A set of simple full body stretching exercises for beginners at home. Quick stretching at home - How to do the splits

Young mothers, residents of small towns and villages remote from megalopolises, lacking the opportunity and time to visit professional sports institutions, are forced to train at home. And the main thing in self-study is to do the exercises correctly.

Stretching at home - how to do it right

Stretching is very important for a woman. It ensures smooth movements, body flexibility, and an easier gait. And you shouldn’t forget about it when doing home fitness.

It is best to do stretching after the main set of exercises. At this time, the muscles are most elastic and less susceptible to injury. You need to start with the simplest exercises. Trying to do the splits right away can turn out disastrous.

The first stretching exercise, which is accessible even to beginners, is done like this:

  1. sit on the floor with your legs crossed cross-legged;
  2. place your palms on your knees;
  3. Gently press on your knees, trying to press them closer to the floor.

Do the exercise for three to four minutes, gradually increasing the speed and force of pressing. When you feel lightness in your muscles, complicate the workout by bringing your feet together.

The second simple exercise is done alternately with the left and right legs. At the same time, not only the muscles of the thigh and lower leg are stretched, but also the waist.

It's easy to do:

  1. sit on the floor with one leg tucked under you and the other extended;
  2. lean towards the extended leg, trying to reach your knees with your palms (after five to seven sessions you will easily reach not only your knee, but also your toes);
  3. do springy movements for two to three minutes, then change legs.
Stretching serves as an excellent cool-down after an intense workout.

The third exercise is to improve the elasticity of the abdominal muscles. It will help you get beautiful abs.

The exercise is performed standing:

  1. stand with your feet shoulder-width apart;
  2. raise your right hand up, place the second on your belt;
  3. with springy movements, lean towards the raised hand;
  4. After two to three minutes, change your hand.

The fourth exercise will help make the muscles of the back of the thigh elastic. You need to stand near the windowsill, throw your leg on it and bend your head towards your knee, stretching your arms in the direction of your feet. After three to four minutes, change legs.

  1. To prevent muscle damage when stretching, eat foods rich in calcium: eggs, chicken breast, beans. Proper nutrition is one of the main conditions for harmonious physical development.

When most people hear the word stretching, they mean split exercises. But, in fact, all the muscles of our body require proper stretching: the back, arms, buttocks. Let's talk about why our body needs stretching and how to do it correctly.

Why do you need stretching?

Many fitness enthusiasts ignore this type of training, not understanding why it is needed. If running and strength exercises, in the understanding of most people, serve to form a beautiful, toned body, then the meaning of stretching remains unclear to them. However, we need it both after a hard workout and in everyday life. Why is stretching so beneficial?

  1. Good stretching helps avoid damage to muscles and ligaments.
  2. The range of movements increases.
  3. Well-developed muscles do more work and get less tired.

In addition, proper stretching, like fitness, helps to form a beautiful, proportional figure.

Thanks to high-quality stretching, posture is leveled and excess fat is removed from problematic female areas: hips, abdomen, waist.

How to stretch correctly

In order to properly stretch, you need to follow a few simple rules:

  1. You can begin to stretch your muscles only after a preliminary warm-up.
  2. To do stretching at home, it is recommended to choose exercises that you can do correctly without the help of an instructor. Don't choose too difficult poses. There will be no result from this.
  3. For effective training, you need to stay in each pose for 30 seconds to two minutes. Beginners begin to stretch their muscles with a minimum delay of half a minute, gradually increasing it.
  4. Avoid sudden movements. This leads to injuries and ligament tears.
  5. The entire set of exercises is performed in the direction from above: neck, shoulders, back, legs.

The stretching time will depend on the type of workout. If you decide to conduct a full-fledged stretching lesson, be prepared to spend up to an hour and a half of time on it. When we talk about stretching as the final stage of another type of workout, it will take about 20 minutes.

Stretching exercise "Twist"

If you don’t have time for a full workout, then choose two exercises to work each muscle group. Thus, it will take about 20 minutes, and the body will not have time to forget previously acquired skills.

