Fresh out of leg day training and you’re already feeling tired and stiff? Legs are that part of the body we use all day, every day – there’s just no way around it. That’s why working on lower body flexibility is one of the best things you can do for your legs to feel better.
Leg day stretches after a workout can give you a deeper stretch and prevent muscle soreness. Your muscles are still warmed up, which means better circulation allows you to ease some of that post-workout pain and discomfort.
In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at stretching after physical activity and how focusing on the lower extremities can amplify your fitness routine. Let’s get right to it.
To warm up the leg muscles, do a combination of dynamic stretches and light cardio movements. A systematic review found warm-ups to be essential for maximizing fitness performance and optimizing physical activity, regardless of the exercise you want to perform (1).
Dynamic stretching and light cardio can increase body temperature, decrease stiffness, elevate heart rate, and boost mobility (2). Leg day stretches can prepare the muscles and joints for the demands of the workout, potentially reducing the risk of injury to the ligaments, muscles, and tendons (3).
Here are some leg stretching exercises for beginners:
Dynamic stretches before leg day are controlled movements that warm up the joints. With a 5-10-minute stretch, you can stimulate blood flow without overwhelming the muscles. The examples below can fit into any fitness routine.
Light cardio provides a faster repetitive stretch at a moderate pace. These stretches limit the pressure on your joints, which allows you to tailor the routine to your needs. Here are some stretching examples you can implement.
Read more: The Best Quad-Focused Exercises for Home or Gym
Without any stretching, there’s little tension and elongation of your muscles and tendons. Muscle elongation (or stretching) often occurs with some external or internal tension, such as when you hold a static stretch or move through a dynamic one.
How you warm up your lower extremities depends on how you maximize leg performance and avoid injuries. Dynamic stretches are better than static stretches before a leg day workout as they more closely mimic weight lifting and prepare your body for more intense exercise. Dynamic leg day stretches move your joints and prepare your body for physical activity.
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Static stretching can help temporarily improve your range of motion and relax after a workout, a recent systematic review showed. It can be highly beneficial to stretch while your muscles are still warm (4). Stretching before an exercise allows you to achieve a specific range of motion to complete an exercise, such as bending over to pick up a heavy object from the ground.
Leg day stretches use a combination of postures and breathing techniques to improve circulation, decrease muscle tension, ease muscle pain, and reduce the risk of injury. Individual muscle stretching typically aims to increase muscle extensibility and flexibility. Static stretching may slightly decrease muscle strength output in the short term and provide positive physiological changes, such as improved recovery and relaxation (5). To learn more about the pre workout stretches, check out our in-depth article on the topic.
| Dynamic stretches | Static stretches | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Before workout | After workout |
| Movement type | Active, controlled movements | Stationary positions, minimal movements |
| Goal | Warm up muscles and joints | Boost flexibility and relaxation |
| Effect on performance | Boost power, agility, and range of motion | Help with muscle recovery and curb tightness |
Leg day stretches often require dynamic movement patterns, which could boost jumping or running performance. There are two primary forms of dynamic stretching: active and ballistic stretching.
If your muscles feel tight or less flexible, include basic dynamic stretches to amplify blood flow and warm up the muscles. The stretching routine should progress gradually, giving your joints enough time to adapt.
Make sure the muscle groups are balanced when doing leg day stretches before workouts. If you’re training your quads, train your hamstrings too. Diversify your workout routine so the whole body can benefit from various movements.
Here’s an example of dynamic stretches to try before leg day. It can promote overall stability and engage different muscle groups. You can scale the difficulty down or adjust it to suit your needs whenever you feel pain.
| How to perform | Reps/time | |
|---|---|---|
| Leg swings | Hold onto a wall and swing one leg forward and back. | 10-15 reps with each leg |
| Walking lunges | Step forward into a lunge, switch legs, and repeat. | 10 reps with each leg |
| Hip circles | Draw big circles with the hips while moving the body in a circular motion. | 8-10 reps in each direction |
| Bodyweight squats | Perform slow, controlled squats by practicing sitting and standing positions. | 10-15 reps |
| Butt kicks | Jog in place while kicking your heels toward your glutes. | 30 seconds |
| Toy soldiers | Perform marching steps, kicking straight legs up to touch the opposite hand. | 10 reps with each leg |
| Glute bridges | Lie on your back and lift your hips to activate the glutes. | 10-12 reps |
| Inchworm walkouts | Stretch into a hip-hinge pattern and walk your hands out to a plank position and then back. | 6-8 reps |
It depends on your current fitness performance. If you’re just starting with workouts, you can spend 5 to 10 minutes, or longer if you’re inexperienced, on leg day stretches at home so your body is better prepared. This can help activate the muscles, loosen the joints, and prevent injuries.
