Squatting is a great activity whether you are a serious athlete, or just trying to work off the weight gain from Christmas dinner. The squat is an exercise that will get your heart rate pumping and your muscles working. Whether you are new to working out or have been going regularly, stretching before and after squats can help you achieve your personal fitness goals!
Stretching is an important part of any fitness routine. It helps reduce the risk of injuries and pain. The stretching process has two phases: warming up and cooling down.
Here are some effective stretches to use before or after a squat workout.
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Stretching 101
When you exercise your muscles, it puts a lot of pressure on them. This is why it is important to stretch before and after workouts. When stretching, you are trying to lengthen the muscles that have been contracted by the workout.
Stretching helps reduce the risk of injuries because if your muscles are flexible enough to stretch, they will not get as tight during a workout. It will also prevent fatigue from setting in before the next workout. Stretching can also help relieve muscle pain from working out.
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The 7 Best Stretches Before Squats
Before starting any exercise, it is important to warm up. This helps prevent injury, increases the body’s range of motion, and decreases the risk of muscle cramps.
1. Pigeon Pose
The Pigeon Pose is a yoga pose that helps to stretch the entire body. It is also known as the Plow Pose, and it can help you achieve a deeper stretch in your spine and hips.
To do this pose:
- Lie on your stomach with your arms stretched out in front of you.
- Keeping your legs straight, raise up into a Plow position with only your arms and not your back. This can be difficult at first, but practice makes perfect!
2. Hip Flexor Stretch
The hip flexor is a large muscle in the groin that helps to bend the legs. A good stretch for this muscle can help relieve pain in the hips and lower back.
To do this stretch:
- Lie on your side with your knee bent.
- Keeping your chest flat and shoulders on the floor, slowly lean your upper body to one side.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then switch sides and repeat for another 5 seconds per leg.
Check out more Hip Flexor Stretches & Exercises in the video below.
3. Pelvic Tilt
The pelvic tilt is another important stretch to strengthen your abdominal muscles. This is a great stretch for the lower back and hips, but it also helps balance the pelvis and improve posture.
To do this pose:
- Lie flat on your back with your legs straight out in front of you.
- Keeping your knees bent, slowly lift your hips up until they are at a 45-degree angle to the ground.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then slowly lower down to the starting position.
4. Quadriceps Stretch
The quadriceps is a large muscle in the front of the thigh. A good stretch for this muscle can help relieve pain in the knees and improve flexibility. It can be a great way to warm up before your squats.
To do this stretch:
- Sit on the floor with your legs out straight in front of you.
- Bend your right knee, bringing it to your chest.
- Place your left hand on top of your right knee.
- Hold for 10 seconds, then switch sides and repeat for another 5 seconds per leg.
5. Anterior Tibialis Stretch
The anterior tibialis is a large muscle in the front of the calf. A good stretch for this muscle can help relieve pain in the lower back and improve flexibility. It is also a good way to prepare the body for squats.
To do this stretch:
- Sit on the floor with your legs out straight in front of you.
- Bend both knees to one side until you feel a slight stretch in your back of both calves.
- Hold for 10 seconds, then switch sides and repeat for another 5 seconds per leg.
6. Seated Hamstring Stretch
The hamstrings are a large muscles in the back of the thigh. A good stretch for this muscle can help relieve pain in the lower back and improve flexibility.
To do this stretch:
- Sit on the floor with your legs out straight in front of you.
- Lift one leg until it is parallel to the ground, then lower your leg down to return to starting position.
- Repeat for 5 repetitions on each side.
7. Standing Calf Stretch
The calves are a large muscle in the back of the leg that is used for jumping and stabilizing when running or walking. A good stretch for this muscle can help relieve pain in the lower back and improve flexibility.
To do this stretch:
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and hold onto a wall or chair for support.
- Slowly bend your right knee until you feel a stretch in the back of the calf.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
The 7 Best Stretches After Squats
The 7 best stretches to use after a squat workout include:
1. Seated Hip Flexor Stretch
This stretch is for the muscles in the front of the thigh that is used for bending your hips and moving your legs. The sitting position will allow you to feel a deeper stretch in these muscles.
To do this stretch:
- Sit on a chair with the back of your thighs resting on the seat and your heels hanging over the edge of the seat.
