How To Stretch Your Legs

It's important to learn how to stretch your legs. Your legs are a vital part of your body that you use everyday. You use them for almost everything aside from sleeping. Increasing your flexibility can help prevent injury. It's good to know how to stretch your entire leg. So, keep reading and learn how to stretch your legs.
 

1. Wait until after you have cooled down from exercising and have already used your leg muscles to start stretching. If you have chronically tight muscles, you might want to stretch after you have warmed as well as after your cool down.
2. Put your hands flat against a wall and lean towards it. Doing this one leg at a time, place one leg back, keep your heel on the ground, and stretch your hips forward. Repeat this with your other leg. This will stretch your calves.
3. Next, stand on one of your legs. You may need to hold onto a wall, chair or partner in order to keep your balance. Bring the other leg up towards your buttocks. Using your hand, grab your ankle and gently pull. Do this again with the other leg as well. This stretches your quadriceps.
4. Sit on the floor and press your feet together. Keep your abdominal muscles tucked in and lean forward until you can feel a gentle stretch in your inner thigh muscles. This one stretches your inner thigh, or groin muscle.
5. This next stretch is for your hamstrings. Lay on your back and bend your knees. Take one leg and straighten it. Grasp your thigh, calf or ankle and slowly pull it towards you. Keep your knee slightly bent. Now, switch legs.
6. Remain on your back. Cross one leg in front of the other leg with your ankle resting on your knee. It will be as if you were sitting cross-legged. Take your uncrossed leg and pull it towards your chest. Do this again on the other side. This stretches your glutes.