Loosen those thighs
If you’re the proud owner of tight quads (the muscles in the front of your thighs), this is a great move for you. The first position will stretch the hip flexors of your rear leg and strengthen around the knee on your front leg. The second position will deeply stretch the quadriceps in your rear leg.
-- Karen Voight
1 Begin on your hands and knees on a mat with a yoga block placed near your left hand. Bring your left foot in between your hands. Check that your left shin is perpendicular to the floor. On an inhalation, place your left hand on the block. Lift your chest slightly as you reach your right fingertips toward the floor. Exhale and lower your hips, resting your left knee on the mat. Square your hips (think of making them parallel to the short sides of your mat). Hold for 20 to 30 seconds. Switch sides or continue to the next pose.
2 Lift your hips slightly, bending your right knee as you reach around and grasp the arch of your right foot. Lower your hips toward the floor again. Relax your buttock muscles as you continue to bring your heel closer to your hips. Hold this stretch for 10 to 20 seconds with relaxed breathing. Release your foot and repeat on the other side.
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Voight is a freelance fitness writer and the creator of a line of fitness DVDs. The latest is “Sleek Essentials Workout.”