Exercises to relax your thigh muscles

The physical fitness of modern people has declined a lot compared with 20 years ago, and due to long-term lack of exercise, the joints of the body are very stiff. Many people don’t understand much about the stiffness in our legs. It can be said that we do exercise our legs by walking every day, but this is mainly in the calf area. Our thighs are still extremely stiff. If you want to relax your thigh muscles, you can start by stretching your calves. Yoga contains many low-intensity, good stretching movements. Of course, massaging the soles of your feet is also feasible.

(1) Calf stretch.

The calves are under a lot of pressure when running, so the calf muscles need to be stretched and relaxed after running.

How to do it: Spread your arms apart and press them against the wall. Spread your legs, one in front and the other behind, bend the front leg and straighten the back leg. Stretch both feet forward with your heels on the ground until you feel the calf muscles stretching. Hold for 15-30 seconds and then switch legs.

(2) Stretching the inner thigh and groin, also known as the "butterfly stretch."

How to do it: Sit down with your knees bent and the soles of your feet facing each other in front of your body; bring your feet as close to your groin as possible and keep them as close to the ground as possible. Hold for 15-30 seconds. If you can do this easily, try to push your body forward as far as possible and hold it for 15-30 seconds.

(3) Ligament stretching.

The hamstrings, or leg tendons, are located at the back of the thigh, running from the pelvis to the calf. They are very easy to be injured, so stretching the hamstrings is also very important.

Method: Cross your legs, put your feet close together, bend over, straighten your knees, try to touch your feet with your hands or press your body against your legs, hold for 15-30 seconds, then switch legs.

(4) Massage the soles of your feet

Lie prone with your legs extended out of the bed, your ankles naturally dorsiflexed, and use a massage tool to gently lock the muscles on the soles of your feet. Ask the person being massaged to curl their toes, dorsiflex their ankles, and then extend their toes. Just stretch each foot for a few minutes

Passive stretching is a slow, relaxing stretch that can also be expected to reduce nerve and muscle excitability. It is a good method to use when relaxing after exercise. The so-called passive stretching refers to using one's own body weight or equipment to keep the limbs in a certain stretched position. For example, lift your legs up and hold them in a certain position with the help of your hands, or place them on a step and hold them in a certain position.