How to stretch all the major muscle groups

Here you will find our complete collection of stretching exercises. Stretching all your major muscles groups before a workout will help prevent injuries such as muscle strains and knots, it may also improve overall muscle growth, however this is a highly controversial topic. For example some other web sites will say that stretching before and after a workout will have no effect on muscle growth, but no one can disagree about stretching preventing injuries. Stretching before and after a workout will also help warm up and cool down the selected muscle groups. Move the mouse over the images to see their animations

Below you will find a collection of techniques for stretching all the major muscle groups.

	Stretching the abdominal muscles - This simple technique that will stretch out the abdominal muscles before an abs workout. This stretching technique can be done on any flat surface. Start by generally loosening up, Lay face down on the floor with your feet flat, put your arms in a pushup position, keep your legs flat on the floor as you pushup with your arms, you should feel the abdominal muscles begin to stretch. Hold the stretch for 10 then release. You may wish to do this a few times until you feel the muscle is sufficiently loosened up.
	Stretching the back or latissimus dorsi muscles - This simple technique is designed to stretch out the back muscles before a back workout. Start by generally loosening up, start by placing one hand flat over the other and extend the arms out directly in front of you keeping the arms straight and solid. Raise you arms directly above your head and you will feel the back muscles begin to stretch. Hold the stretch for 10 seconds then release. Repeat with the other arm. You may wish to do this a few times until you feel the muscle is sufficiently loosened up.
	Stretching the chest or pectoral muscles - A simple technique for stretching the pectoral muscles before a chest workout. This exercise can be performed using a wall or a pole. Start by generally loosening up. You will using one arm at a time, place your hand flat on a wall or round a pole. Completely turn your body away from your arm, keep your arm straight and push push your chest outwards, you should feel you chest muscle stretching. Hold the position for 10 seconds then release. Repeat the with the other arm. You may wish to do this a few times until you feel the muscle is sufficiently loosened up.
	Stretching the shoulder or deltoid muscles - A simple technique for stretching the deltoid and surrounding shoulder muscles before a workout. Start by generally loosening up. You will require a long bar of some sort. Start with the bar in front of you, have arms stretch as far wide as possible along the bar with your palms facing the bar. Raise the bar upwards keeping your arms straight and locked, role the bar completely behind your head as far as you can go. Hold the position for 5 to 10 seconds then role the bar back to the starting position. You may want to repeat this technique a few time until you feel fully loosened up. This technique is a controlled movement remain in control of the bar at all times.
	Stretching the thigh or quadricep muscles - A simple technique for stretching the quadricep muscles before a thigh workout. Start by generally loosening up. You will be stretching one leg at a time. You may want to use your free hand to steady yourself. Lift your leg a grab hold of your foot, just above the toes with your free hand. Try and keep your thigh straight and solid. Pull your foot into your bottom until you feel the quadricep muscle stretch, hold the position for 10 seconds then release. Repeat with the other leg. You may wish to do this a few times until you feel the quadricep muscle is sufficiently loosened up.
	Stretching the tricep muscles - A simple techniques for stretching the tricep muscles before a tricep workout. Start by generally loosening up. You will be using one arm at a time, have your arm in a completely vertical position, with the palm of your hand flat on your back, place your free hand on your elbow. Push your elbow as you use your fingers to crawl down your back. When you feel the stretch on your tricep hold the position for 10 seconds then release. Repeat the with the other arm. You may wish to do this a few times until you feel the tricep muscle is sufficiently loosened up.
	Stretching the forearms or bicep muscles - A simple technique for stretching both the brachioradialis muscles and the bicep muscles before starting a workout. Start by generally loosening up. You will be stretching on arm at a time. Simply push your out in front of you and twist your wrist round as far as you can your forearm will follow it. You should feel you forearm muscle stretch. Hold this position for 10 seconds then release. Repeat with the other arm. You may wish to do this a few times until you feel the forearm muscle is sufficiently loosened up.
	Stretching the calf muscles - This is not so much a stretching technique, but more of a simple method for loosening the calf muscles. This technique is very similar to the actual calf raise exercise, except you will not be using any weight what so ever. Simply find a raised surface such as a step or a large piece of wood. Stand with just the balls of your feet on the step, so that their is room for the back end of your feet to lower down. You will feel the calf muscles begin to stretch, when you reach a good position hold it for 10 seconds then stretch back up the other way.

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