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The goal of this stretching program is to increase your flexibility and to help you warm-up and prepare your body before an exercise or sport.

Stretches should be done slowly and should NOT BE PAINFUL.

For maximal efficacy: Hold 30 seconds and repeat 5 times

Minimal requirements: Hold 10 seconds and repeat 3 times

CAUTION:  If you have any health concerns, consult your physiotherapist or your doctor before proceeding.  If you feel any pain or unusual sensations (tingling, numbness, dizziness) with any of these exercises - STOP IMMEDIATELY and seek medical advice.

1. 

 Skier's Lunge Stretch

Using a wide stance, bend your left leg and extend your right leg, resting on your right heel with toes stretched upward.  Keeping your hands up and your back straight, notice the stretch on the inner right thigh.  Hold.  Repeat with the other leg.
2.  Ski Twist Stretch

Lie on your back with your right arm extended out to your side.  Using your left hand, slowly pull your right knee across your torso, while keeping your right shoulder on the ground.  Hold.  Repeat on the other side.
3.  Arm and Shoulder Stretch

Start from a standing position.  Bend your right elbow, and put your arm behind your head. Use your left hand to pull the right elbow behind your head. You should feel the stretch in your right triceps. Hold. Repeat with the left arm.
4.  Chest Stretch

 Interlace your fingers behind your back.  Slowly turn your elbows inward while straightening your arms.  Hold.
5. Upper Back/Shoulder Stretch

Kneeling on a mat, reach straight forward with the right hand as far as you can reach. You can rest your head on your left arm. Now lean backwards until you feel a stretch in your shoulders, or sides, upper or lower back. Hold. Repeat with the other side.
6. Calf Muscle Stretch

Stand a few feet from a wall and put both your hands on it at shoulder level. Step back with your right leg, keeping it straight, while the left knee bends. With both heels on the floor, lean forward by bending your left knee until you feel a stretch in your calf. Hold. Repeat on the other side.
7. Quadriceps Stretch

Stand with your left hand holding onto something stable for balance. Using your right hand, grab onto your right foot and pull your heel in towards your buttocks. Keep your knees close during this stretch. If you do not feel a stretch in the front of the right hip and thigh, pull your right knee further back behind the left knee. Hold. Repeat with the left side.
8.  Hamstring Stretch

Place right leg flat on table while the left leg stays put on the floor.  Keep the right knee straight during the stretch.  Keep the arch in your back as you reach to touch your toes.  Repeat with the other side.
9.  Hip Flexor Stretch in Standing

From the standing position, take a step forward with your left leg while keeping the right leg straight. Now bend the knee of the left leg until you feel a stretch in the front area of the right hip. Make sure the left foot is beneath the left knee or slightly in front of it. Hold. Repeat with the other side.
10.  Groin Stretch

Sit on the floor with the soles of your feet together. While holding your toes, lean your upper body forward, bending from the hips. If you do not feel a stretch in the groin, try to keep your knees further down towards the floor and bring your heels closer to your seat. Hold. To isolate one side of the groin more than the other, push one knee downwards with your hand while you lean forward.
11. Gluteus Maximus/Hip IR Stretch
Lie on floor or mat. Bend knees with feet on floor. Cross right leg over thigh of left leg. Grasp back of thigh of left leg with both hands. Pull leg toward torso. Repeat with opposite leg.
Pre-Ski Warm Up Routine
1.  Heel-Toe Walk
Exaggerate walking by rolling from your heel to toes.  Take small steps.  3 x 1 minute.
2.  In-Outside Ankle Walk
Walk heel to toe accentuating the inside, then the outside of the soles of your shoes.  3 x 1 minute.
3.  Forward-Back Lunge Walk
Step forward with one leg so that all 3 joints in that leg are bent to 90 degrees.  (Don’t let front knee move further than your toes).  Repeat as you alternate legs for 20m.
4. Lateral Leg Swings
Keep toes pointing straight ahead and let your leg swing like a pendulum side to side for 30 seconds.  Repeat another two times, and then switch legs and repeat.
5. Forward-Back Leg Swings
Balance on one leg with your knee slightly bent.  Swing the other leg like a pendulum back and forth keeping that leg straight.  Work through your full range of motion.  3 x 30 seconds per leg.
6. Crossover Lunge Walk
As you lunge sideways, cross your outside leg in front.  Keep spine in a neutral position.  Walk for 20m.
7. Hip Range of Motion
Balance on one leg while you bring the other one up to 90 degrees of hip flexion (starting position).  Bring that hip out to the side maintaining hip flexion.  Return to start position.  2 x 20 per side.
8. Drop Lunge Walk
As you lunge forward, drop your elbow inside your knee and go into a half tuck position.  Walk for 20m.
9. Caterpillar
Start in a push-up position.  Keeping your knees extended, walk your feet towards your hands as far as you can.  Then walk your hands away from your feet.  Repeat for 10m.
10. Lateral Tuck Lunge
Stand with feet wide apart.  Alternate going from one side to the other with pressure on your heels then toes.  10x each way.
11. Prone Leg Swings
On your stomach, gently swing one leg behind and across your body touching the ground.  Repeat with the other side.  3 x 10 per side.
12. Cat and Camel
For spinal mobility – work one vertebrae art a time into flexion, then extension.  Repeat 3-5 times.

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Arnprior:  623-4515

Renfrew:  432-9088


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