Q&A for How to Touch Your Toes

When it comes to mobility, the challenge is in understanding what your unique movement capabilities are in relationship to your skeleton and your muscular system. For mobility, it isn't always how long your muscles are stretching. While it can be beneficial for short term changes, if you're looking for long term mobility gains over time, what we typically recommend is moving more and taking a more holistic approach to your fitness regimen and working on core control and core strength along with using exercises that follow a full range of motion. One of our general rules of thumb when it comes to mobility and movement is over time if you don't use it, you lose it. So you have to make sure that you are moving your body.

Don't try to go all the way down on your first day, instead you start small and stretch your hands to your knees and gradually stretch further each time.

Being flexible makes you healthier and stronger.

Stretch every day. Start on the ground with your legs spread. Reach toward the middle, then to the sides. See if you can stretch a little farther each day.

You're not flexible enough yet. The more you practice, the faster you'll be able to reach your toes. Just don't push yourself to the point where you're in pain.

1-2 times a day is good for your back flexibility and your health in general. Try doing it as much as possible if you have almost no flexibility in your back to work your way up to being flexible.

It is up to you.

Sit on the floor and touch each of your toes separately twice a day; you should be able to reach your toes standing up in no time.

It depends on how far you have to go. It'll certainly get you closer.

Start with one of each and slowly work your way up to more.

Don’t lock your knees when bending. Stay relaxed and flexible. Keep your knees slightly bent, breathe in deeply, then out slowly on the bend.

If you’re already pretty close to touching your toes, some consistency and hard work could definitely get you there in two weeks. However, if you more than one or two inches away, you’ll probably need a little more time before you can touch your toes. Remember not to force your body to stretch farther than it is capable and to stop doing anything if it hurts. Slow progress and safe stretching is always better than rushing it and pulling a muscle.