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Stretching and loosening exercises
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    Stretching and loosening exercises

    Breathe in deeply 3–4 times in each stretching position. Some exercises span 2 or more images. Goals: relaxation and regeneration of stressed body regions, improved mobility

    Stretching exercise: Sideways head tilt: A person stands upright with their arms hanging by their side. Their head is slightly tilted leftwardStretching exercise: Sideways head tilt: A person stands upright with their arms hanging by their side. Their head is slightly tilted down leftward.Stretching exercise: Sideways head tilt: A person stands upright with their arms hanging by their side. Their head is tilted upward to the right.Stretching exercise: Neck stretch: A person is pictured from the side. Their head is slightly tilted down. Their hands are holding their head.Stretching exercise: Segmental roll up: A person is pictured from the side. Their torso is bent forward. Their fingertips are touching the floor.
    Stretching exercise: Shoulder stretch: A person holds the elbow of their outstretched arm and pulls it toward their body.Stretching exercise: Chest stretch: A person holds both arms outstretched sideways.Stretching exercise: Chest stretch: A person holds both arms stretched up.Stretching exercise: Cat hump: A person is pictured from the side. They have both arms stretched up and their torso slightly bent backward.Stretching exercise: Shoulder-back: A person is pictured from the side. Their head is bent forward. Both arms are stretched out in front and their hands are touching.
    Stretching exercise: Forearms: A person is pictured from the side. They hold one arm outstretched to the front. Their palm is facing away from the body. Their other arm grabs their hand and pulls it toward the body.Stretching exercise: Forearms: A person is pictured from the side. They hold one arm outstretched to the front. Their palm is facing their body. Their other arm grabs their hand and pulls it toward their body.Stretching exercise: Back of the thigh: A person rests both hands on one thigh. One leg is bent. The other leg is placed forward.Stretching exercise: Gluteal muscles: A person is standing on one leg. They hold one knee and pull it toward their body.Stretching exercise: Shoulder lift: A person lifts both shoulders.
    Stretching exercise: Torso pendulum: A person is standing with their feet shoulder-width apart. Their torso is turned to the left.Stretching exercise: Torso pendulum: A person is standing with their feet shoulder-width apart. Their arms are hanging loosely by their side.Stretching exercise: Torso pendulum: A person is standing with their feet shoulder-width apart. Their torso is turned to the left.Stretching exercise: Leg pendulum: A person lets their leg swing backward loosely.Stretching exercise: Leg pendulum: A person lets their leg swing forward loosely.
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    Stretching exercise: Sideways head tilt: A person stands upright with their arms hanging by their side. Their head is slightly tilted leftward
    1 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Sideways head tilt
    • Starting position:
      • Stand upright.
      • Slightly bend knees.
    • Variant 1:
      • Tilt head to one side.
      • Intensify stretching.
      • Gently push the opposite hand toward the floor.
    Stretching exercise: Sideways head tilt: A person stands upright with their arms hanging by their side. Their head is slightly tilted down leftward.
    2 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Sideways head tilt
    • Variant 2:
      • Tilt head to one side.
      • Lower the chin toward the armpit.
      • Intensify stretching.
      • Gently push the opposite hand toward the floor.
    Stretching exercise: Sideways head tilt: A person stands upright with their arms hanging by their side. Their head is tilted upward to the right.
    3 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Sideways head tilt
    • Variant 3:
      • Tilt head to one side.
      • Lift the chin toward the ceiling.
      • Intensify stretching.
      • Gently push the opposite hand toward the floor.
    Stretching exercise: Neck stretch: A person is pictured from the side. Their head is slightly tilted down. Their hands are holding their head.
    4 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Neck stretch
    • Starting position:
      • Stand upright.
      • Slightly bend knees.
    • Execution:
      • Lower the chin toward the chest.
      • Relax shoulders.
      • Either let the arms hang loosely by the side or increase stretching of the neck muscles by gently pulling the head.
    Stretching exercise: Segmental roll up: A person is pictured from the side. Their torso is bent forward. Their fingertips are touching the floor.
    5 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Segmental roll up
    • Starting position:
      • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
      • Slightly bend knees.
    • Execution:
      • Slowly bring down the upper body, and let the arms and head hang loosely.
      • Let the arms swing around the legs.
      • Roll back up one vertebra at a time.
    Stretching exercise: Shoulder stretch: A person holds the elbow of their outstretched arm and pulls it toward their body.
    6 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Shoulder stretches
    • Starting position:
      • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
      • Slightly bend knees.
    • Execution:
      • Pull one arm toward the body at shoulder height aided by the other arm.
      • Vary the stretch by alternating arm positions from extended to angled.
      • Keep shoulders low.
    Stretching exercise: Chest stretch: A person holds both arms outstretched sideways.
