It’s easy to say that a nutritious bowl of raw vegetables is nutritious. How do you turn a bunch of raw vegetables into a delicious dish, though? Some people say that it’s easier said than done, but say, “No problem.” If you have some vegetables and don’t want to eat another salad on the raw vegan diet, a great alternative is a raw soup. Additionally, this soup is a great alternative if you have extra zucchini don’t want to eat zoodle dishes any more.

Just like making a smoothie, all you have to do is cut up your vegetables and blend them together. Unlike a smoothie, you will add a few things that would not taste great slurping through a straw. For example, this raw soup contains fresh dill, garlic cloves, coconut aminos, and sea salt. The best advice we can give you is to use the fresh dill, not dried dill. The soup will be much less aromatic and flavorful without that fresh herb. We promise you that it is 100% worth it to seek out fresh dill, even if you have the dried version in your spice rack.

One piece of advice that we have for you is that you may want to wait to make this soup until the weather is a little warmer. It can be very refreshing when the sun is out. A pro raw vegan tip is to blend the soup for a few minutes on high to naturally warm it up. Don’t worry, this does not cook the vegetables; rather, the high-speed revolutions can naturally warm up the blended mixture. This is just something to consider if you take a liking to raw soups like this one.

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You don’t have to give up your running habit just because the temperatures drop during winter. In fact, most athletes prefer the chill of the cold while they run, and it comes with a range of health benefits as well. The American College of Sports Medicine states that it is safe to run in cold temperatures that go down to as low as -7 degrees Fahrenheit. As long as you wear the right clothes and take precautions, you can enjoy running and avoid illness and injury.

Now, if the conditions are dangerous (think icy roads or negative temperatures), you can always hop on a treadmill and remain indoors. If you have exercise-induced asthma, running indoors is better and safer than inhaling the dry, cold winter air too quickly. For most healthy athletes or running enthusiasts, though, running outside in the cold is safe. Continue reading to learn about a few health benefits of running in the cold. 

Benefits Of Running In Cold Weather

You don’t need to put on the giant puffer jacket and three layers of pants to go outside in the cold. The frigid air may not motivate you to work out, but the cold weather actually encourages the release of endorphins, the body’s natural mood boosters. That’s why a lot of people hop in ice baths these days! 

Going outside for a run in the cold may also help you combat the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder. Not only that, but running in cold weather also causes the body to burn more calories, as it has to work harder to maintain its core temperature. Studies have shown that running in cold weather can activate brown fat, which works to accelerate metabolism. That’s all great, but how do you stay warm while running in cold weather? We’ll detail that below.

Always Warm Up

When the weather is cold, the last thing you want to do is run out of the door without properly warming up. That brisk air is not kind to muscles that you don’t properly stretch and activate prior to exercise. The combination of cold weather and reduced air pressure causes joint tissues to expand, which ultimately restricts movement. Plus, you can easily experience spasms or cramps if you don’t properly warm up. Engage in dynamic stretching to flood your muscles with oxygen before your workout. Think of doing some range of motion drills, lunges, high knees, and butt kicks. 

Layer Up

If you know anything about being comfortable in the cold, layering is the ticket. The National Ski Patrol encourages people to wear moisture-wicking material against your skin, followed by an insulated middle layer, and then an outer shell to block the wind. When you layer appropriately, you can effectively protect yourself from wind chill. Moisture-wicking materials also prevent overheating! Runners like to wear polypropylene clothes when running because it helps to keep them dry and warm. You may also want to consider gloves, a beanie, headband, or earmuffs to keep your head/ears warm. 

Hydrate Properly

For some reason, people think that they only need to hydrate when temperatures are scorching outside. No matter the temperature, hydrating before, during, and after exercise, is crucial. You still sweat in cold weather and because the cold air is drier than warm air, hydrating properly will keep you safe during your run. You also breathe at a higher rate, which releases more moisture from the body. Aim to drink eight fluid ounces of water 20 to 30 minutes before your run, seven to 10 ounces every 20 minutes while running and another eight ounces 30 minutes after your run. Drinking water is great, but consider hydrating with electrolyte-rich beverages as well to regulate body temperature and keep energy levels up.

Protect Your Breathing

Even the most experienced of runners can experience breathing problems while exercising in the cold winter weather. Wind chill and temperature of the air will dictate whether or not you have to protect your mouth with a ski mask, muffler, or gaiter during your run. If the temperature drops to single digits, it is better to breathe through a mask or scarf, according to trainers. That will prepare the lungs for the cool air because you don’t want to hurt your lungs with frigid air. An expert tip is to wrap a lightweight scar around the lower face and nose. That isn’t as effective as a face mask, but it does the job. Lastly, breathe through your nose instead of your mouth to lessen breathing difficulties.

