Stretches to help you fight stiffness

Editor's note: Adam Rees is founder of GRIT Gym, a gym based on results, creating a culture and lifestyle of performance, strength, health and freedom. This is the last of a two-part series on stretching. 

It's a very general coverage for the body, but the majority of the population has stiffness in the areas listed below.

Stretching can help.

• Half kneeling hip flexor from deficit. You're simply staying nice and tall, abs tight and getting a stretch through the front of the hip and the inside of the opposing thigh.

• Split stance abductor mobilization. While down on one knee, keep the other leg straight. It's important to maintain a long spine while giving yourself ample room with your hands out in front. Pull your hips forward to get the stretch. A common error is when the hands are too close to the hips. You need them out in front to be able to pull on the inside of the front of your thigh and get that adductor to stretch.

The adductors are actually an interesting group of muscles. It's an area that's kind of always 'on.' Standing on one leg, walking up or down stairs, sitting/standing, etc. So it ends up laying down a lot of dense fibrotic tissue, which is sort of a fancy way of saying it gets stiff easily.

• Overhead tricep stretch. Much more is happening here than just stretching the tricep. You're pulling open the lat (used in pullups/chin-ups and commonly stiff to the point it locks down the shoulder blade, creating many joint issues at the shoulder and upper back). There are numerous other actions happening during this stretch, as well, mostly through the shoulder and upper back. But the emphasis is driving the hand down the upper back while pushing the elbow to the ceiling. If you're stiff in this area this stretch will let you know immediately.

• Rear foot elevated half kneeling hip flexor stretch. Say that 10 times fast. Stay nice and tall, pull the hip forward slightly, abs and butt stay tight throughout. Common errors when doing this stretch include trying to put the toe up (you definitely want the toe pointed down) and cranking the foot up as high as possible on the wall while leaving the hip back and out of the game. You want to pull your hip forward to make it a hip flexor stretch, while your abs and butt are tight and pulling the hip open. This one is a wake-up call, be ready.

Distance runners and those with desk jobs find this stretch more exhilarating than most.

• Supine half butterfly. Lay on your back, pull your knee to the same-side shoulder and the foot to the opposite-side shoulder. The biggest mistake people make with this one is not keeping their shin at approximately 45 degrees. The knee either gets pulled across the body or the foot gets cranked on, which opens the hip up too far. You want an approximately 45 degree shin angle. The other thing is picking your head up off the floor. You want to relax and pull the knee up to the chest.

• The crucifix stretch. It's about as simple as it gets. Lay flat on the roller with your arm stretched out wide. You want a stretch through your chest. Those who are super stiff in this area should go with a half roller or a rolled up towel. The crucifix stretch is definitely a crowd-pleaser.

Hold each stretch 20 to 40 seconds.

l Contact Adam Rees at Adam@GritGym.com