Streching Exercises

Exercise Name

Tall Table

Exercise Code

TSFTT4

Exercise Description

Participants sit on floor on
bottom,   knees
bent so feet are flat on floor, hands on floor plams
down with fingers facing toes. 
Instruct participants to push bottom up as high as can.   

Exercise Teaching Hints

Push hands and feet against the
floor as hard as you can.  Try to make
your table as tall as you can from your knees to your stomach to your
shoulders. 

Exercise Name

Seal Stretch

Exercise Code

TSFSS5

Exercise Description

Have participants place belly
button on the floor.  Touch feet
together in the back and push elbows straight.  Look up and pretend to balance a ball on
tip of nose.

Exercise Teaching Hints

As participants straighten
arms-have them push against the floor.  Feet need to be together in the back to
ensure stretch of the stomach muscles.

Exercise Name

Straddle Stretch

Exercise Code

TSFSS6

Exercise Description

Participants should sit with legs
in straddle position-Reach arms down towards right foot.  Do same to left foot as well as down in the
middle-try to get elbows on floor, chin on floor or belly on floor. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Instruct participants to keep
knees as straight as possible. Can do with toes pointed and flexed to enhance
stretch.

Exercise Name

Mountain Climbers

Exercise Code

TSFMC7

Exercise Description

With hands and feet on floor-have
participants push right heel down to ground, switch to left heel and  do both heels
at same time.

Exercise Teaching Hints

To deepen stretch, move feet out
farther from hands.  Can also put toes
up on something to enhance stretch.

Exercise Name

Pike Stretch

Exercise Code

TSFPS8

Exercise Description

Participants should sit on floor
with knees straight. Reach fingertips as far down legs as possible. Reach
past toes.   

Exercise Teaching Hints

Keep knees as straight as
possible.  If can’t keep knees
straight-ease up a little until knees remain straight during the stretch.

Exercise Name

Hip Flexor Lunge

Exercise Code

TSFHF9

Exercise Description

Participants start with right foot
in front, leg bent with foot flat on floor, left
knee is down on ground in back.  Right
foot should be far out in front.  Try
to push hips down to floor-hands on hips. 
Switch and do on opposite side.

Exercise Teaching Hints

Participants can place hands on  floor to aid in
balance.  To deepen stretch, straighten
back leg and push top of foot into floor in back. Can also bend knee up in
back to increase flexibility.

Exercise Name

Hamstring Stretch

Exercise Code

TSFHS10

Exercise Description

Participants sit on knees on
floor-take right leg and put foot out in front.  Keep front knee straight and lean forward
to touch nose to knee.  Switch and do
on other side. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Participants can place hands on
floor to aid in balance.  Can bring
front toe up into flexed position to aid in increasing stretch. 

Exercise Name

Back Twist

Exercise Code

TSFBT11

Exercise Description

Participants sit on floor with
legs out front-bend right knee up, take left arm and place it across body on
opposite side of right knee and twist body outward to right.  Hold. 
Switch and repeat on other side. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Adjust hands and use elbow to
press against knee to aid in increasing stretch.

Exercise Name

Bridge

Exercise Code

TSFB12

Exercise Description

Participants lie on back and bend
knees up so feet are flat on floor and bend elbows up so hands are flat on
floor.  The participants are instructed
to push belly button up to the ceiling. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Instructor should ensure
participants are strong enough to keep from hurting neck or back in initial
stages of stretch.  Arms should be able
to push straight.  Instruct participants
to push their hands and feet into floor and belly up.  To increase stretch have participants touch
feet and knees together and push shoulders forward.  Can also have them walk in a circle.  Lift one arm, one leg, one arm and one leg
at same time.   

Exercise Name

Cat Stretch

Exercise Code

TSFCS13

Exercise Description

Participants are instructed to sit
on knees and sit on heels.  Arms
stretch straight out front and try to touch chin on floor.   

Exercise Teaching Hints

Instructor can increase stretch by
having participants lift bottom higher in back and pushing knees slightly
back.  Arms should remain straight.

Exercise Name

Back Scratchers

Exercise Code

TSFBS14

Exercise Description

Participants bring right arm up
over head, bend elbow-like scratching their back-the opposite arm adds
pressure on outside of right arm to aid in stretch.  Hold. 
Repeat on opposite side. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

To increase stretch-look up with
head to ceiling-head adds pressure back against arm. 

Exercise Name

Quad Stretch

Exercise Code

TSFQS15

Exercise Description

Participants stand-can hold onto something fo
balance-bend one knee up in back, grab with hand and hold. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

To increase stretch-pull foot up
in back.  Can also grab opposite ear
with opposite arm to aid in balance

Exercise Name

Side Lunge

Exercise Code

TSFSL16

Exercise Description

Participants start in a squat
position with hands on floor.  Reach
right foot out as far as possible to side. 
Arms are on inside of legs-elbow of bent leg puts pressure on knee towards
outside to enhance stretch. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Knees should be pressed away from
midline of body to increase stretch.

Exercise Name

Reverse Shoulder Stretch

Exercise Code

TSFRS17

Exercise Description

Participants sit on bottom with
hands behind back, fingers facing forwards towards toes.  With elbows bent, slide bottom away from
hands.  Can bend elbows more to
increase stretch. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Elbows should be bent to eliminate
possibility of pressure on elbow joint. 
Bending elbows also helps isolate stretch of shoulder muscles. 

Exercise Name

Butterfly

Exercise Code

TSFB18

Exercise Description

Participants sit on bottom with
knees bent-allow knees to fall down to side-bottoms of feet touch each
other.  Participants try to touch nose
to toes.   

Exercise Teaching Hints

Hands should be holding feet-knees
can be pressed down with elbows to enhance stretch.

Exercise Name

Standing Calf Stretch

Exercise Code

TSFSC19

Exercise Description

Participants stand on a stair,
balance beam or mat-stand with toes on higher surface and heel hanging off
edge.  Can perform one foot at a time
or together.   

Exercise Teaching Hints

Can be performed while holding
onto something for balance or alone. 
Can also deepen stretch by pushing downward with hands while touching
wall for stability. 

Exercise Name

Standing Hamstring Stretch

Exercise Code

TSFSH20

Exercise Description

Participants stand with feet hip
width apart.  Reach down towards toes
while relaxing upper body to increase stretch.  Can grab right leg with both hands to
isolate right hamstring, repeat to opposite side as well as in the
middle. 

Exercise Teaching Hints

Instructor should encourage
straight legs and slow movements to enhance stretch and eliminate
injury.  Knees can be bent slightly to
relieve pressure behind knees.