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The big day of feasting will be here before you know it. You can go into Thanksgiving guns blazing, or you can take a more prepared, methodical approach. Although the former is more common, the latter may help you feel less bloated and better about yourself. Should you find yourself slipping into a food coma after gorging 3,000+ calories, you will need the tips in this article to get you back on track.

When you finally peel yourself out of bed after a reckless night of feasting, there are a few ways you can tackle the day. The first option is to lounge about and continue to pick at leftovers. The second option is to rise before dawn and race to take advantage of in-store Black Friday deals. Now, the third option is truly what this article is all about: getting yourself out of bed, donning your athletic clothes, and readying yourself for a workout. Continue reading for a step-by-step guide to working out the morning after Thanksgiving.

Start Slow

Whether you are a routine gym rat or someone who walks on occasion, there is no need to go hard straight out of the gate. That is especially true after you put your body through a night of excessive caloric intake. You won’t have a lot of energy and the body will have spent most of the night digesting all of that food and drink. Ease into your workout, starting with a gentle walk around the block a few times. There is no need to hit the neighborhood block in a full sprint. Once you engage in some mild cardio, you can decide how you proceed from there. 

Get In Your LISS

Low-impact steady state (LISS) aerobics can help warm up your body and elevate your heart right. When you get your blood pumping, you get your digestive system rolling. Consider pedaling on an exercise bike, or head out on a bike ride around the neighborhood. Jogging or running will cause your stomach to bounce, which isn’t something you want after a night of heavy eating. Begin your LISS at a leisurely pace for about five minutes. You’ll start to feel better at that point, and then you can increase your speed and resistance. Ideally, your aerobic workout should last 15-20 minutes. 

Time To Train

Once you finish your 15 minutes of aerobics, get ready to hit the weights for some strength training. You probably won’t have the energy for high-intensity interval training (HIIT), or even a full-body workout that leaves your muscles tired. Ideally, you want a moderate-intensity circuit that helps to target all your major muscle groups, while also working the cardiovascular system. Try the following circuit in the order as the exercises are listed. Complete the following three groups twice and your body will feel way better than it did after the big meal. 

First group:

• Bench press 3 sets of 10 reps (3×10)
• Standing rows 3×10
• Bodyweight lunges 3×10 per leg

Second group:

• Military press 3×10
• Barbell bicep curls 3×10
• Bodyweight squats 3×10

Third group:

• Tricep extensions 3×10
• Cable lat pull-downs 3×10
• Leg press 3×10

Time To Digest

Your tummy may or may not feel iffy the morning after Thanksgiving. That is why you must hydrate with water from the moment you wake up. Try your best to avoid dehydrating beverages, such as alcohol, caffeinated drinks, and soda. Replenishing the body with water will help you detox all of that alcohol, turkey, pie, and stuffing from the night before. Consider a green smoothie for breakfast, or some chia pudding or oatmeal. In addition to water, your digestive tract is begging for fresh ingredients and fiber!

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Yoga is a gentle, relaxing form of exercise, but you should warm up to loosen up the muscles and joints just like you would before any other form of exercise. Warm-up poses can help prepare your body for a workout, while simultaneously increasing circulation. In addition to promoting better blood flow, these warm-up poses stretch your core, hamstrings, neck, and back. 

Stretching and cardio work to increase a person’s heart rate before a game. Yoga warm-up poses mentally prepare you for your yoga class and increase muscle flexibility. The asanas, or movements, work to stretch the connective tissues and aid blood circulation throughout the body. Different yoga poses work to target different muscle groups. That is why performing different poses can improve circulation throughout the body. Inversions draw blood to the brain and relieve some pressure on the heart, while other arching poses (such as wheel or camel poses) aid vital organ circulation. Do the following warm-up poses before your next yoga class and you may improve blood flow and have a better overall yoga practice. 

Downward Dog Pose

In this pose, the heart is above your head, allowing more blood to flow to the upper torso and brain. This is a common inversion pose that you’ll revisit throughout your yoga class. Begin in a tabletop position on all fours, stacking your shoulders directly over your hands and hips over your knees. Lift your knees off the ground and extend your butt towards the ceiling. It’s perfectly fine if you need to bend your knees a little, but try to get your heels close to the floor. The main thing to remember is to push away from the mat with your palms, lengthening your back so that it isn’t rounded. Breathe slowly.

Mountain Pose

This is a very simple pose that works to improve blood circulation to the entire body, especially through the arteries. Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and make sure that you are looking forward. Drop your shoulders and relax your arms by your sides, facing your palms toward the front of the room. Take a deep breath in as you lift your arms up overhead, aiming to keep your shoulders dropped away from your ears. Breathe deeply in this position for about 30 seconds. 

