Q&A for How to Stretch Your Legs

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  • Question
    When should I loosen tight leg muscles?
    Julian Arana, M.S.eD., NCSF-CPT
    Certified Personal Trainer
    Julian Arana is a Personal Trainer and the Founder of B-Fit Training Studios, a personal training and wellness set of studios based in Miami, Florida. Julian has over 12 years of personal training and coaching experience. He is a certified personal trainer (CPT) by the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF). He has a BS in Exercise Physiology from Florida International University and an MS in Exercise Physiology specializing in strength and conditioning from the University of Miami.
    Certified Personal Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Perform stretches when your muscles are already warmed up and pliable. For instance, if you are stretching before a run, walk for about 5-10 minutes before performing your warm-up stretches to increase circulation to your muscles and to prevent injury.
  • Question
    How long should you hold a stretch?
    Laura Flinn
    NASM Certified Personal Trainer
    Laura Flinn is a National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer, USA Olympic Weightlifting Sports Performance Coach and Certified Fitness Nutritionist, with an additional qualification as a TRX Suspension Trainer. Laura runs her own personal training program based in the San Francisco Bay Area and specializes in topics such as weight loss, muscle growth, cardiovascular training, and strength training.
    NASM Certified Personal Trainer
    Expert Answer
  • Question
    How do you loosen tight leg muscles?
    Julian Arana, M.S.eD., NCSF-CPT
    Certified Personal Trainer
    Julian Arana is a Personal Trainer and the Founder of B-Fit Training Studios, a personal training and wellness set of studios based in Miami, Florida. Julian has over 12 years of personal training and coaching experience. He is a certified personal trainer (CPT) by the National Council on Strength and Fitness (NCSF). He has a BS in Exercise Physiology from Florida International University and an MS in Exercise Physiology specializing in strength and conditioning from the University of Miami.
    Certified Personal Trainer
    Expert Answer
    Stretching is the best way to loosen tight leg muscles. You can also try some massage or using a foam roller.
  • Question
    Will I improve in one day?
    Community Answer
    Maybe a little. Regular stretching will help you make more progress.
  • Question
    Does stretching increase leg length?
    Community Answer
    Not unless the leg length discrepancy is due to some seriously tight muscles on one side of your body.
  • Question
    What helps relieve a pain in the side after a long run?
    Community Answer
    Try putting your arms up above your head and taking deep breaths, breathing in through your nose, and out through your mouth.
  • Question
    What stretch is good for the splits?
    Community Answer
    Sit on the ground with your knees bent and your feet together. Hold your ankles and put your elbows on your legs. Push your legs towards the floor using your elbows. When you can get both legs flat on the floor, bring your feet closer to your crotch and repeat until you're as close as you can get. Another idea is to stand with your legs as far apart as you can get them without it hurting. Put your hands on the floor. Walk your hands back until they're in line with your feet. Repeat using elbows, then head. Repeat with your legs slightly further apart. When you can go a lot lower than before: Put your hands on the floor in line with your feet. Rock onto your heels and push yourself lower.
  • Question
    How do I do the stretching when it is painful?
    Community Answer
    You should stop before the point of the discomfort reaching pain. Stretch daily, going a little farther each time.
  • Question
    Can stretching help you to have prettier legs?
    Community Answer
    Generally you need exercise to tone your legs. Stretching won't hurt, but you won't see big results with stretching alone.
  • Question
    How big of a difference does this stretching make in 5 weeks?
    Community Answer
    This depends upon your current flexibility, how much stretching you do over the five weeks, and the types of stretching done. It can range from very little flexibility to a lot.
  • Question
    How long should you do each strech if you're only 11?
    Community Answer
    It doesn't really matter how old you are. You should stretch for at least 15 minutes a day.
  • Question
    When I start running, I have a pain between my knees and feet. What can I do?
    Community Answer
    Warm up longer. Do 10 minutes of walking and 5 minutes of stretching before running.