- Slowly bend your knees until you feel a stretch in the front of your hips.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then switch legs and repeat on other side.
2. Knee Deep Forward Bend
This is another great stretch for the hamstrings. It will help to relieve stiffness in the back of the legs.
To do this stretch:
- Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and hold onto a wall or chair for support.
- Slowly bend forward at the waist, making sure to keep your back straight.
- You may need to use your hands to help you keep your back straight.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
3. Lateral Raises
Lateral Raises are a great way to stretch the hamstrings. They also help to strengthen the quadriceps and adductors.
To do this stretch:
- Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart and hold onto a wall or chair for support.
- Slowly raise both legs out to the side at the same time, keeping your back straight. You may need to use your hands to help you keep your back straight.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
4. Lying Knee to Chest Stretch
This stretch is great for the hamstrings and will also help to relieve stiffness in the back of your legs.
To do this stretch:
- Lie face down on the floor and place one knee on top of your chest.
- Press down into your knee to help it reach your chest.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
5. Standing Knee to Chest Stretch
This stretch is great for the hamstrings and will also help to relieve stiffness in the back of your legs.
To do this stretch:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
- Place one knee on top of your chest, then press down into your knee to help it reach your chest. You can use a chair or bench to support yourself.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
6. Calf Stretch on a Chair
This stretch will help to relieve stiffness in the calves.
- Sit on a chair with your legs straight out in front of you.
- Slowly bend one knee forward and bring it towards your chest, then repeat on the other side.
- Hold for 5 seconds, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
7. High Knees
The Flexibility Muscle-Stretching Routine
The flexor muscles are the ones responsible for holding your body upright and maintaining a straight line. When these muscles become tight, they can cause pain in the lower back, knees, hips, and shoulders. Stretching these muscles before and after squats will help release tension and reduce muscle discomfort.
The first thing you need to do is stretch your Achilles tendon by standing on one foot and resting the heel of the other foot on a step. Bend your knee so that the heel of your foot falls to the floor. Hold this position for about 30 seconds, then switch legs.
A good flexibility routine that can be done before or after a workout is to stretch both sides of your body while standing on one leg. This works great because it is easy to do anywhere and doesn’t require any equipment.
Cool Down Moves and Warm Up Moves
Cooldown moves are the stretches that you do after a workout. They are intended to help relax your muscles and reduce post-exercise soreness. Warm-up moves are the stretches you should do before a workout. You will want to do them to prepare your body for what is about to come.
Avoiding Risk and Injuries
The most important thing to remember before and after a squat workout is to keep your body safe. If you are new to working out, using the stretches in this article can help you avoid injury. The best way to avoid injuries is by warming up and cooling down.
Stretching before and after squats also increases your range of motion.
When stretching before and after squats, make sure that you stretch both the front of your body, as well as the back of your body.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best stretches before and after a squat workout?
Before doing squats, you should do some mobility exercises. These will help you stretch your muscles to prepare for the activity. After doing squats, some good stretches to do would be, standing quad stretch, lying quad stretch, leg swings, wall facing squats, lunges with a twist, pigeon stretch, and couch stretch.
Should I stretch before or after squatting?
The answer is both. Stretching will help you to get more out of your squat, but it also can help prevent injury. If you are new to stretching and are unsure if you should stretch before or after your workout, start with a warm-up first.
What type of stretching is squats?
Dynamic stretching. The squat is a compound movement that involves the muscles of the lower body and core. When you squat, you are using your thigh muscles to drive through your hips and knees to bend your legs at the knees.
What do squats stretch?
Squats stretch the hips, quads, hamstrings, glutes, core, and upper back. The hip flexors are stretched by squatting and will be stretched more when you begin to push your knees out while you squat.
What type of stretching is leg press?
The leg press is an isolation exercise that involves the use of your quads. The legs are straightened at the knees and pushed down into a bench, allowing you to use your quads to push through your hips, thighs, and knees. You will feel this in your hips, glutes, and lower back.
Conclusion
Stretching before and after workouts can help maintain your body’s flexibility, decrease your risk of injury and maintain a healthy, strong, and flexible body!
By following these 7 stretches, you can avoid injury, maintain your strength and improve your flexibility for squats and other exercises.