Legs Up The Wall

Widely used in many restorative yoga routines, this pose works to improve circulation to the calves and feet. This pose is great for anyone who sits all day because it moves blood out of the hips. Find a wall and lay a yoga mat on the ground heading away from the wall. You are essentially going to make your into an “L” shape. Start by lying on your back and get your butt as close to the wall as possible. Extend your legs upwards so that your heels are touching the wall and your legs are straight. You can extend your arms out to the sides for added support. Stay in this position for at least two minutes.

Cat/Cow Pose

This is one of the most common warm-up poses that promotes blood circulation in the spinal column and back muscles. Begin in a tabletop position on all fours, stacking your shoulders directly over your hands and hips over your knees. Breathe in and lift your head up, directing your gaze towards the ceiling, simultaneously arching your lower back. Breathe out while you round your back, drop your head, and tuck your chin into your chest. Use your palms to push the floor away to increase the stretch between your shoulders. Continue alternating between these two positions for 30 seconds. 

Chair Pose

Working to increase circulation to the legs, glutes and hips, chair pose is great for boosting stamina and strength in the thigh muscles. Stand straight up with your feet hip-distance apart and rest your arms by your sides. Bend your knees and sink your weight back into your heels as you sit as though you are about to sit down in a chair. Make sure to keep your back straight and tuck your tailbone as you tighten your glutes. Lift your arms up overhead so that they are in line with your back. Hold this position for 10 seconds and then return to the starting position. 

Locust Pose

As a full-body stretch, locust pose helps you strengthen the muscles along the spine. It also works to correct poor posture and gets the blood flowing. Lie flat on your stomach with your forehead on the mat and arms extended back by your sides. Contract all the muscles in your arms, legs, and core to lift your head, chest, and lower legs off the mat. Keep your neck long and continue to breathe slowly for 10 breaths. With each breath, try to lift a little higher. Release and relax.

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If you’ve learned anything about getting older, it is that back pain is inevitable. There’s nothing quite like the feeling of bending over to tie your shoe and feeling a strain in your lower back. If you sit at a desk all day, you are familiar with tightness in the shoulders and back. It’s as if everyday activities do their very best to wear out your back, or so it seems anyway. 

There Are Different Types Of Back Pain

Back pain can either be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). You may experience a dull ache or constant pain, both of which can be unpleasant. Acute back pain tends to last for a few days to a few weeks. Accidents, falls, or lifting something that is too heavy can all cause acute back pain, which tends to get better without treatment. Chronic back pain tends to last three months or longer and it is much less common than acute back pain. Most chronic back pain can be remedied without surgery, though. 

The reality is that you can decrease your risk of back injury by increasing flexibility with regular stretching exercises. Your muscles need to move, so the combination of moderate exercise and stretching can help increase mobility and flexibility of the spine and surrounding muscles. Below, we will detail three stretches to help prevent back pain, but there are a few things to keep in mind:

• Stretch slowly and avoid jerky or bouncy movements.
• Stretching cold muscles can increase the risk of injury. For this reason, warm up with five to 10 minutes of light activity, for example, walking or pedaling a stationary bike. 
• Relax into each stretch and hold each position for at least 30 seconds.
• Only go to the point where you feel mild tension.

Back Flexion And Extension

Begin on all fours in a tabletop position, stacking your shoulders directly over your wrists and hips over your knees. Rock forward slightly and put your weight onto your arms. Round your shoulders and allow your butt to drop a little. Hold this position for five seconds and then rock backwards to sit your butt as close to your heels as possible, maintaining extended arms throughout. After holding that position for five seconds, return to the starting position. Repeat this process a total of five times. 

Knee To Chest Stretch

Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and arms by your sides. Bend your right leg and draw your knee up toward your chest. Reach both hands around your knee or shin and pull your leg as close to your chest as you comfortably can. Do your bet to tighten your lower abdominal muscles and press your lower back into the floor during the stretch. Remain in this position for about five seconds and then return to the starting position. Do the same with your left leg and then repeat with both legs at once. That is one sequence, and you should complete the sequence five times. 

Standing Back Arch

Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place both of your hands on your lower back, facing your fingers down. Each hand should be on either side of your spine just above your gluteus muscles. Take a few slow, deep breaths in this position to promote relaxation. Bend your upper body backward and keep your knees straight. The reason your hands are on your lower back is to support your back as you lean backward. Hold this position for five seconds before returning slowly to the starting position. Repeat a total of five times.