When not to stretch

Types of leg muscle stretches

The secret to good stretching is the right combination of exercises and doing them regularly. It is best if you attend full-fledged stretching classes 1 – 2 times a week. Gentle stretching is quite suitable for home exercises.

How to prepare psychologically

How can you mentally prepare yourself for a good workout? You must understand that the result obtained from classes depends entirely on the efforts made. Before you start, try not to think about what worries you. Leave all your worries and problems behind the doors of the sports class. Dedicate this time only to yourself and your body. It is very important to concentrate on what you are doing.

If you train at home, think carefully about the set of exercises to be performed. First, repeat each movement mentally, and only then proceed to perform it.

Remember that we are all different. Some people are endowed with good natural flexibility, while others are not. Therefore, some people stretch faster, while others stretch much slower. The main thing is not to stop and go towards your goal.

Get ready for regular workouts. Think about the result you want to achieve: develop natural flexibility, improve the functionality of the body, etc. Visualization will stimulate you and will not allow you to miss classes.

How to Prepare Physically

In order to physically prepare for muscle stretching training, you need to consider the following points:

  1. Choose the right clothes. It is very important. In an uncomfortable form that restricts movement, it will not be possible to perform all the exercises technically correctly. The discomfort caused by such clothing will distract you from your workout. Therefore, pay attention to tight-fitting trousers and tops made from modern sports materials. They wear well, look beautiful, and do not cause any negative sensations during training. As for shoes, stretching is traditionally done barefoot, or in special socks for yoga or Pilates.

They can be purchased on any thematic website:

  1. Don't forget about warming up. This is a prerequisite before stretching. To avoid injury, the muscles must be well warmed up. Running, jumping, burpees, air squats and other active exercises are suitable for warming up.
  2. For home or independent training in the gym, it is important to choose the right set of exercises. Choose only those options that you can do correctly. It is enough to select 3–4 exercises for each muscle group.
  3. If stretching your muscles is the final stage of strength training, then more attention should be paid to those muscle groups that were most actively involved in the training process. And those groups that were not involved should not be touched. They may not be warm enough to stretch and become easily injured.

The body of a modern person needs proper training. The back, shoulder girdle, core and leg muscles move little in the everyday life of the average city dweller and are in a constrained position most of the time. Regular stretching will help bring ease and joy of movement back into your everyday life.

Body flexibility is the dream of millions of people. Almost everyone wants to be flexible, flexible, strong. They dream of doing the splits and almost tying themselves in a knot.

But few people think about simple questions:

How to properly stretch muscles?

Which muscles should you stretch and which should you not? (Yes, yes. There are muscles, stretching which disrupts the balance in the body and leads to health problems.)

Are they ready to pay the right price for what they want? Are you ready to spend all this time and effort?

How to combine strength training and stretching? And to what extent should you stretch so that the results of many years of strength training do not suffer?

There are a lot of these questions...

Timely answers to these questions will allow you to avoid many, sometimes very annoying mistakes. Some of these mistakes can easily put an end to your sports career and even harm your health. Let's look at the most serious of them.

Flexibility Mistake #1

Expecting results too quickly

You often see promises like “splits in a month, splits in 10 workouts, splits in a week.” And the requests on the Internet are generally amusing: “cross splits in one day”!

If you are naturally quite flexible, it may take up to two months to get the splits without losing your health or damaging your joints.

Most people find it difficult to even take the starting position to perform the necessary exercises. That is, they have to stretch their muscles just to start stretching their muscles properly!

For an ordinary person who is not gifted with natural flexibility, a period of six months is quite realistic to do the longitudinal splits. Cross twine may require more time. Moreover, you will need to train at least 4-5 times a week for 30-50 minutes.

Forcing exercises, violating reasonable requirements, artificially increasing flexibility with the use of excessive loads can result in disability or result in extremely unpleasant delayed consequences. Especially in old age.

Be patient, developing flexibility takes time.

