level one
Just focus on doing what you can. You don’t need to be able to squat all the way down with your heels flat, you don’t need to be able to bend all the way down and touch your toes, just meet yourself where you’re at. With time and practice, you will improve.
You should feel a good stretch, and sometimes a rather intense stretch, but if you’re in pain, STOP. Don’t push it so hard.
1) Knee to chest
SETS | 1 REPS | 1
Hold for 30 seconds on each side.
Pull your left knee as close to your chest as you can, while keeping your right foot flat on the ground. Repeat on the right side.
2) supine twist
SETS | 1 REPS | 1
Hold for 30 seconds on each side.
Lay on your left side and make a capital “P” shape with your legs, keeping your bottom leg straight. Grab your top knee with your bottom hand and pull it towards the floor, then reach behind you with your top arm. Repeat on your right side.
3) twist two, electric boogaloo
SETS | 1 REPS | 1
Hold for 30 seconds on each side.
Same jam as the last one, but make a 90° bend with both legs this time.
4) Butterfly
SETS | 1 REPS | 2
Hold for 30 seconds. Relax for 5 seconds. Hold for another 30 seconds.
Put your feet together with your knees pointed out. Grab your ankles, and keeping your back straight, lean forward.
5) Knee hug
SETS | 1 REPS | 1
Hold for 30 seconds. Slowly release.
Sit with your legs straight in front of you. Bend your knees slightly to grab behind them and pull your chest to your knees while keeping your back straight. Fully wrap your arms around your legs if you can, but just getting your fingers in the knee-pits is fine.
6) kneeling lunge
SETS | 1 REPS | 4
Hold for 30 seconds on each side, then repeat (for a total of 60 seconds on each side).
Take a knee like you’re about to get knighted. Keeping your back straight, push your hips into the stretch as deep as you comfortably can. It’s okay for your front knee to go past your front foot.
7) squats
SETS | 2 REPS | 5
Do five squats, proceed through to #9, then repeat from here.
Stand with your feet just outside shoulder-width. Hold your arms straight out in front of you and squat a low as you can while keeping your feet flat.
8) wall pushups
SETS | 2 REPS | 5
Do 5 pushups, proceed to #9, then start at #7 again.
Do a pushup while at an incline. You can use a wall, windowsill, chair, whatever.
Marble-hewn calves are NOT optional.
9) wall pushups two, electric whatever
SETS | 2 REPS | 5
Do five narrow grip wall pushups, then repeat #7-9 one more time.
I couldn’t be bothered to find an image of someone doing these against a wall. They’re like regular pushups, but instead of your elbows going OUT, keep your arms tucked by your sides.
You should feel it in the back of your arms and in your shoulders. If it’s hurting your elbows, you’re using them to push, and not your shoulders and arms.
10) elephant walks
SETS | 1 REPS | 30
Do a set of 30, then do another 30 second knee hug.
I don’t wanna find pictures and do typing for this. Just watch the video.
Go ahead and do a celebratory backflip.
All that’s left is the optional stuff, or you can move to level two if this was too easy.
11) done.
Throw these into the mix wherever. Use one or two or all of them. I’m not the stretching police. I might judge you, but probably not for this. And not in like a “judicial” capacity, either.
Optional Steps.
Sit ups
SETS | 2 REPS | 5
Start with two sets of five, like the squats and stuff.
They don’t even need to be full sit-ups. Just keep your feet flat and sit up as far as you can.
chin tucks
SETS | 2 REPS | 20
Hold for 4 seconds each.
Sitting or standing up straight, move your chin straight back, but do not move your shoulders or the rest of your body.
neck rotations
SETS | 3 REPS | 10
Look left and right a buncha times. Hold it for 10 seconds on each side.
Back straight, look as far to the left as you can, hold, then slowly look right as far as you can and hold. Don’t use your hands to push your head further, and don’t shrug your shoulders or twist your torso.
back rotations
SETS | 3 REPS | 10
Hold each side for 10 seconds.
Sit down, keep your back straight, give yourself a little hug for doing so good with your stretching, and twist to the left. Hold it for 10 seconds, and slowly twist to the right and hold it for 10 seconds. Repeat nine more times. Keep your feet flat on the floor.
door stretch
SETS | 1 REPS | 4
Lean and hold for 20 seconds.
Stand in front of a doorway with your feet flat and your forearms touching the wall to either side of you. Make sure your elbows are making 90° angles and lean in for 20 seconds.