-30 seconds.

Super Cobra

Start with your arms perpendicular to the floor, and the spine arched (the end position of the cobra). Now blend your hips and bring your body up into an inverted 'V' position. While you are doing that, tuck your chin against your chest. Return to the original position. Each repetition should last between 10-20 seconds.

Cat Stretch

Get on your hands and knees with your arms locked out. Inhale as you flex your spine down and bring your head up. Exhale as you bring your spine up into an arched position while bringing your head down. Each repetition should last between 3-8 seconds.

Basic Leg Stretch

While sitting down, spread your legs far apart. Reach for your toes. Try to keep your knees as straight as possible. Now move into reaching for the toes on the other leg. Be sure to keep your spine straight and move from your hips. Do not arch the upper spine. This stretch works both your spine and legs. Each repetition should last between 6-15 seconds.

The Bridge

Lying down with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor as close to your butt as possible, grab your ankles and hold onto them while you rise your hips up and arch your spine, lifting your abs towards the ceiling.
Lift your abs as high as possible. Go back down. If you can't hold onto your ankles, keep your arms to the side and use them to push yourself up. Each repetition should last between 3-10 seconds. This stretch may be hard to do at first, but be persistent even if you can't do it completely right at first.

The Table

Sit down on the floor with your legs straight. With your torso straight, place the palms of your hands on the floor next to your butt. Then tuck your chin against your chest. Now bring your head back as far as it will go.
While doing that, raise your body so that your knees bend while the arms stay straight. The torso and upper legs will be straight and horizontal to the floor. Your arms and lower legs will be perpendicular to the floor. You will be the shape of a table. This is another hard stretch for some. If you can't do it right away, just do the best you can, eventually you will be able to do it with ease. Each repetition should last between 8-20 seconds.

The Bow Down

Stand with your hands on your hips. Keep your hands on your hips and bend forward as far as possible, leading with your head. Don�t bend your knees and keep your chin off your chest. Each repetition should last between 4-8 seconds.

The Yawn

Standing up with hands held together behind your neck, bend your head upwards and back as far as possible. Each repetition should last 5-15 seconds

The Super Stretch

Standing up, reach your hands up as high as you can as you lean slightly back. Feel the stretch in your lower spine. The super stretch can be done standing up or lying down. Each repetition should last between 4-7 seconds.

Hands on the Head Bow Down

Standing with your hands together behind your neck, bend forward as far as possible. Lead with your head. Bring your chin into your chest. Don�t bend your knees. Each repetition should last between 4-8 seconds.

Wall Stretch

Standing up against a wall, reach your hands up as high as possible while getting onto your tip toes. Keep your spine flat against the wall as much as possible. Each repetition should last between 4-6 seconds. This stretch is harder than it looks because your spine is flat against the wall.

Straight Leg up

Lying on your stomach with your hands behind your neck, raise one of your legs as high as possible. Now repeat with the other leg. Keep your legs straight. Each repetition should last between 3-5 seconds.

Touch Toes

Standing with your hands high above your head, bend over and touch your toes. Keep your legs as straight as possible. You can bend your knees a little if need to. Each repetition should last between 2-3 seconds.

Two Straight Legs up

Lying face down with your palms down and on the sides, raise both your legs up together as high as possible. Keep your feet together. Each repetition should last 3 seconds.

The Down Hill

Standing with your hands together and arms behind you, bend down at the waist as far as possible and slowly swing your arms as high as possible behind you. Each repetition should last between 4-6 seconds.

Hanging

There is nothing complicated to hanging. You simply hang from a bar. This helps to lengthen and straighten your spine. It is recommended that you hang for at least 30 minutes a week. If you want your back and shoulders to get wider and have V-Taper, use wider grip. A wider grip is harder though.

Other Exercises

Some other Exercises that may also be helpful for the human growth factor include:

1. Kicking
2. Jumping
3. Cycling
4. Swimming
5. Jumping Rope
6. Sprints

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