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There are many back-bending yoga postures that work to enhance spinal flexibility. Not only do these poses work to boost energy levels, but they also correct your posture. Certain poses are more advanced than others, such as camel pose, and they need to be practiced with proper form and care. To avoid injury, yogis recommend warming up prior to engaging camel pose. 

What Is Camel Pose?

Considered an advanced asana, camel pose represents the resemblance your body makes to a camel’s hump during the posture. It is a deep backbend that is energizing in nature, working to increase circulation throughout the entire body. In doing so, camel pose can help wake up the nervous system, while simultaneously stretching the spine and the muscles along the front of the body. Those are the muscles that surround your chest, abdomen, hip flexors, and quads. 

Who Can Do Camel Pose?

No matter what your experience with yoga is, you should never enter camel pose without warming up beforehand. By loosening up the hips, spine, and front of your body before camel pose, you reduce your risk of injury during the pose. If you have chronic issues with your knees, shoulders, neck or back, avoid camel pose. If you have abdominal separation (diastasis recti), do not practice camel pose. There are various supported versions of this pose that may be safer for some people, for example, pregnant persons. Lastly, do not practice camel pose if you have pain or instability in the lower back. 

How To Properly Do Camel Pose

Camel pose works to increase circulation and energize the body. For that reason, you may not want to practice this pose before bed. To correctly do the pose, please see the following steps:

• Begin in a kneeling position, placing a folded blanket or towel under your knees if they are sensitive. Keep your knees hip-distance apart and your back straight.
• Lengthen your spine by squeezing your glutes to tuck your tailbone towards the ground. At the same time, lift your chest and the crown of your head towards the ceiling. 
• Place your hands on your sacrum, facing your fingertips down to support your lower back. 
• Take a deep breath in and lift your chin back, looking up and back as you start to bend backward. 
• Make sure to breathe into your entire rib cage and maintain length in your spine to avoid putting pressure on your lower back. 
• Reach your hands behind you and place them on your heels. If you cannot reach your calves, put yoga blocks behind you and place your hands on them. 
• While bending backward, make sure to breathe deeply and engage your quads and core. Try to draw your shoulder blades together behind you, opening up your chest. Take three to 10 breaths in this position.
• To safely come out of this pose, engage your core and lift your hands off your heels or yoga blocks, and return to the starting position. Your head should be the last thing that returns to an upright position. 

Make Sure To Engage Your Muscles

In order to do this yoga pose correctly, you need to engage your muscles. If you don’t engage your hips and abs, you cannot properly support the vertebrae on your spine. That can put too much pressure on your lower back and increase the risk of injury. Always engage your abdominal and quadricep muscles during camel pose. If you feel like your back is taking too much weight, warm up your core and hips with moderate exercises first. 

Get Your Hips In The Right Position

Depending on how much flexibility and the natural position of your pelvis, your hips may fall too far backward or push too far forward during camel pose. If the muscles along the front of your body are too tight when you reach back to your heels, your hips will come back to compensate. If you over-bend your lower back, your hips may come forward. The ideal position for your hips is just above your knees. To ensure that your hips remain in that position, keep your knees hip-distance apart and engage your abs and quads.

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You don’t have to suffer in order to experience a great cardiovascular workout. Instead, improve muscle and cardiovascular strength while doing low-impact cardio workouts. Not only are they easier on the body, but they are also more accessible than box jumps and burpees. Make no mistake: low-impact does not mean low-intensity. Low-impact workouts can be just as effective as elevating your heart rate as a HIIT workout. 

A lot of people, especially those who are regularly active, use low-impact workouts to warm up. But if engaging in low-impact cardio exercise is how you get active, there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, you’ll be able to reap some impressive health benefits. Studies show that an increase in activity can help reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers, and type 2 diabetes. 

Another benefit of low-impact cardio is that you can reduce your risk of injury. High-impact moves, like running or jumping, means that your bones absorb a lot of force each time you land. With low-impact workouts, you ultimately reduce the amount of shock your joints take. Continue reading to learn about great low-impact maneuvers to incorporate into your workouts. 

Sumo Squat Touch-Down To Heel Raise

This exercise works to strengthen your adductor muscles, abductor muscles, hamstrings, glutes, and calves. Begin standing straight up with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart. Turn your toes out slightly and hang your arms straight down in front of you. Lift your chest, engage your core, and keep your back straight as you bend both knees, sending your butt back and down until your fingertips touch the floor. Press your feet firmly into the ground, engage your glutes, and drive back up, pressing up onto the balls of your feet once standing straight. Continue for 45 seconds. 

