Regular stretching helps you stay flexible, release tension, and consciously bring your body to rest after exertion. To ensure the exercises are effective and remain comfortable, please note the following points:
Hold each stretch position for a maximum of 20 to 30 seconds. Stretch only until you feel a clear but comfortable pull, and continue to breathe calmly and evenly. You should avoid bouncing or jerky movements.
Avoid stretching exercises in the early morning. After getting up, muscles, tendons, and intervertebral discs are not yet warmed up and are correspondingly more sensitive. The afternoon or evening, when your body has already been moving, is more suitable.
You benefit the most when you perform stretching directly after a brisk walking session or at the end of your workout. The muscles are then well supplied with blood and warm, which makes stretching more comfortable and effective.
1. Cat-Camel (from week 6)
Serves exclusively before stretching to warm up the viscous synovial fluid in the facet joints and to mobilize the spine.
Execution: Four-point kneeling position (all fours). The spine is slowly and gently arched in a flowing movement and gently lowered again.
Important: You should never push into a maximum hump or a deep sag. Stay within the middle range of motion without straining the stiffened segment.
Training volume: 5 to 6 slow cycles.
2. Hip-Flexor Stretch in Half-Kneeling Position (from week 8)
Primarily stretches the iliopsoas muscle as well as the rectus femoris muscle.
Execution: Get into a half-kneeling position (one knee on a cushion, the other leg positioned in front of it at a 90-degree angle, hands on a chair backrest). The upper body remains perfectly straight – no hollow back, no pushing the hips forward (as is common in typical yoga lunges). Now tense the glutes of the back leg as firmly as possible.
Intensification: Simply stretch the arm on the same side straight up to lengthen the fascia – the spine remains completely motionless.
Training volume: 2 sets of 20 to 30 seconds per side.
3. Groin Rock-Backs (from week 8)
The groin rock-backs exercise primarily stretches the adductors (the muscle group of the inner thigh and groin area). These include, among others, the adductor magnus, adductor longus, adductor brevis, and gracilis.
Execution: Four-point kneeling position (all fours), push knees wide apart, feet point backward. The back is flat like a table and secured with slight abdominal tension. Slowly push your hips backward towards your heels. Stop exactly before the point where the tailbone would curl under.
Training volume: 8 to 10 dynamic repetitions (pause at the back for 2 seconds each time).
4. Seated Figure-4 Stretch (from week 6)
Opens the deep external hip rotators without rounding the lower back. This primarily intensely stretches the gluteal muscles of the bent side (piriformis muscle and gluteus maximus muscle).
Execution: Sit on the edge of a stable chair. Straighten your upper body perfectly upright (maintain a slight hollow back). Place your right ankle on your left knee. Lift your rib cage and tilt your upper body forward as a rigid unit just 2 to 3 cm from the hip joint until a deep stretch is felt in the buttocks.
Training volume: 2 sets of 20 to 30 seconds per side.
5. Neutral-Spine Hamstring Stretch (from week 6)
Stretches the back of the leg (hamstrings) without forcing the lumbar spine into flexion.
Execution: Place one heel on a low step or box (15 to 20 cm). The knee of the standing leg and the raised leg remain slightly bent (never locked out). Place your hands in your groin creases. Push your buttocks back and tilt your straight upper body slightly forward.
Training volume: 2 sets of 20 seconds per side.
6. Wall Calf Stretch (from week 3)
Secures ankle mobility for fluid, shock-absorbing walking. Stretches the calf muscles (gastrocnemius muscle and soleus muscle).
Execution: Support your hands against a wall in a staggered stance (one foot forward, one back).
Set 1 (Gastrocnemius): Back leg straight, press heel flat on the floor.
Set 2 (Soleus): Same position, but slightly bend the back knee, heel stays down.
Training volume: 30 seconds per side for each position.
7. Latissimus & Shoulder Stretch at the Door Frame (from week 8)
A shortened latissimus dorsi inevitably pulls the back into an evasive hollow back when reaching overhead.
Execution: Stand slightly offset to the side in a door frame. Grasp the top of the frame with one hand, tense your core (bracing), and push your hips away to the opposite side in a controlled manner so that the entire flank of the body is gently stretched. The lumbar spine remains securely locked by the abdominal tension.
Training volume: 2 sets of 20 seconds per side.