How to Stretch Your Quadriceps

Your quadriceps are the muscles that get your knees to your chest and straighten your legs. It's important to keep them strong and limber to decrease stress on your knees.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Exercise mats

1. 

   Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Use a counter or chair back for balance.

3. 

   Lift your right leg off the ground, holding your ankle to your buttock with your knee pointed toward the floor, hips forward and level. (Don't let the right hip drop.)

4. Contract your abdominal muscles to avoid arching your back.

5. 

   Feel the stretch in the front of your thigh.

6. Hold the pose for 15 to 20 seconds.

7. Repeat with the other leg.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can't grab your ankle because your quads aren't flexible enough, wrap a towel around your ankle to extend your reach.
• If you want more of a stretch, tighten your buttocks.
• Too difficult to stand on one leg? Lie on your left side and perform steps 3 through 7, making sure your right knee points toward your left foot.

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on 11/22/2005 For people that like to workout at home, I suggest you grab a partner and use him or her as a squat-weight. Have your partner sit on your shoulders. Squat him or her as if you were doing a squat at the gym using weights. Do two sets of 8-12.

on 11/22/2005 If you want to use weights, put the amount you want on a weight bar and put one leg over the other knee and squat down. This only works if you are capable of balancing while doing it. You can do it with both legs. Do 8-15 reps.