Repeater

Need help strengthening your hamstrings, quads, and glutes? The repeater exercise can help you achieve those goals. Begin standing up straight with your right foot in front of you, bending your knee slightly. Have your left foot back on a slight diagonal from the right foot. Lean your torso a little to the right, hinging forward at the hips to keep your back straight. Your core should be aligned over your right leg. Extend your arms overhead so that they are parallel to the ground. In a simultaneous effort, drive the left knee up and bring your hands down to touch it, engaging your core. Return your left foot back behind you and extend your arms overhead. Repeat for 20 seconds before switching sides.

Elevator Plank

This exercise works to improve shoulder, core, arm, and back strength. To do this exercise, start in a high plank position, stacking your shoulders over your wrists and legs extended behind you. Keep a straight line from your head to your feet. Tuck your pelvis in and engage your core as you lower your right elbow to the ground, followed by your left elbow to enter a forearm plank. Without rocking too much, place your right hand on the ground, followed by your left hand to press back into a high plank. Try to avoid dipping side to side by engaging your core. Repeat this motion for 45 seconds. 

Lateral Lunge To Reach

In addition to strengthening the abductor and adductor muscles, the hamstrings, and glutes, this movement may also increase flexibility. Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Keeping your back straight and chest lifted, step your right leg out to the side to come into a side lunge. Sit your butt back, keeping the left leg straight and bending your right knee so that your right thigh is parallel to the ground. Reach your left arm overhead to make one line from your left foot to your left fingertips. You should feel a stretch along your left side. Hold for a second and return to the starting position by engaging your right glute and quads. Repeat for 20 seconds and then switch sides. 

Front Kick To Touch Back

This is a great exercise that helps strengthen your glutes and hamstrings. Begin in a standing position with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold your fists by your cheekbones in a guard position, as if you are boxing. Kick your right leg forward, extending it straight out in front of you. Return your right leg to the starting position and then step your left foot back to enter a low lunge, touching the ground with your left hand. Continue alternating between these two movements for 20 seconds and then repeat on the other side. 

Russian Twist With Punch

A great movement to incorporate into your warm-up routine, Russian twist with a punch helps to strengthen your abs, obliques, arms, and shoulders. Sit on the ground with your knees bent, planting your feet flat on the ground. Lean back so that your torso is at a 45-degree angle to the ground. You should feel your abs engaged in this position. Lift your feet off the ground and, without moving your legs, rotate your torso to the right, punching across your body with your left hand. Return to center and then rotate to the left, punching across your body with your right hand. Continue alternative for 45 seconds.

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Most exercise enthusiasts, both beginners or experienced alike, want a flat stomach with washboard abs. Through proper diet and training, you can achieve the rock solid belly of your dreams. If you regularly incorporate ab workouts into your exercise regimen, you need to remember to stretch your abdominals. Just like any other muscle group, you have to decrease tension and improve mobility before and after a workout. 

What are the Abdominal Muscles?

The abdominal muscles have several functions, from supporting your body during movement to holding organs in place. To put it briefly, your abdominal muscles are strong bands of muscles that line the walls of the abdomen. They are located toward the front of the body between the ribs and pelvis. Read on to learn about the main abdominal muscles. 

Rectus Abdominis

This pair of muscles run down the middle of the abdomen, from the ribs to the front of the pelvis. These muscles keep the body stable during movement and hold the organs in place. The fabled “six pack” that you see is actually the rectus abdominis, provided the person has a fit abdomen.  

Obliques

The oblique muscles provide rotation and trunk flexion. The external oblique is the thickest and runs from the lower ribs to the iliac crest, while the internal oblique is small and lies under the external muscle. The internal oblique also originates at the iliac crest before reaching the pubic bone. 

Transverse Abdominals

The transverse abdominals are a pair of muscles that are the deepest of the flat muscles. They exist at the bottom of the stack and work to stabilize the trunk, helping you maintain internal abdominal pressure. 

Functions of Abdominal Muscles

Think of your core as a strong column that joins the lower body and upper body together. When you have a solid core, you have a solid foundation for most activities. The torso tends to power most bodily movements, and the abdominals work together with back muscles to support the spine. No matter what you are doing, be it bending over, picking things up, running, or doing pushups, the abdominals work to support you. 

Why Do Your Abs Feel So Tight?

If you experience tightness in the abdominal muscles, there may be a few different explanations. Pay close attention to whether or not your stomach feels tight, or if your actual muscles feel tight. A tight stomach may indicate a digestive issue, anxiety, or other health issue. No amount of stretching is going to help your gut. Tight abdominal muscles can result from a hard training session, unbalanced exercise programming (i.e. too many sit-ups or crunches), or poor posture. Sitting for extended hours or poor breathing patterns may also cause tension in your abs. 

