Flexibility Total Body Stretching Routine With Resistance Bands By Paige Waehner facebook linkedin Paige Waehner is a certified personal trainer, author of the "Guide to Become a Personal Trainer"; and co-author of "The Buzz on Exercise & Fitness." Learn about our editorial process Paige Waehner Reviewed by Reviewed by Michael Lau, PT, DPT on August 31, 2019 facebook twitter linkedin instagram Michael Lau, PT, DPT, CSCS, is a licensed physical therapist, strength and conditioning coach, and co-founder of The Prehab Guys. Learn about our Review Board Michael Lau, PT, DPT on August 31, 2019 Print This basic stretching routine targets the muscles of your hips, legs, chest, and back. You will be using a resistance band or tube, which will allow you to deepen your stretch and increase your flexibility.The key to making this workout effective is to use just enough tension to deepen your stretch without going too far. In order to get the right level of flexibility, you may need to adjust where you hold the band. If you don't have a band, you can also use a towel, although you won't get the elasticity that you will with a resistance band. Workout Tips Verywell / Ben Goldstein Perform these stretches after a workout or throughout the day for improved flexibility and relaxation. Follow these guidelines to make the program more effective. Hold each stretch for at least 15 seconds and repeat each stretch if you have time.It's great to do these stretches when your muscles are warm if possible. Take a short walk or do some light movement exercises prior to stretching. If your muscles are cold, take your time with each stretch to avoid injury.Stretch to your level of comfort. The stretches should not be painful. Each stretch should feel good. If your muscles shake, that means you may be going too far. Hamstring Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein Lie on the floor and loop band around the right foot, grabbing onto the band closer to your foot to create tension. Straighten the right leg as much as you comfortably can while keeping the left leg bent on the floor. Gently pull the right leg towards you, stretching the back of the leg. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and switch sides. 5 Simple Stretches for Tight Hamstrings Inner Thigh Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein Lie on the floor and loop band around the right foot, grabbing onto the band in the right hand to create tension. Gently lower the right leg out to the side and towards the floor until you feel a stretch in the inner thigh. You may want to support the leg with the other hand so you don't stretch too far. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and switch sides. Lying Hip Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein Lie on the floor and loop band around the right foot, grabbing onto the bands with the opposite hand. Straighten the left leg out on the floor and gently lower the right leg across the body and to the left as low as you can go feeling a stretch in the right hip and glute. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and switch sides. Do a Reclined Stretch for the Outside of the Hip Upper Back Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein Sit on the floor with legs extended and loop band around both feet. Cross the band and grab on to each side with both hands close to the feet. Gently curl the back, stretching it towards the back of the room and using the bands to create tension and add to the stretch. Keep the abs contracted and try not to collapse over the legs. Feel your shoulder blades spreading open while you aim with your chest toward your feet. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds. 6 Stretches to Help Reduce Back Pain Chest Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein In a cross-legged position on the floor or seated in a chair, grip the band with hands a few inches apart. Gently pull the arms out and down as low as you can to stretch the chest. You may need to adjust your hands to change the tension in the band if it's too tight or too loose. This should be a gentle stretch. If you have shoulder problems, you may want to skip this exercise. Side Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein Sit on a chair or cross-legged on the floor. Hold onto one side of the band with the left hand and reach the arm towards the right. Grab onto the other end with the right hand and gently pull, creating tension and stretching the left side of the waist. Try not to round through the back, but keep the torso straight. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat on the other side. Kneeling Quad Stretch Verywell / Ben Goldstein Sit on the floor with the right leg bent in front of you, left leg bent behind you. Loop the band around the top of the left foot. Lean to the right on the right forearm and use the band to gently pull the heel towards the glutes to stretch the front of the thigh. Squeeze the glutes for a deeper stretch. Hold for 15 to 30 seconds and repeat on the other side. Stretching Exercises for Tight Leg Muscles Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Get exercise tips to make your workouts less work and more fun. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Yeun YR. Effectiveness of resistance exercise using elastic bands on flexibility and balance among the elderly people living in the community: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Phys Ther Sci. 2017;29(9):1695–1699. doi:10.1589/jpts.29.1695 Iversen VM, Mork PJ, Vasseljen O, Bergquist R, Fimland MS. Multiple-joint exercises using elastic resistance bands vs. conventional resistance-training equipment: A cross-over study. Eur J Sport Sci. 2017;17(8):973-982. doi:10.1080/17461391.2017.1337229