10 Stretches to stay flexible and fit at any age

As you grow older, you may notice that you experience more aches and pains and start to feel your age. However, this is only because you have a less active lifestyle; children spend a lot of their day playing while adults spend most of theirs at work. To get youthfulness back into your life, you have to perform more fitness activities so that you stay fit regardless of your age. It is a myth that with aging comes a rapid decline. You can use these simple stretches to help you stay fit and flexible regardless of your age. 

You can learn how to live right and gain new information from reading about how to enhance your lifestyle choices. Get wholesome tips on how to stay in shape by checking out Eva-Marie Berry’s resources, as they provide plenty of valuable information on fitness, food, and travel. 

Stay Fit and Flexible At Any Age with 10 Great Stretches

Stretching is an incredible and easy way to increase blood flow to muscle tissue. This helps improve your youth and vitality by keeping your body healthy and vibrant. Be sure to consult your physician before trying some of the more advanced stretches.

Supine Spine Twist

This twist is amazing for the spine, core muscles, and thigh muscles. It can work out the whole body but targets the gluteus, oblique, and chest muscles. This stretch provides a deep twist that opens the chest and works on the areas around the heart. It increases the mobility of your spine. When you stretch the core muscles, it also helps improve digestion. Unlike many stretches that focus on the spine, this one is more relaxing. It is a great remedy for an achy back after long hours of hunching at work. 

To perform this stretch:

• Lie on your back.

• Place the soles of your feet on the ground with knees pointed to the ceiling.

• Lift the hips off the floor and tilt them towards your right side.

• Breath out and bring your right knee to your chest as you stretch your left leg flat onto the floor. You must flex your left foot during this pose. 

• Pull your right knee over your midsection to the floor towards the left side of your body. 

• Repeat for your other side. 

Lat Muscle Stretch

Your latissimus dorsi muscles are large V-shaped muscles that keep your arms connected to your vertebral column. These muscles stabilize your spine and provide support to your back and shoulders. They help with good posture and proper arm movement. These muscles, when stretched, build upper-body strength and increase your range of motion. 

To do this stretch:

• Get into a kneeling position and lean your hips back, with your right forearm on the floor. 

• Lean into your right arm and stretch your left arm out in the opposite direction.
  
  

• Round your lower back to increase the stretch.

• Rotate your ribs and chest toward the ceiling. 

• You should feel the stretch in your lats as you hold this position for a few seconds. 

Camel Pose

This position immediately increases your energy and helps relieve lower back pain. It reverses the effects of slouching and helps to open the heart. In addition, it is known to build confidence while strengthening the back muscles. 

To do this pose:

• Kneel with your thighs perpendicular to the floor, keeping your knees and feet apart by the same width of your hips. 

• Extend your toes backward and press your outer ankles towards your midline.

• Lean into a backward arch position with your chest facing the ceiling.

• Release the buttocks towards the back of your knees and point your inner thighs towards the back of your body. 

• Drop your chin and keep your pelvis over your knees.

• Grab each of your ankles. 

• Press your shoulder blades together and keep the spine bent so that your chest is lifted towards the ceiling. 

Frog Pose

The frog pose is an easy stretch that targets your core by stretching the groin, hips, and inner thighs. It increases circulation and helps to benefit your posture. This stretch opens up the hips and helps improve the mobility of your lower bottom, preventing your thigh and groin area from becoming too tight. 

To do this stretch: 

• Place both hands down underneath your shoulders with knees bracing you below your hips.

• Move your right and left knees outwards towards each side. 

• Take this slow as you may feel tightness on the inside of your thighs. 

• Continue pushing outwards, and slowly twist your feet outwards. 

• Lower yourself down on your forearms with palms flat on the ground. 

Butterfly Stretch

This stretch is amazing for tight hips. It is one of the most popular stretches and is great for beginners. It improves flexibility and helps reverse the effects of prolonged sitting at a desk. It increases circulation and is perfect for cold weather or freezing indoor ACs. 

To start this stretch:

• Sit on your floor and press the soles of your feet together.

• Pull your feet in as far as possible, bringing them into your hips.

• Straighten your spine and tuck your chin into your chest.

• As you inhale, lengthen your spine.

• As you exhale, lower your knees until they touch the floor.

Wide Side Lunge

This stretch improves the mobility of your legs by making you more flexible. It targets your legs and tones your thigh muscles. This is a great warm-up stretch you can do before jogging, cycling, or weight lifting. 

To begin this stretch:

• Begin by spreading your feet out to each side so that you have a wide-leg position.

• Bend forward and place both hands on the ground.

• Lean to one side of your body, bending one knee slightly while keeping the other leg straight. 

• Push into this position until you feel the stretch in your leg. 

Hip Flexor Stretch

Your hip flexors are important because they increase your flexibility in every aspect of fitness. The hip flexors are made up of the iliacus, psoas, iliocapsularis, sartorius, and rectus femoris muscles. These muscles help you bend your hips, twist your hips to either side and lift your knees. If you stretch these muscles, you help reduce tight hips and help prevent injuries with enhanced flexibility. 

To do this stretch:

• Stand up straight with both arms on either side. 

• Place your hands on your hips and lunge one foot forward.

• Bend the knee of this foot while straightening out the leg behind you. 

• The knee should be at a 90-degree angle as you stretch into this position. 

• You should feel the stretch in your hip region and the leg behind you. 

Child’s Pose 

This easy and fun stretch is very relaxing and is a great cool down from exercises and more tedious stretches. The child’s pose helps you stretch your lower back and your entire spine. You may feel the stretch in your arms and thighs as well, as it increases circulation throughout your entire body. 

To start this stretch:

• Kneel onto the floor and touch your big toes together. 

• Sit on your heels, then separate your knees by the width of your hips. 

• Lay your torso down to the floor. 

• Keep thighs spread apart as you widen your sacrum.

Frog Split

If you cannot do straddles or splits, a frog split can prepare your muscles for more flexibility. This will help you reach your goals of being capable of splits. It targets the inner thighs and the glutes, increasing circulation in your groin region. This position makes your hips become stronger. 

To get into this position:

• Get down on all fours and place your stomach on the floor.

• Bring your right leg up with a bent knee with the thigh parallel to the floor. 

• Do the same thing with your left leg until both knees are level with each other.

• Sink your abdomen to the floor as you pull your chest up, facing forward. 

• Bring your legs inwards with knees facing outward, like a frog, until you feel the stretch. 

Deep Squat

This position is great for increasing strength in all of your lower leg muscles. The squats improve circulation in your calves, quad, and hamstring muscles. Deep squats provide a full-body workout and enhance stability in your upper and lower body.

To do this squat:

• Start with both feet shoulder-width apart, with soles flat on the floor. 

• Keep your toes pointed forward and your back straight. 

• Squat down as if you are sitting in a chair.

• Your knees, ankles, and hips should bend together with your spine straight. 

• Stay balanced with feet flat as you get close to the ground without touching the floor. 

Find Out More About How Stretches Increase Youthfulness

You can stay fit at any age simply by incorporating frequent stretching into your life: reverse rigidity and poor circulation. Find out more about stretching tips on Eva-Marie Berry’s blog.