Bend to avoid breaking [volume 2] - Dynamic Stretching

Unlike static stretching, dynamic stretching requires the use of continuous movement patterns that mimic the exercise or sport to be performed. Generally speaking, the purpose of dynamic stretching is to improve flexibility for a given sport or activity.

Vinyasa Flow

This yoga staple is a great dynamic warm-up exercise for strengthening your upper body while opening up the back and front of your body. Go through 5 flows at a nice and easy tempo.

Inchworm

The Inchworm takes a step further from the Vinyasa Flows and is possibly my favorite dynamic exercise of all time. They target the entire backside of your body and open up a lot of muscles that get stiff with prolonged sitting. It's actually a dynamic version of vinyasa flow yoga.

Here’s how you can do it:
Starting in a Downward Dog position on your hands and feet, walk your feet as far forward as possible while keeping your legs straight. Then, walk your hands out, extending your body into a pushup position and lower towards the floor, arching your back so that your head and shoulders reach to the sky. Then, flow back into Downward Dog. Walk your feet in again and repeat 5 times.

Dynamic Pigeon

This is the ultimate glute loosener. If you’ve got tight hips, this is an exercise that will be uncomfortable and rewarding at the same time.

How to do it:
In a push-up position, bring your right knee toward your right hand while keeping your shin parallel to your hips so that your left foot comes just behind your left hand. Sink your hips towards the floor, feel the stretch, then return to push up position and repeat on the other leg. Go for 10 reps total.

Leg Swings

This is a great movement for opening up your hips and hamstrings.

How to do it:
Hold on to a wall or fixed surface (or do this move without support for an added stability challenge). Swing one leg back and forth as if you’re kicking a soccer ball. Do about 10 swings on each side.


Fire Hydrant Circles

You might get laughed at for looking like a dog peeing on a fire hydrant but you’ll be the one laughing when everyone is complaining that their hips and lower body are stiff and sore.

Here’s how you can do it:
On all 4 fours, make sure your core is tight and nothing moves other than the working leg. Keeping your right leg bent at 90 degrees, take it out to the side and then in a circular motion. Do 5 circles in one direction, then the opposite. Then switch to the other leg.

Leg Crossovers

This is a great dynamic warm-up exercise for opening those tight glutes, hamstrings, and IT bands.

Here’s how you can do it:
Lying on your back with your arms outstretched in a formation, bring your right leg across your body so that our toes meet your left hand. Return to start and repeat with your left leg. Go for 10 reps total.

Scorpion

This exercise is the opposite of the Leg Crossover in that it’s the same movement but just done face down.

Here’s how you can do it
Here, in this formation, face towards the floor, roll your body to the left so that your right heel comes across your body to meet your left hand. Return and repeat to the other side. Go for 10 reps and you’ll feel your obliques, hip flexors, and quads open up nicely.

Page Turns

A terrific dynamic stretch for opening up tight glutes and allowing better rotation through your thoracic spine.

Here’s how you can do it
In a fetal position on your left side, keeping your knees stacked, open up your right arm so that it comes across your body and touches the floor to the right of your body (kind of like your body is a book that’s being opened up). Return to the fetal position and repeat for 5 reps, then switch sides.

Frog Walk-In

This dynamic stretch is wonderful for opening up your hips and upper hamstrings.

How to do it:
In a push-up position bring your right foot through to the outside of your right hand. Sit your hips down and feel the stretch, then return to the starting position and repeat with your other leg. Go for 10 reps total.

Frog Walk-In Twist

This exercise is a twisting progression from your Frog Walk-in.

How to do it:
Begin in a push-up position and bring one foot in (as before), but now we are going to rotate the back foot so that it’s flat on the floor and then we are going to twist and open up to the side. This is a great dynamic exercise to continue targeting the muscles of hips through the rotation.

Twisting Reverse Lunge

The twisting reverse lunge will help to open up your hip flexors and tight abdominal muscles, while also challenging your balance.

How to do it:
From a standing position take a long step back with the left foot, drop down into a lunge, and then twist and extend, over your right leg. Then, return to standing and repeat with the other leg/side for a total of 10 reps.

2-Step Hamstring Stretch

How to do it:
Start off in a standing position and then drop into a forward lunge. From there, take your forearm, drop it to your instep so that you are now getting a lot of upper hamstring and groin action.
Next, take your hand to the other side of your foot and extend back so that your leg straightens. This targets more of the belly of the hamstring. Then, reverse this motion and come back to your original standing position or move through a series of lunge walks as you perform this lunge-to-straight leg sequence.

KINESIO BIT OF IT ALL

Kinesio tape is curated to mimic the skin’s elasticity so it is easier to use full range of motion while performing. The kt tape’s medical-grade adhesive is also water-resistant and strong enough to stay on for three to five days, work out or showers it's going to stay.

When kt tape is applied to your body, it pulls back slightly, gently lifting the skin which helps create a microscopic space between the skin and tissues underneath it.

Some physical therapists swear by kt tape, they say it changes the way your brain receives information on pain and compression which makes surviving and battling injuries relatively easy.