Quick Stretching for after Cardio
It only takes a few quick minutes to get your stretching done and the importance of this is critical for keeping your muscles working in tip top condition and ready for your next round of exercise.
Body Stretching for After a Cardio Workout
Start with stretching for 30 seconds on each side.
To get on the way you’ll need to get a chair that you can use and make sure you have some space. Have a stretch strap handy or purchase a stretch strap that also has a chart. You can use the exercises in the chart for a great stretch routine.
Feel free to take 10 to 15 second breaks in between if you need. This is a cool down or warm up after all and not your workout. Also ‘shake out’ your arms or legs after some of these stretches.
Some of these you can do before cardio but the best time to do a full stretch is after, when your muscles are warmed up.
NOTE: I’m not a trained physio so please make sure you are only doing these exercises if it is deemed appropriate. I offer recommendations but you are ultimately responsible for following these exercises.
Stretch Exercise 1 – Lower Body Warm Up
For beginners, just lift your knees like you were marching. If you’re already a little more fit then you can lift them like you were doing a gentle jog. This will loosen up the lower body and start your core working gently since there is a slight side-to-side motion. Remember that this is a warm up stretch, not a cardio workout so relax and take it gently. Since there is no alternating of sides, you can do this exercise for 60 seconds. This is a great one to warm up before cardio.
Stretch Exercise 2 – Upper Body Warm Up
This one is for the upper body warm up. Put your arms out to the side and do little circles or bigger circles. You can also hold your arms out and gently bring them in to cross over so the surpass each other. Like you’re going in for a big hug of yourself. Or you can swing them front to back in unison. I also recommend this for before your cardio workout as well.
Stretch Exercise 3 – Neck Warm Up
We want to do some gentle circles of your head if you can. Drop your chin toward the front of your chest and gently move your head in a circular motion. If you can’t go all the way around then that’s ok, just do halves. Side to side is fine.
You can do a similar neck warm up by also tilting the head side to side and front to back to front.
The last stretch for the neck is to sit on the chair and gently move your chin back toward the body and hold it for 5 seconds and move it back to normal position. This is not to be confused with looking down as you’re not looking down but pulling your chin back in toward your neck.
Stretch Exercise 4 – Shoulders
This is one you may be familiar with. Whilst sitting on the chair, put your arm out straight in front of you and move it inward across the body so you feel a stretch in the shoulder and under the top of your arm. Use your other arm in a U-shape to hold the stretching arm in place for a greater stretch. Again if you are a beginner, just go gently. You can alternate the arms with this exercise.
Stretch Exercise 5 – Torso
Stand with your feet comfortably apart. Bend your elbows and lift them outward so it looks like you have wings. Now just twist from the torso gently from side to side using your arms.
Stretch Exercise 6 – Hip area
Still with feet slightly apart you can do hip circles rotating one way and then the other. After this you can push your hips forward and then backward.
Add to this some hip flexes where you lift one knee at the front and whilst in the air, rotate it out to the side. Do the same for the other leg.
Stretch Exercise 7 – Quads
This is a common one. Simply stand next to the chair and hold on to the back of the chair with one hand. Bend your knee on one leg so your foot is on your behind and grab your foot with your free hand. This will stretch your front leg muscle or front of quads.
Stretch Exercise 8 – Thighs
From a standing position, straighten out one leg so your heel is resting on the floor. Lean forward into the stretched leg so you can feel the back of the thigh being stretched. Repeat on the other leg.
Stretch Exercise 9 – Glutes
Standing, hold onto the chair with one hand for stability. Left one leg and cross the foot over the top of the knee on the other leg. Then sit back into it and when you do this you should be leaning forward.
It’s not worth the risk to skip a cool down and stretching. You leave yourself open to injury which will set you back from achieving your goals.