Benefits Of Stretching Your Abs

Whether your abs are chronically tight or sore after an ab workout, stretching your abs has numerous benefits. Besides reducing muscular tension, ab stretches can help improve your range of motion, which is necessary for exercises and everyday activities. Stretching your abs may also help decrease muscle pain and accelerate your recovery. Lastly, as is true for stretching all muscle groups, improving flexibility can help decrease your risk of injury. You can’t reduce your risk to zero, but you can stretch to lend your body a helping hand. 

Best Ab Stretches For Before & After Workouts

Below, you’ll find some of the best ab stretches that are beneficial to do either before or after your workouts. As you perform the stretches, you’ll notice a stretch in other muscles, which is excellent. Just remember that the primary focus is on the abdominal muscles. 

14. Ab Side Stretch

You can perform this exercise pretty much anywhere, as long as you have your body and a little space. Although it’s a non-strenuous abdominal stretch, it is still very effective. 

• To begin, stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms by your side. 
• Raise your right arm above your head and keep your left arm by your side. Slowly lean to the left, sliding your left hand down your leg. 
• Don’t lean too far, as you don’t want to strain yourself. You should feel a stretch through your obliques on the right side. Hold this position for about 10 seconds.
• Return to the starting position and then repeat on the other side. 

13. Standing Hip Circles

This dynamic movement works to stretch the entire abdominal wall. It is great to do before a workout or any sort of physical activity. Just be mindful that you do your hip circles with control, as too much momentum will cancel out the benefits. 

• Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and place your hands on your hips. 
• Lean your torso forward and to the right, performing a circle with your torso until you are leaning back slightly.
• After you complete 10 revolutions in one direction, switch to complete 10 more revolutions in the other direction. 

12. Supine Stretch

When you finish crunching, V-ing up, and planking, this is the perfect stretch to do. The reason for this is because you get to relax by lying down on a mat. Plus, it doesn’t require any energy to stand up or have resistance. 

• In order to be as comfortable as possible, lie flat on your mat, not the hard floor. Keep your arm stretched out above your head in the lying down position. 
• Make sure your fingertips are pointing away from your body. Stretch through the spine and reach away from your head. 
• The goal of this stretch is to elongate the abdominals, but be careful not to overstretch. Take five deep breaths and then release. 

11. Cobra Pose Abdominal Stretch

This prone stretch works to stretch both the upper and lower regions of the abdominal muscles. You will most likely find the deepest stretch in your upper abdominals, which is where the most tension occurs. Remember to keep your hips mobile and your chest open, but remain stable in the shoulders. 

• Begin face down in a prone position on your mat. Bend your arms to stretch your triceps and place your hands next to your pectorals.
• Push up and press your hips and tops of your feet into the mat. Puff your chest, drop your shoulders, and hold this position for about 20-30 seconds.
• Return to the starting position and then repeat two to four more times. 

10. Cat Cow Stretch

This is a classic yoga pose that works to target the abs during the cow position, and upper back during the cat position. In addition to stretching your abdominal muscles, this pose helps you mobilize the spine.

• Begin in a tabletop position with your hands directly beneath your shoulder and knees underneath your hips. 
• Feel your abs and arch your back directing your gaze out and up if you can on an inhale
• Hold this position before exhaling and rounding your back, drawing your abdomen into your spine. Tuck your check and chest as well. 
• Continue alternating between these two positions for about 20-30 seconds. 

9. Lying Rotation Stretch

Similar to the ab side stretch, the lying rotation stretch works to stretch your obliques. Having the stability of the floor allows you to ease into the stretch, opening up to a position in which you feel comfortable. 

• Lie on your right side and bend your knees, drawing your knees toward your chest. 
• Place your right hand on top of your left thigh to keep it from moving during the stretch. 
• In a wheel motion, open your chest and reach your left arm back until you feel a stretch in your obliques, chest, and shoulder. 
• Hold this position for a few seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat a couple more times and then switch sides. 

8. Standing Lean Back Stomach Stretch

Just like the other standing ab stretches in this list, this standing lean back stomach stretch moves you through hip and spinal extension. That means that you will feel a deep stretch in the lower regions of the rectus abdominis.

• Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and place your hands just above your glutes on your lower back.
• Lean back and slide your hands down a little the farther you lean. You should feel a stretch in your anterior core. 
• Hold this position for 30-60 seconds and repeat if necessary. 

7. Snake Stretch

The snake stretch is very similar to Cobra pose, but you don’t extend up as much, i.e. there is not as much arch in the spine. This stretch requires a small amount of flexibility and is great to do post-workout. 

