1. Lengthening Your Legs
Always stretch warm muscles. A quick five minute march in place or some brisk walking should be enough to get your muscles ready for stretching. Once your legs are good and warm, you're ready to stretch them out. Start by bending one leg behind you, bringing your foot up to your bottom. Hold this position for thirty seconds, breathing deeply throughout the stretch. You should feel the stretch in your quadriceps, which is the large muscle that runs across the front of the top of your leg. Repeat on the other side. Move on to your calves by facing a wall and leaning into it while your feet remain flat on the floor. Move your feet back further away from the wall until you feel a stretch through the back of your legs. When you finish your calf stretch, rotate each ankle a few times to make sure they're loose and ready for a work out.
2. Arms Ready for Aerobics
Stretch your upper body out starting by slowly raising both arms up out toward the side, ending with your palms facing each other over your head. Lift your arms up toward the ceiling as you breathe into this stretch for a good 30 seconds. Gently lower your arms back down. Cross your right arm over your chest and shoulder by using your left hand to gently pull it across. Feel the stretch in your shoulder. Release your right arm and switch sides. After that, do a few shoulder rolls to complete your upper body stretch.
3. Relaxed Back, Ready to Rock
To stretch your back and torso out before you start your aerobics, get a mat and lie on the floor. Place your arms out to the sides. Bend your knees to bring your feet in toward your bottom. Slowly and gently, lower both knees toward the ground on one side, breathing through the stretch in your lower back. Switch sides and repeat. Raise your arms above your head and imagine yourself lengthening as you point your toes in the opposite direction. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then lean toward the right to stretch the obliques on the left side and then lean to the left to stretch your right side.
4. Loosen Up Before You Work Out
Relax your shoulders down and back before you start your workout. Get your neck relaxed by gently lowering your chin to your chest. From this position, slowly roll your head to one side to feel a slight stretch in the back of your neck on the opposite side. Switch sides and repeat this motion. From there, lift your head up and tilt your chin slightly toward the ceiling. Lean your head again to one side and then the other, this time feeling the stretch through the front of your neck.