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    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Chest stretch (variant 1)
    • Starting position:
      • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
      • Slightly bend knees.
    • Variant 1:
      • Spread both arms to the sides.
      • Rotate the thumbs backward with palms facing forward.
      • Pull the arms back for the stretch.
      • Keep shoulders loose, and avoid exaggerated swayback.
    Stretching exercise: Chest stretch: A person holds both arms stretched up.
    8 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Chest stretch (variant 2)
    • Variant 2:
      • Difference to variant 1: Stretch both arms upward to form a V and pull backward.
    Stretching exercise: Cat hump: A person is pictured from the side. They have both arms stretched up and their torso slightly bent backward.
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    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Frontal chain stretch (abdomen, hips)
    • Starting position:
      • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
      • Slightly bend knees.
    • Execution:
      • Extend both arms to the ceiling, and bend the whole body backward.
      • Push the hips forward.
      • Hold this position for 5 seconds.
    Stretching exercise: Shoulder-back: A person is pictured from the side. Their head is bent forward. Both arms are stretched out in front and their hands are touching.
    10 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Shoulder and back muscle stretch
    • Starting position:
      • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
      • Slightly bend knees.
    • Execution:
      • Stretch both arms forward at shoulder height.
      • Clasp hands.
      • Lower the chin toward the sternum.
      • Relax shoulders.
    Stretching exercise: Forearms: A person is pictured from the side. They hold one arm outstretched to the front. Their palm is facing away from the body. Their other arm grabs their hand and pulls it toward the body.
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    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Forearm stretch
    • Starting position:
      • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
      • Slightly bend knees.
    • Variant 1:
      • Raise one arm in front of the body.
      • Turn palm toward the ceiling.
      • Clasp all fingers with the other hand, and pull them down toward the body.
      • Relax shoulders.
    Stretching exercise: Forearms: A person is pictured from the side. They hold one arm outstretched to the front. Their palm is facing their body. Their other arm grabs their hand and pulls it toward their body.
    12 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Forearm stretch
    • Variant 2:
      • Turn palm toward the floor.
      • Clasp all fingers with the other hand, and pull them down toward the body
      • Relax shoulders.
    Stretching exercise: Back of the thigh: A person rests both hands on one thigh. One leg is bent. The other leg is placed forward.
    13 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Back of thigh stretch
    • Starting position:
      • Stand upright.
      • Place one leg forward (small lunge).
      • Point feet forward.
    • Execution:
      • Push the buttocks back until the thighs are parallel.
      • Rest the hands on the thigh of the bent leg.
      • Keep back straight.
      • Feel the stretch and hold this position for a few seconds.
      • Release the stretch, and place the other leg forward.
    Stretching exercise: Gluteal muscles: A person is standing on one leg. They hold one knee and pull it toward their body.
    14 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Standing gluteal muscle stretch
    • Starting position:
      • Stand upright.
    • Execution:
      • Use the hands to pull one knee toward the body/chest.
    Stretching exercise: Shoulder lift: A person lifts both shoulders.
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    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Shoulder lift
    • Starting position:
      • Stand upright.
    • Execution:
      • Lift and drop the shoulders.
      • Keep breathing in and out.
      • Avoid swayback.
      • Keep the shoulders relaxed.
    Stretching exercise: Torso pendulum: A person is standing with their feet shoulder-width apart. Their torso is turned to the left.
    16 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Torso relaxation pendulum
    • Starting position:
      • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
      • Slightly bend knees.
      Execution:
      • Slowly rotate the torso from right to left.
    Stretching exercise: Torso pendulum: A person is standing with their feet shoulder-width apart. Their arms are hanging loosely by their side.
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    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Torso relaxation pendulum
    • Execution:
      • Let the arms hang loosely by the side.
    Stretching exercise: Torso pendulum: A person is standing with their feet shoulder-width apart. Their torso is turned to the left.
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    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Torso relaxation pendulum
    • Execution:
      • Allow arms and head to follow the movement (relaxed pendulum).
    Stretching exercise: Leg pendulum: A person lets their leg swing backward loosely.
    19 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Leg pendulum
    • Starting position:
      • Stand with feet shoulder-width apart.
      • Stand with leg slightly bent
    • Execution:
      • Let one leg swing forward and backward loosely.
    Stretching exercise: Leg pendulum: A person lets their leg swing forward loosely.
    20 / 20
    Universität Hamburg / Ohme
    Leg pendulum
    • Execution:
      • Let arms move along loosely.

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