• Lie flat on your stomach, bend your arms, and place your hands on either side of your shoulders. 
• Make sure that the tops of your feet are on the mat and then press up, engaging your pectoral muscles. 
• Raise your trunk until there is about a 45-degree bend in your elbows and you feel a stretch in your abdominal muscles. Tilt your head back and hold the stretch for about 10 seconds.  

6. Rotating Stomach Stretch

Similar to the lying rotation stretch, the rotating stomach stretch involves moving the body side to side, which really involves the obliques. Because this is a dynamic stretch, you should ideally perform it as part of your warm-up. 

• Begin face down on your mat in a prone position, bending your arms and placing your hands beside your shoulders. 
• Engage your pectorals to push up, while simultaneously driving your hips into the floor. 
• Straighten your right arm, pushing yourself to the left until you feel a stretch in your obliques. Hold this position for a breath or two before switching to the other side.
• Continue moving side to side with control for about 30 seconds.   

5. Chest Opener on Exercise Ball

This is a very relaxing stretch that is great to do as part of your cool down after you finish your workout. It aims to stretch the pectorals, shoulders, and abdominal muscles, and requires very little effort. 

• You can use a full exercise ball or half ball that has a flat base, the latter of which can be beneficial if you struggle with balance. 
• Lay down on your back on the exercise ball, ensuring that it supports the majority of your back. It’s ok if your head falls back. 
• Keep your knees bent and together and plant your feet firmly on the floor. 
• Open up your chest by letting your arms fall to the sides. Rest in this position, but make sure that you keep your balance. 

4. Locust Pose Abdominal Stretch

The Locust Pose ab stretch is excellent to perform before your ab workout. Not only does it help to elevate your heart rate, but it also prepares you for exercise. You can also decrease or increase the intensity depending on how long you hold the pose. 

• Lie flat on your stomach with your arms by your sides. 
• Lift your chest and legs off the ground to form a boat shape, so that you have an inward curve along your spine. Make sure to engage your core and glutes to hold this pose. 
• Release after five seconds and return to the starting position. Repeat a few more times. 

3. Leaning Lifting Crunch

Compared to the other stretches on this list, leaning lifting crunch requires little to no flexibility. You can perform this movement almost anywhere as long as you have a little room. 

• Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Place your palms in a prayer position and then raise them above your head. 
• Lean to your left until you feel a stretch down the right obliques. 
• Move your upper body by leaning to the right while simultaneously kicking your right leg out to the side to crunch your right side. 
• Continue repeating this motion for 30 seconds on the same side before switching to the other side. 

2. Bridge Pose

Bridge pose aims to work your inner and outer abdominal muscles. This works to stimulate your abdominal organs, aiding in better digestion. 

• Lie flat on your back, bend your knees, and place your feet directly below them. Ideally, your feet should be about six to 12 inches from your buttocks. 
• Engage your glutes and drive your hips up toward the ceiling. At the apex of the pose, only your feet, shoulders, and head should be touching the ground. You can, however, keep your arms flat on the ground for extra support. 
• Hold this position for a few deep breaths and then return to the starting position. Repeat a few more times. 

1. Oblique Twists

If you have tight obliques, you may notice that you have difficulty twisting or rotating the body. This is where standing oblique twists enter the equation. The only thing to remember while doing these is that you don’t want to over-twist the lumbar spine. The movement should come from your obliques and your hips should face forward as much as possible. 

• Stand up straight with your hands on your hips and your feet hip-distance apart. 
• Twist as far as you comfortably can to the right side without any assistance from the lower back. 
• Return to the starting position and then repeat on the other side. Continue alternating from side to side with controlled movements for 30 seconds. 

When to Stretch Your Abs

It is quite common for abdominal muscles to cramp up after an intense ab workout. Stretching them post-workout can help accelerate the recovery process and prevent future injuries. Once you finish a workout, it is a good idea to engage in several of the prone stretches on this list, as they may help prevent muscle soreness the next day. As detailed in this article, though, there are beneficial stretches to engage in before a workout, and we indicated which ones they were. They tend to involve more movement, which helps warm up your abdominals for the workout. 

Dynamic vs. Static Ab Stretches

According to exercise experts, dynamic abdominal stretches are highly beneficial to do before workouts like kickboxing. These movements allow your abdominal muscles the opportunity to warm up and prepare for the activity ahead. Dynamic ab stretches may also improve your athletic performance and reduce the risk of injury. Static ab stretches, on the other hand, are great to do once you finish your workout. They don’t involve much movement and force you to relax and sink deeper into the stretches.

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In this article, we will examine the anatomy and functions of the latissimus dorsi (lats) and the best ways to strengthen and stretch them. The goal is to give you a better understanding of why stretching the lats is beneficial to your performance and overall health. And hopefully you can incorporate some of the techniques in this article into your exercise program. After all, the goal is for your lats to feel and perform their best. 

