Freakin' Fitness > A Walker’s Stretch

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The following six exercises are great for stretching the muscles used during walking. The repetitive motion of prolonged walking tends to tighten specific muscle groups as they become stronger. So it’s vital to enhancing your physical health and preventing overuse injuries that you effectively stretch these muscles before and after your walking program.

1.	Leaning Tower Stretch. Stand facing a wall with your heels flat on the floor. Using your arms for support and keeping your knees straight and heels flat on the floor, slowly lean forward at the hips. This exercise stretches the gastrocnemius muscle in your calves.
2.	Downhill Skier Stretch. Stand facing a wall with your heels flat on the floor. Using your arms for support, slowly lean forward at your knees keeping your heels glued to the floor. This exercise stretches the soleus muscle in your claves.
3.	Fencer Stretch. Step forward with your right knee bent so that your right knee is directly over your right ankle and maintain your left leg straight behind you. Keep your back straight and slowly lower your hips. Reverse leg positions and repeat. This exercise stretches your hip iliopsoas muscle.
4.	Prayer Stretch. Kneel on the ground with your toes pointing directly behind you. Slowly sit back on your heels. Now attempt to lift one knee off the ground as far as possible. This exercise stretches the front thigh quadriceps and the shin muscles.
5.	Figure Four Stretch. Sit with you right leg straight and bend your left leg so that your left foot touches the inside of your right thigh. Keep your back straight and slowly bend forward at the hips. Reverse leg positions and repeat. This exercise stretches your back thigh hamstrings muscles.
6.	Can-opener Stretch. Lie on your back and slowly pull your right knee to your chest. Keep your left leg straight and resting on the floor. Reverse leg positions and repeat. This exercise stretches your low back muscles.

I wrote a book in 1984 called Stretching for Athletics. Those simple stretching exercises – some of which I perform on a daily basis and described above - are as effective today as they were when I was training Philadelphia's finest athletes. And the principles of proper stretching hold true as well:

1.	Hold the stretch position for a slow 10 seconds. No bouncing.
2.	Breathe throughout the stretch. No holding your breath.
3.	Repeat the stretch at least two times before moving on to the next exercise.
4.	Stretch before and after your walking workout -- PC