Commit to this intensive lab when you’re ready to push range thoughtfully and methodically.
Cross Leg Fold
Duration: 01:00
Fold over crossed legs to release your hamstrings and low back with a sweet twist of the hips.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Hips
Hamstrings
Lower Back
Instructions
- Stand tall and cross one foot over the other.
- Hinge forward from your hips and allow your torso to drape over your legs.
- Let your arms hang toward the floor or rest hands on the front leg as you breathe.
Tips
- Keep weight balanced between both feet despite the cross.
- Think about lengthening your spine rather than rounding it.
- Relax your neck so your head hangs heavy.
Adjustments
- Place hands on shins, ankles, or yoga blocks if the floor feels far away.
Standing Quad
Duration: 01:00
Stand tall and pull your heel toward your glute to stretch the front of your thigh and hip flexors.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Knees
Feet
Psoas
Shins
Hips
Quadriceps
Lower Back
Ankles
Abdomen
Instructions
- Stand with feet hip-width apart.
- Bend one knee, bringing your heel toward your glute, and grasp the ankle with both hands.
- Pull the heel gently closer while keeping knees together and hips aligned.
Tips
- Engage your core to help you balance.
- Keep the standing leg slightly bent and avoid arching your back.
Adjustments
- Hold a wall or chair if you need balance support.
- Loop a strap or towel around your foot if reaching your ankle is tricky.
- Extend your free arm to the side for extra stability.
Wide Leg Bend
Duration: 00:30
Fold forward with legs wide to stretch your hamstrings, hips, and lower back.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Groin
Calves
Hips
Hamstrings
Lower Back
Instructions
- Stand with feet wide and toes pointing forward.
- Hinge at your hips to fold forward, lowering your torso toward your legs.
- Relax your head, neck, and arms, aiming to place your palms on the floor.
Tips
- Lengthen through your spine as you fold.
- Keep legs straight but avoid locking your knees.
- Hold ankles and draw your head closer if you want more stretch.
Adjustments
- Rest hands on shins or blocks if the floor feels far away.
Bent Over Calf
Duration: 01:00
Dial in a deep calf and ankle stretch by hinging forward and pulling gently on the toes.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Calves
Feet
Ankles
Instructions
- Stand tall with feet hip-width apart, then step one foot forward and keep that leg straight.
- Bend the back knee and sit your hips back while lifting the front toes so you balance on the heel.
- Hinge forward from the hips to reach for the front foot with the opposite hand, letting the other hand rest behind your back.
- Hold the stretch while breathing into the calf and keep the back heel grounded.
Tips
- Keep your spine long and chest open instead of collapsing toward the floor.
- Aim both sets of toes straight ahead to square the stretch.
Adjustments
- Use a strap or towel around the front foot if reaching with your hand feels too intense.
Lunge
Duration: 01:00
Sink into a kneeling lunge to stretch your hip flexors and lengthen the front of your body.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Psoas
Hips
Quadriceps
Lower Back
Abdomen
Instructions
- Start kneeling and step one foot forward, planting it flat in front of you.
- Press your hips forward as you raise both arms overhead.
- Lift through your chest and reach toward the ceiling while breathing deeply.
Tips
- Keep the front knee stacked over the ankle for stability.
- Press the top of your back foot into the floor to engage the rear leg.
- Stay tall through your torso to avoid dumping into the lower back.
Adjustments
- Rest your hands on your front thigh if reaching overhead feels intense.
- Place a towel or cushion under your back knee for comfort.
- Hold onto a wall or chair for balance when needed.
Side Lunge
Duration: 01:00
Sink into a side lunge to stretch your groin and hamstrings while building strength.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Groin
Calves
Hips
Hamstrings
Instructions
- Stand with feet wide apart.
- Shift your weight to one side, bending that knee and keeping the opposite leg straight.
- Place hands on the floor for balance and lower your hips until you feel a stretch in the inner thigh, rotating the straight-leg foot so the heel grounds and toes point up.
Tips
- Lift your chest and keep your back long.
Adjustments
- Stay higher if the stretch feels intense.
- Hold a chair or wall for extra balance support.
Deep Split Squat
Duration: 01:00
Drop into a deep split squat to stretch your hip flexors while building leg strength and balance.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Benefits:
Hips
Quadriceps
Abdomen
Instructions
- Stand tall and step one foot back into a long lunge stance.
- Lower your hips straight down, keeping the back leg long as the front knee tracks over the toes.
- Stay upright through your torso and let the front knee travel forward while the back thigh stretches.
- Hold the bottom position, then press through the front foot to rise and repeat or switch sides.
Tips
- Ground the entire front foot to stay stable.
- Keep the front knee aligned with your second toe instead of letting it cave inward.
Adjustments
- Stop a bit higher if you need a lighter stretch.
- Use a wall, dowel, or chair for balance if you feel wobbly.
Reverse Lunge
Duration: 01:00
From a kneeling stance, extend one leg forward to stretch the backside while keeping your balance dialed in.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Calves
Hips
Hamstrings
Lower Back
Glutes
Instructions
- Begin kneeling with knees hip-width apart and tops of your feet on the floor.
- Extend one leg forward, pressing the heel into the ground and keeping the leg straight.
- Hinge at your hips to lower the torso toward the floor, placing hands down for balance.
- Hold the stretch briefly, then switch legs.
Tips
- Keep your chest lifted and back long even as you hinge forward.
Adjustments
- Place a folded blanket under your kneeling knee for comfort.