Flexibility Mistake #2

Stretching the wrong muscles

A very common mistake! How many backs have been hurt! Pull exactly the muscles you want to stretch. Don't strain your back extensors or overextend your hip joints, especially if you're doing strength training. Overstretched muscles are unable to maintain the desired balance and support the joints. Especially under load. Hence the injuries and contortions.

Under no circumstances should you pull your fingers.

Error 3

Stretching not only muscles, but also ligaments

It is the muscles that should be pulled, not the ligaments. Ligaments are strong and almost inextensible membranes of the joints. It is quite difficult to break them, but with due diligence it is possible. As a result, you will have to undergo long-term rehabilitation, or completely forget about training. The knee joints are especially vulnerable. Be sure to follow basic precautions:

Bend your knees slightly when pulling your hamstrings.

Have a clear idea of ​​why you want to develop flexibility. And exactly what kind of flexibility do you need, in what location? Are you willing to pay an adequate price for this result in the form of time and significant effort?

Never experience too much pain during flexibility training. This is a recipe for injury, which will definitely set you back in your training for several months, or even prevent you from developing flexibility altogether.

Don't forget about compensatory exercises and symmetry when stretching. This is the most important condition for the high effectiveness of your training and the key to improving your health.

Stretching - This is a human achievement that requires long training. Flexibility allows you to adjust your gait, pump up your legs, and avoid muscle damage from a fall or injury. The best way to cope with muscle stretching is twine. Let's talk about how to quickly do the splits at home without damaging muscle tissue.

The main thing in the article

Why do the splits?

For many, stretching is not a priority, but in vain. After all, the ability to do the splits is an indicator of high tissue elasticity. Answering why this is necessary, here are the main arguments:

  • Posture improves. Flexibility is a direct path to beautiful posture and smooth movements, as by stretching, you strengthen the spine. An additional benefit is the reduction of back pain during exercise.
  • Develops endurance . Since just the desire to do the splits is not enough, during training you “cultivate” endurance, perseverance, the ability not to give up, and self-control.
  • Joints are strengthened . Their mobility becomes higher. Such classes are recommended for women who are planning their next pregnancy, since the birth process in women with good stretching is much easier.
  • INs acts as prevention. During exercise, blood circulation improves, which significantly reduces the risk of developing varicose veins and congestion.
  • Self-esteem increases. Having set such a sports goal as the splits, many, having achieved it, look at the world a little differently, as their self-esteem increases significantly.

Experts say that exercises that allow you to do the splits prevent scoliosis and improve blood circulation in the pelvis.

How to do the splits correctly?

To do the splits without unnecessary injuries, you should do the exercise and organize your classes correctly. They must be carried out taking into account the following rules:

  1. Training should be daily, preferably in the morning and evening. If this pace is unacceptable, then training should be carried out at least 4 times a week.
  2. Stretching exercises cannot be performed immediately, as Before stretching the muscles, they need to be warmed up lighter exercises. Cardio exercises are great for these purposes.
  3. The ligaments must be kept warm Therefore, when conducting classes, despite the weather outside, it is better to wear gaiters, which will help avoid stretching, and when practicing in a cold room, they will help to warm up.
  4. When conducting classes, keep in mind that half of the exercises should be aimed at dynamic stretching(swing your legs) and the other half are static poses(leg extensions with fixation), which help fix the stretched muscles. To reduce pain during exercise, try to completely relax.
  5. Watch your breath, this is an important component of training. Inhalations should be deep, without delay. Pay attention to your back, it should be straight.

How to quickly do the splits for a beginner?

What do you need to do to do the splits from scratch in a short time?

If you are a beginner and want to do the splits from scratch, then systematic exercises will help you develop the desired flexibility. They should be carried out at least 4 days a week. Classes should include:

  • up to 15 minutes of warm-up;
  • 30 minutes of stretching exercises.
  1. It is better to exercise in the evening , since the muscles after the stress of the day are more inclined to stretching exercises.
  2. Warming up is a must for effective exercise. Jogging, squats, and jumping rope are suitable for warming up.
  3. To achieve stretching more easily, you can use a hot shower 10 minutes before training. This helps to better warm up the muscles.
  4. Clothes should be comfortable to stretch with you. It is unacceptable for a sports suit to pinch blood vessels and be tight.
  5. After training, spend leg muscle massage. This way they will calm down and won’t whine too much.

