10 stretches to do post spin class.
Whether you are dancing your booty on a stationary bike or cycling along a beautiful landscape, you’ve gotta stretch boo.
I take at least 3 spin classes a week (gotta keep that cardio up), and I’ve noticed that my calves, quads, hamstrings, hip flexors, glutes, and shoulders have been a little tighter than usual.
Even though I practice yoga daily, I’ve noticed that adding 5-10 minutes of extra static stretching goes a long way. Below you will find the 10 stretches I do to recover faster and keep my muscles long, flexible and sexy.
1. Calf Stretch: Set up against a wall. Crawl your right toes up the wall. Keep your toes flexed and lean your torso against the wall. Take 5 breaths.
2. Arrow Lunge: Set up in a lunge position with your fingertips on the ground. Lengthen your left leg as far back as possible. Press the top or your left foot on the ground. Lift your left knee off the ground. Take 5 breaths.
3. Half-Splits: Start in a lunge. Glide your right leg forward. Shift your hips over your left knee. Focus on keeping your toes flexed, your hips squared and your spine long. Take 5 breaths.
4. IT Band Stretch: From half splits. Glide your right heel to the left side. Keep your right leg straight and at a diagonal. Assure that your toes are flexed nd walk your hands towards the upper right corner of your space (away from your right leg). Take 5 breaths.
5. Pigeon: From IT Band Stretch, bend your right knee to the ground. Assure that your right knee is at a diagonal from your hips and your left leg is straight back behind you. You can stay in the upward variation or fold over your right leg. Take 5 breaths.
6. Seated- Tree Pose or Forehead to Knee Pose: From pigeon, lean over your right hip, swing your left leg forward. Bring the sole of your right foot inside your left inner thigh. Frame your left leg with your hands. Fold over your left leg to your own degree. Take 5 breaths.
7. Seated Forward Bend Extend your legs in front of you. If you have tight hamstrings, keep your knees softly bent. Fold forward to your own degree. Take 5 breaths.
8. Standing Forward Fold: Stand up and fold forward over your legs. Keep a micro-bend on your knees. Interlace your hands behind your low back. Lift your knuckles away from your hips and glide your shoulder blades up, away from your ears. Take 5 breaths.
9. Shoulder rolls: Stand with your feet hip width distance apart. Inhale draw your shoulders to your ears. Squeeze the top of your shoulder blades together. Exhale relax your shoulders down your back. Repeat 5 times.
10. Neck Stretch: Stand with feet hip width distance apart. Relax your right ear to your right shoulder. Place your right hand on the left side of your head and gently encourage your right ear to come closer to your shoulder. Keep both shoulders relaxed as you extend your left arm out to the side.
Repeat this sequence on the left side, your body will thank you.
all my love,
Gustavo