This weeks focus

For this week my focus will be on hip flexibility. tight hips can affect posture, movement, and even hamstring stretches. loosening them up now will help me in the long run. My goal this week was to explore a few stretches that target the hip flexors, glutes, and inner thighs. Stretching the glutes help make stretches like squats and forward folds easier helping flexibility in the hamstring area. Not stretching your inner thighs can make lunges and butterfly harder so by stretching these muscles helps with flexibility in the hip area.

What I Did

  • Low Lunge (with side stretch): Step one foot forward, sink your hips down, then reach arm overhead for a deeper hip flexor stretch.
  • Butterfly Stretch: Sit down with feet together, gently press knees towards the floor, sit with back straight or lean forward and put head towards the floor.
  • Pigeon Pose: From a plank position bring one leg forward and lay your shin on the floor to stretch your other back leg.
  • 90/90 Hip Stretch: Sit with one leg bent in front at 90 degrees, the other leg bent behind you at 90 degrees, then lean forward over your front shin.

I did these stretches for 5-10 minutes for the past week

Reflection on my learning

When I first started the 90/90 hip stretch was probably the most difficult, I found it very hard to get the proper position. the butterfly pose was also very difficult for me to do, it felt so tight and I could barely get my knees to the floor.The low lunge was fairly easy felt a nice stretch same with the pigeon pose, it was very relaxing. After the stretching I felt more mobility in my hips which felt nice.

Next Weeks Plan

For next week I plan on focusing on spinal flexibility and back stretches. By doing these stretches I hope to see how it affects my overall flexibility as a lot of stretches require bending and straight back etc and those things I do not have. My goal for next week will to do a short routine of beginner back stretches everyday and record how my back feels at the beginning of the week compared to the end.