You need to perform exercises with the utmost caution, checking the condition of your muscles and ligaments. If pain, unnatural crunching, or burning occurs, stop stretching, as you may get injured.

Is it possible to do the splits in a minute, a day or a week?

Many methods claim that you can do the splits in 1–3 days. Is it so? Physiologically this is possible, but such experiments will be accompanied by sprains or ruptures of ligaments. Even the greatest flexibility obtained from nature requires regular preparation before the splits.

Fairy tales about “doing the splits in a minute” are unrealistic. It’s impossible to even do the splits in 1 day!!! Therefore, do not risk your health, do your training correctly and then you will be able to “conquer” both the longitudinal and transverse splits without any problems.

As for the period of a week, this is only realistic for those people who have been involved in any kind of sports or dancing that involved stretching exercises. Such athletes, if they set themselves the task of doing the splits, can cope with it in 7–10 days.

Which split is easier to do?

A lighter type of twine is longitudinal. It is performed as follows: one leg is in front, the other is behind, as if continuing each other. It is more difficult to cope with the transverse split, which involves spreading the legs in different directions. For beginners, it is better to start training with longitudinal stretches, gradually adding load, moving to transverse splits.

How long does it really take to do the splits?

The real period during which muscles can be stretched without harm or damage can be called month, but subject to moderate daily exercise. Below we have collected several sets of exercises that will help you get a good stretch in the shortest reasonable time.

What exercises should you do to stretch your leg muscles and how often?

So, as mentioned above, training involves two types of exercises, which should be given the same amount of time:

  1. Dynamic - These are movements that are repeated. When performing them, movements are performed a certain number of times.
  2. Static – movements are not carried out here, parts of the body are motionless, but the position causes the muscles to stretch.

To achieve the goal, the frequency of exercise can be daily or at least 4 times a week.

How to painlessly do the splits in a month: a set of stretching exercises

The set of exercises below is aimed at stretching the muscles and will help you do both the longitudinal and transverse splits. Initially, do a warm-up and warm up your muscles, only then proceed to the main activity. Hold each statistical pose initially for 30 seconds, gradually increasing the time to 3-5 minutes with subsequent training. All exercises, both static and dynamic, are first performed on one leg, then on the other, this will help to evenly stretch the muscles on both legs.

Exercise No. 1


Sit on your heels, your back should be straight. Bend forward with your whole body, stretch as much as possible, trying not to lift your buttocks from your heels. Hold this stretch for a few seconds. Return to the starting position. You need to repeat these steps 10–20 times.

Exercise No. 2.


Sitting on your heels, spread them in different directions, your buttocks should be between them. Spread your feet in different directions to the maximum possible width. Each time the breeding radius will become larger. While performing the exercise, watch your back; it should be straight.

Exercise No. 3.


From a standing position, lunge with your leg forward. At the same time, smoothly transfer the weight to the front leg, stretching the back leg to the maximum. Perform the exercise 5 times for each leg.

Exercise No. 4.


Do side lunges; to do this, you need to sit down as deeply as possible, spreading your legs as far apart as possible. Shift your weight to one leg and completely straighten the other. Lock in and “spring” for a few seconds. Slowly change position, transferring your weight to your straight leg, bending it at the knee.

Exercise No. 5.


Sit on the floor, legs and back straight, toes pointed towards you. Grasp your feet with your hands and tilt your body forward, without bending your knees. Maintain in this position for as long as possible. Return to a sitting position. Perform such bends in 5–10 approaches.

Exercise No. 6.


In a sitting position, grab one foot with your hand, while the other remains flat. Straighten the captured leg, lifting it up to maximum knee extension. Hold at maximum straightening for up to 30–60 seconds. Perform the same actions with the second leg. 5–10 approaches will be enough. The back should be straight when performing.