  • Question
    What is the advantage of doing all this stretching and yoga?
    Community Answer
    Stretching and yoga yield a variety of benefits, including relief from chronic and acute conditions. They also provide increased flexibility and range of motion, better circulation, relaxation, improved posture, and sometimes even weight loss.
  • Question
    Does stretching make my legs become longer?
    Community Answer
    No, it doesn't. You are just stretching the muscles, which doesn't make your legs longer.
  • Question
    How do I relieve leg cramps?
    Community Answer
    Eat a banana, the potassium alleviates muscle cramps. Try a heating pad on the cramp, and a bath in Epsom salts can help.
  • Question
    Which sports help to stretch one's legs the best?
    Community Answer
    If you want flexibility in the legs, you should try gymnastics. You don't have to learn flips and handstands if you don't want to, but you will learn how to be more flexible in your legs and the rest of your body.
  • Question
    What music can I listen to while stretching?
    Community Answer
    Any type of music will work. Try for something a bit upbeat and encouraging! If you are trying to stay focused though, try ballet music or classical music.
  • Question
    What do I do if I need to crack my legs?
    Jiggles2003
    Community Answer
    Trying to crack your legs on your own can be dangerous, so it's best to leave it to the professionals. If you must, doing the right stretches will crack them and relieve the tension.
  • Question
    How do I treat a groin strain?
    Community Answer
    You can try stretching it, and applying heat and ice. If this does not help, you should seek professional medical advice from a doctor.
  • Question
    How do I do simple leg stretching without pain?
    Community Answer
    Nothing is achieved without pain. "No pain, no gain" is actually a fact where exercise is concerned. That said, if you have genuine pain (rather than the mild discomfort that should come with gentle stretching), you may want to see a doctor.
  • Question
    Will this help get rid of bad leg cramps in the middle of the night?
    NextGen2k17
    Community Answer
    No, because the reason you have leg cramps is because your leg doesn't have enough sodium potassium. So, It's best to drink pickle juice, because pickle juice (or relish) has the right amount of sodium and potassium to stop cramps. If that doesn't work, it's probably because you have your leg in a position to where it cramps up.
  • Question
    Why do my knees go out when I do sit-ups or jack-knives?
    Community Answer
    Most likely this is just an issue with you not clenching those muscles tightly enough to keep them in place, so practice holding your knees close to your body while completing the exercises. If the issue continues, you may want to see a doctor and consider PT.
  • Question
    How will I stretch when it hurts a lot, and for how many minutes should I do it?
    Community Answer
    Do not injure yourself! Stretch deeper into the stretch until you feel a little bit of pain, then hold it for 10-15 seconds, or until you feel the muscle stretch out. Do each stretch on each leg 3-4 times. If you find that you're always in pain when you're stretching, take a break for a few days, or consult your doctor.
  • Question
    I have a track meet tomorrow, is it bad if I stretch the day before?
    Community Answer
    It's fine to stretch the day before, but you should still stretch right before the race as well.
  • Question
    Will stretching help to increase my leg size?
    Community Answer
    No, stretching won't increase your leg size.
  • Question
    Are Cossack squats good as a stretch?
    Tom De Backer
    Top Answerer
    The debate on what is and isn't a good stretch is raging. If it feels good to you, then sure. However, squats are a dynamic exercise that builds strength, so after you do these squats, you'll need to... stretch. If you're stretching in the position of a Bulgarian squat, then sure. I find it difficult to keep my balance in this position, requiring me to constantly adjust myself, reducing the time I can actually stretch here.
  • Question
    Is 25 years old too late for stretching?
    Kenadi P
    Community Answer
    It's never too late to become flexible, but it does get more difficult with age. As we get older, our tendons become more rigid, and the muscles and joints that allow for easy mobility become stiffer. So, the sooner you begin stretching, the better and 25 is just fine.
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