However, if you’ve already built up a solid routine, you can spend 10 to 15 minutes, or more, on dynamic stretches to mobilize your muscles for heavy exercise sessions. Dynamic stretches should be a top priority before you work on your legs, while static movements can be left after leg day so that the body can cool down properly.
If you want proper guidance, the BetterMe app can help you perform stretches correctly and safely. It provides a guided stretching regimen that best fits your goals to loosen up the muscles and decrease possible injuries. The app shows you a bunch of new stretches, so your exercise never feels boring.
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Many people stretch their bodies before or after athletic activity to curb sore and stiff muscles, avoid injury, and stimulate performance output. While stretching after a leg day can alleviate muscle soreness, its effect may be limited.
Here’s what research has to say:
Read More: Active Stretching Exercises: What Are They And How Can They Benefit You?
Are you wondering how to stretch your legs fully? You can do 5 minutes of static stretches to relax the muscles and stabilize your breathing patterns. They’re best to try when your muscles are still warm. Here’s a routine to perform. Dive deeper into leg stretches after workout with our dedicated article.
| How to perform | Reps/time | |
|---|---|---|
| Quad stretch | Stand tall and reach to grab your ankle. Pull your heel toward your buttocks and hold. | 30 seconds per leg |
| Seated hamstring stretch | Sit down and extend one leg. Reach for your ankle and hold. | 30 seconds per leg |
| Figure-four stretch | Lie on your back, cross one ankle over the opposite knee, and hold. | 30 seconds per leg |
| Butterfly stretch | Sit down and let your soles touch. Spread your knees wide open and hold. | 40 seconds |
| Calf stretch | Lean forward and extend one leg back. Feel the stretch and hold. | 30 seconds per leg |
Absolutely. Consistent, light, and slow stretching is good for the body. Inexperienced practitioners can practice longer stretching routines to adequately prepare their bodies. Stretching stimulates the tissues and can increase blood flow, which is excellent for oxygen supply. Light stretch patterns can boost blood circulation, allowing for better nutrient delivery (7). However, you should still listen to your body.
If your muscles are feeling too sore, exhausted, and drained, you should give them time to recover before stretching them again. This can be the case for beginner fitness enthusiasts who need time to build their performance, flexibility, and stamina.
However, if you do light stretching for 5 to 10 minutes and your muscles aren’t extremely sore, then doing leg stretches every day is okay. Overall, whether or not you choose to stretch daily depends on your current performance and fitness goals.
The golden rule is to never push yourself beyond your pain threshold. Stretching patterns should be controlled and gentle, not a cause for discomfort or pain. They allow the muscle fibers to adapt and relax, therefore offering optimal results with long-term gain. Yes, 5, 10, and even 20 minutes of a good stretch can do wonders for your body. You can experience amplified circulation, better flexibility, and steady breathing patterns. Each stretch can target various muscle groups and benefit the joints. How long you stretch depends on personal preference. There’s no need to stretch 3 times a day when you can do it once or twice. The goal isn’t to push yourself beyond your limits. Instead, you should listen to your body and practice a stretching routine that helps your joints. Static stretching isn’t bad, it’s just not recommended before a workout, mainly because it’s slow and doesn’t increase your body temperature in the same way as dynamic warm-ups. You need your nervous system to be ready and your heart rate to increase to prepare your muscles for action.Frequently Asked Questions
What is the golden rule for stretching?
Is 20 minutes of stretching a day enough?
Can I stretch 3 times a day?
Why is static stretching not recommended?
If you feel you’ve tried everything but your muscles feel tight and tired after a workout, then you may need to revamp your stretching routine. Stretching is a key component of any fitness routine. Improving the general fluidity of motion and limberness in the lower body is the most beneficial thing you can do to keep your legs in shape.
If you don’t stretch or warm up adequately, your muscles can become tight and cause pain. Some good stretches can go a long way to enhancing flexibility and easing discomfort, aches, and tightness.
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