Exercise No. 7.


Sitting straight, cross the foot of one leg over the thigh of the other. The lower leg should be level. Use your hand to reach the tips of the toes of your outstretched leg, and the tension should come from the chest, not from the head. Fix in this position until obvious discomfort appears. Switch legs and perform the exercise for another 5-10 approaches.

Exercise No. 8.

From a sitting position on the floor with straight legs, bend one leg at the knee, crossing it over the other, fixing the foot on the floor on the outside of the thigh. Reach forward, clasping the foot of the outstretched leg with your hands. Having reached maximum tension, fix the position for up to a minute. Change legs and repeat the steps. Perform in 5–10 approaches.

Exercise No. 9.


Sitting on the floor, bring your feet together and try to lower your knees to the floor. When performing the exercise for the first time, you can help yourself place your knees on the floor with your hands. With a straight back, try to touch your feet with your forehead, fixate for a few seconds and return to the starting position. This tension should be done in 10–15 approaches.

Exercise No. 10.


In a sitting position, extend one leg forward and bend the other back. The foot of the back leg should be near the outside of the thigh. Tilt your body forward with a straight back towards your straight leg, while helping yourself with your hands, holding your foot. Having stretched to the maximum, return the body to its place and tilt it to the center, trying to touch the floor with your forehead. Such movements need to be performed in 10–15 approaches.

How to effectively and correctly do 3 splits: training program

Can everyone do the splits?

Stretching training has no age restrictions, so anyone can try doing the splits. Another question is how quickly this will happen, because in addition to the innate “ductility”, one should take into account the build, gender and age of the person training.

The younger the person, the less time he needs to master the splits, and the exercises will be easier. It should also be noted that stretching is easier for women, since men are physiologically less flexible.

Twine also has contraindications. It is not advisable to seat children under 5 years old on it, since their muscles and tendons are still very weak. It is not recommended to conduct classes if you have the following diseases:

  • (high blood pressure).
  • Cracks, fractures, bruises in the hip area.
  • Musculoskeletal disorders.
  • Spinal injuries.

Why can't I do the splits?


It has been noted that more than 80% of those who are “inspired” to do the splits stop halfway without achieving results. Therefore, when you decide to stretch, do not give up regular exercise, and if you cannot do the splits, then look at the possible reasons given below; perhaps you are doing something wrong.

  • Impatience. One of the main “enemies” for stretch marks. It so happens that after spending several weeks training and not getting the desired effect, a person becomes disappointed and quits training.
  • Lack of correct execution of techniques. In order to achieve your goal, you need not only to do daily training, you need to do the exercises correctly. If you do not notice a positive result after 2-3 weeks of training, it is better to seek the help of a trainer.
  • Presence of injuries. About 35–40% are injured during stretches that are performed incorrectly. Such activities lead to disastrous consequences.

Video from Laysan Utyasheva: how to do the splits?

If you decide to do the splits, then confidently go towards your goal. Don’t let minor failures scare you, because stretching is not only beautiful, but also has health benefits.

(2 ratings, average: 5,00 out of 5)

Stretching exercises the whole body. This is a set of exercises for the elasticity of muscles and joints. Gives the body flexibility and vigor, improves mood. Suitable for those people who have never played sports, necessary for professional athletes. How to do stretching at home? All this was prepared by fitness and bodybuilding specialists Bodytrain.

Main features

This is a type of training through which our body receives a lot of positive effects. Mobility improves, blood circulation is normalized, joint pain is relieved, muscle tissue is restored, and flexibility increases significantly. Relieves pain in muscle tissue after training, reduces the risk of injury before. Helps give the body a beautiful shape.

During training, it is produced, which helps burn subcutaneous fat and strengthen bone tissue.

Types of stretching

It is classified into five types:

  • static (maximum tension fixation)
  • dynamic (pulsating movements)
  • passive (acts with the trainer)
  • ballistic (sharp jerks)
  • active (muscle movements)

The safest is static and passive. Great for beginners. The risk of sprains or injuries is minimal. An affordable way to keep fit.

