Stretching Exercises: hamstrings, quadriceps
© Soumy Ana
The "hamstrings", the muscles behind your thighs, consist of three major muscles: the"biceps femoris", the "Semitendinosis" and the "Semimembranosis'. You use these muscles when you do hamstring curls during your aerobics workouts. What the hamstrings do is that they extend the hip and flex the knee.
A Hamstring Stretch: Place your right heel a step before you. Make sure you put most of your body weight on the standing legs and not on the outstretched one. Bend the foot so that your toes are up in the air while your heel rests on the ground. Bend forward slightly; your hands are on the standing thigh, your lower back slightly curved inward in a mild pelvis tilt. Make sure both knees are slightly bent in order not to hyper-extend the knee and your back is straight. Get to the point of a mild stretch and hold between 10 to 30 seconds.
Another Hamstring Stretch: Lie on your back with both legs bent at the knee. Force your lower back into the ground. Stretch one leg up and grab behind the thigh. Gently pull towards your chest. Get to the point of a mild stretch and hold between 10 to 30 seconds.
QUADRICEP STRETCHES
The quadriceps are the muscles you maybe use the most when you do step aerobics. They are very important muscles because they help you step up when you climb a stair or when you walk up a hill; they extend the knee. The "quadriceps" consist of four muscles that work in opposition with the hamstring muscles: the "Vastus Lateralis", the "Vastus Intermedius", the "Vastus Medialis" and the "Rectus Femoris".
A Quadricep Stretch: Maintain a perfect posture; your shoulders back, head high, pelvis in a neutral position, abdominal muscles contracted. Lift one foot back towards the glutes. Reach back with both hands and hold the foot against your buttocks. Press the front hip forward and slightly extend the hip. Keep the torso lifted with your head up. You may extend one arm and grasp a column or use the wall to steady yourself. Get to the point of a mild stretch and hold between 10 to 30 seconds. You can assume the same position lying on your side, on the floor. Make sure you contract your buttocks and push your hips forward when you do that and do not let your body roll back on your shoulders.
Another Quadricep Stretch: This stretch is called "a Seated Quadriceps Stretch." This stretch will permit you to stretch the quadriceps in both of our legs at the same time.
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