Kneeling Quad
Duration: 01:00
Open up your quads and hip flexors with a kneeling stretch that hits all the right spots after a long run.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Psoas
Hips
Quadriceps
Abdomen
Instructions
- Kneel with knees hip-width apart, then step one foot forward into a lunge stance.
- Reach back with the arm on the same side as your rear leg and catch your ankle, drawing the heel toward your glute.
- Place the opposite hand on your front knee and gently press your hips forward while lifting your chest.
Tips
- Stay tall through your torso instead of leaning forward or back.
Adjustments
- Loop a strap or towel around your back foot if reaching with your hand is tough.
- Keep the back foot on the floor if the quad stretch feels too intense.
Lizard Pose
Duration: 01:00
Slide into lizard pose to deeply stretch your hips, groin, and hamstrings.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Benefits:
Groin
Hips
Hamstrings
Quadriceps
Glutes
Instructions
- Start in tabletop, then step one foot outside the same-side hand.
- Lower your hips toward the floor and extend the back leg straight behind you, knee and top of the foot resting on the mat.
- Keep your chest lifted as you breathe into the stretch.
Tips
- Let your hips relax and sink toward the floor.
- Lift the back knee and come onto forearms for more intensity when you are ready.
Adjustments
- Use yoga blocks under your hands if the floor feels far away.
Pigeon
Duration: 01:00
Settle into pigeon pose to melt tension in your hips, glutes, and lower back.
Difficulty: Intermediate
Benefits:
Groin
Psoas
IT Band
Hips
Hamstrings
Lower Back
Glutes
Instructions
- From tabletop, bring one knee forward behind the same-side wrist and angle the shin toward the opposite hip.
- Slide the back leg straight behind you as you square your hips toward the floor.
- Lower your torso over the front leg and rest on your forearms or hands while breathing deeply.
Tips
- Keep hips level rather than collapsing to one side.
Adjustments
- Place a folded blanket or block under the bent-leg hip for support.
- Stay upright with hands on the floor if folding forward feels too intense.
Seated Fold
Duration: 00:30
Reach forward from a tall seat to stretch your hamstrings and back with a calming fold.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Calves
Spine
Upper Back
Shoulders
Hamstrings
Lower Back
Instructions
- Sit with legs extended and reach your arms overhead to lengthen your spine.
- Hinge at the hips and fold forward, reaching for your toes, shins, or ankles.
- Hold the stretch while breathing slowly, keeping your spine long.
Tips
- Focus on hinging from the hips instead of rounding your back.
Adjustments
- Use a strap around your feet or keep hands on your shins if your toes feel far away.
- Keep a slight bend in the knees if your hamstrings are tight.
Quad Stretch
Duration: 01:00
Stretch your quads by tucking one foot beside you and leaning back into a deep, satisfying release.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Knees
Shins
Hips
Quadriceps
Lower Back
Ankles
Instructions
- Sit with legs extended, then bend one knee and draw the heel back toward your glute.
- Hold the ankle and tuck the foot directly under your hip.
- Lean back onto your elbows or as far as comfortable while breathing into the stretch.
Tips
- Keep your hips, knees, and ankles in one line.
- Make sure the foot stays tucked under your glute rather than flaring out to the side.
Adjustments
- Loop a strap around your foot if reaching the ankle feels tough.
- Lie on your side and pull the foot toward you for a softer variation if your knees are sensitive.
Lying Figure Four
Duration: 01:00
Ease into a lying figure four to release tight glutes and soothe your lower back.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
IT Band
Hips
Lower Back
Glutes
Instructions
- Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Cross one ankle over the opposite thigh just above the knee.
- Lift the bottom leg and clasp hands behind the thigh, gently pulling the legs toward your chest.
Tips
- Relax your head and shoulders on the floor.
- Keep your lower back pressing gently into the mat.
Adjustments
- Loop a strap behind your thigh if reach is an issue.
- Leave the bottom foot on the floor for a lighter stretch.
Hurdler
Duration: 01:00
Set up like a hurdler and fold forward to stretch your hamstrings, calves, and hips with precision.
Difficulty: Beginner
Benefits:
Groin
Calves
Hamstrings
Lower Back
Glutes
Instructions
- Sit tall with legs extended, then bend one leg and place the sole against the inner thigh of the other leg.
- Reach through the spine and hinge forward from the hips toward the extended foot.
- Hold the foot, ankle, or shin while breathing into the stretch, then switch sides.
Tips
- Lead with your chest rather than rounding your back.
- Keep the extended leg engaged and the foot flexed without locking the knee.
Adjustments
- Use a strap or towel around your foot if your hands do not reach comfortably.
- Soften the knee of the extended leg if you need less intensity.
Front Split
Duration: 01:00
Slide into a front split to explore your edge and lengthen both the front and back of your legs.
Difficulty: Advanced
Benefits:
Groin
Calves
Hips
Hamstrings
Quadriceps
Glutes
Instructions
- Begin kneeling and extend one leg forward, resting hands on the floor for balance.
- Lift the back knee and start to slide the back foot behind you while the front heel reaches forward.
- Lower your hips toward the floor, keeping your torso upright and hips square.
- Hold with steady breaths and back out slowly when finished.
Tips
- Keep both hip points facing forward so the stretch stays balanced.
- Engage your legs even as you lengthen to protect the joints.
Adjustments
- Place yoga blocks under your hands for extra support.
- Keep a soft bend in the front knee or use props under your thighs if you are not at the floor yet.
Ease out carefully, note how each hip feels, and plan your next deep session with plenty of recovery.