What to do at home

Take your time and perform the movements smoothly. There's no need to rush. By following the rules, you will get results.

Gradually increase the load, increase the number of exercises. Avoid pain and sudden movements if you don’t want to start all over again. Warm up before you start. Squats or jumping rope will help you warm up.

When performing a set of exercises, adhere to the following recommendations:

  1. Breathing is even. Don't hold in air, give your muscles oxygen
  2. Concentrate on the movements, do them correctly
  3. Avoid pain
  4. Keep your back straight
  5. Do it only after warming up
  6. Relax, don't keep your muscles tense
  7. Don't save time
  8. Be regular

After the first workout, you will not immediately do the splits. Aerial gymnasts are also still a long way off. The result comes gradually. Be prepared to work hard.

Those who have had bruised legs, cracked bones, or injured their spine should avoid stretching or do it as a preventive measure at half strength.

Exercises for the lower body. Legs

Right foot forward. We squat, bending it at an angle of 90 degrees. The foot is firmly on the floor. Take your left leg back. Leaning your hands on the knee of your bent leg, slowly move your body forward until you feel a slight feeling of discomfort in the muscles. The back is straight. We fix the position for 20 seconds. We return to the starting position. We repeat, trying to make the slope deeper. Let's fix it again. With an exhalation we rise. We do the same complex for the left. ()

We stretch the knee ligaments and the back of the thigh. We get down on one knee. The thigh is perpendicular to the floor. Make sure your buttocks are level with your knees. We extend the second lower limb forward. With an exhalation, we stretch our hands towards the toes of the outstretched leg until there is slight tension in the ligaments. We stay in this position for 30 seconds. We repeat the complex twice for both legs, trying to go lower in the second approach.

Lying on your back, raise one straight leg up. We take it with both hands by the calf muscle. We slowly pull ourselves closer. The muscles are relaxed. In this case, we do not bend the knee joint. We have been in this position for half a minute. We change the leg.

Butt stretch

Sit down. The back is straight. Legs extended forward. Bend your left knee. Bend over, trying to stretch your fingers forward as much as possible. Feel the stretch in your hamstrings and gluteal muscles. () Stay in this position for fifteen seconds. Repeat.

Do a complex for your right leg.

We stretch the muscular part of the back

Standing on all fours, we round our back and pull our spine up. We fix it for 20 seconds, slowly bend down. Again we linger in this position, waiting for a third of a minute. We repeat the movements three times.

Hands in front of you. We close the brushes, forming a lock. We try to reach forward as much as possible. The back is straight. We gradually raise our hands up without opening them. Repeat for a minute. We linger at fixed points for 15 seconds. Read more about back training.

We work the muscle fibers of the arms. Triceps

We perform the movement from a standing position. The legs are slightly bent at the knees, the pelvis is slightly pushed forward. Raise your right arm up and bend it. Place your palm on the collarbone. We take the elbow with the other hand and slowly pull it to the left. If you feel slight discomfort, we fix the position for 20 seconds and change hands.

Standing, knees bent, pelvis slightly forward, we spread our arms to the sides, forming an angle of 180 degrees. We try to statically stretch forward with the back of our hand. When you feel tension, hold for 20 seconds. We repeat three times.

Making the abdominal muscles elastic

Lie on the floor with your stomach down. Bend your knees. Grab your ankles with your hands. Definitely the same name. Your body should resemble a boat. Pull your toes towards your head. Having found the maximum position, freeze for twenty seconds. Return to the starting position and repeat the movements.

We consolidate the result

To achieve flexibility, systematic training is important. Don't net. Exercise at least thirty minutes a day. After the first weeks of training, increase the hold time by 5 seconds per week. Ideally, you need to be in each position for a minute. After two or three months, move on to the next stage of stretching.

Add dynamic elements. Your joints, ligaments and muscle tissue will already be ready for new loads, but don’t get carried away. Everything has its time.

Now you know how to do stretching at home. Keep working on yourself to create your ideal body.

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