What are Your Lat Muscles

Are you familiar with the signature v-tapered back? Well, strong lats provide you with that look, but they aren’t just there for superficial reasons. Strong lats help support good posture, spinal stability, and shoulder strength. Lats are triangularly-shaped muscles that cover the majority of the lower thorax. As the largest upper-body muscle, the lats are integral to spinal and shoulder movements. They work with the teres major and pectoral major to carry out most upper-body actions. 

Lat Anatomy And Function

Any activity that involves repetitive upper back movement likely involves the lats. They originate at the sinuous processes and supraspinous ligament of the bottom six thoracic vertebrae, and the inferior end of the fibers that connect to your bottom three or four ribs. Muscle fibers extend from the origin points to the insertion point, which is the floor of the intertubercular groove of the humerus. All of these origin points meet in a narrow insertion area that forms the fan-like shape of the lats. The lats work to perform most major upper-body actions, from pull-ups and rows to simple twists and shoulder movements.

What Causes Tight Lats?

Tight lats are fairly common among athletic and sedentary types. Exercising, daily activities, rounded shoulders, and poor posture can cause lats to tighten. Many activities, including cycling, swimming, gardening, surfing, and rock climbing, can contribute to upper back tension. A back workout that involves a lot of lat exercises is a primary cause of lat tightness. 

How To Know If Your Lats Are Tight

It is very common for lats to feel tight and you can identify tightness via a few signature signs. Poor posture, rounded shoulders, nagging upper back or neck aches, and pain that radiates between the shoulder blades are signs that you need to stretch your lats. You can also tell if your lats are tight by doing a squat with your arms extended overhead. You can also do the lat tightness mobility test, which is detailed below. 

Lat Tightness Mobility Test

In order to perform this test, follow these steps:

• Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and toes pointing forward. 
• Sink as low as you can into a squat, ensuring that your hips don’t shift and that your toes continue to point forward. Make sure your heels don’t rise off the ground. 
• Your arms should remain by your side up until this point. Once you are in the low squat, extend your arms overhead and point your fingers toward the ceiling. 
• If your lats are tight, you won’t be able to hold your arms in an upright position for a very long time. In fact, they’ll probably fall forward or you will feel stiffness/pain in your back. 

Why You Should Stretch Your Lats

One of the primary reasons to stretch your lats is to help improve posture. When your lat muscles are tight, you are more inclined to round your shoulders and increase upper-body tension or aches that radiate throughout the upper back. Improving flexibility in your lats and upper back can also increase mobility in the shoulders, scapulas, and spine. Stretching your lats can help make most things easier, from bending down to tie your shoes to doing a wide-grip pull-up. Lastly, your lats aid with deep breathing, but they may impair your ability to breathe deeply if they are tight. Stretch your lats and you may notice an improvement in how well you breathe. 

Best Lat Stretches To Try Today

Below, you’ll find 15 ways to stretch and strengthen your lats. You can incorporate them into your warm up or cool down sessions. You can fit them into your upper-body workouts or do them any time you feel tightness or pain in your lats. Some of the following movements are dynamic while others are static, which we’ll identify in the movements. 

15. Active Floor Stretch

For this active floor stretch, you don’t need any exercise equipment. You just need some space and the floor, making it great for stretching lats at home or on the go. 

• Begin in a kneeling position and then sink back into your hips. Place your hands on the ground in front of your knees. 
• Lean your weight to the right and forward to place your right forearm along the floor. Reach your left arm forward and to the right as well until you feel a stretch down your left side of your torso. 
• Hold this position for a few seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times and then switch sides. 

14. Hanging Lat Stretch

Hanging is beneficial for decompressing the spine and creating space between the vertebrae. Hanging lat stretch is not only great for your lats, but it also works to strengthen grip and improves shoulder mobility. 

• Place your hands in an overhand grip on a pull-up bar. 
• You should now be in a hanging position, ensuring that your feet are off the ground. 
• Relax in the hang, allowing your lats and shoulders to lengthen. Your ears should be close to your shoulders. 
• Hang there and breathe deeply. In a static hold, aim to hold for 30 seconds and build up to one minute. In a dynamic hold, start in a static position and then retract the shoulder blades to push down your shoulders. 
• Once your ears are by your elbows, hold the position for as long as you can. 

13. Bench Kneeling Lat Stretch

A gym bench is the ideal piece of equipment to use for this stretch, but it isn’t necessary. YOu can use a piano bench, office chair, kitchen chair, or sturdy box and place something comfortable under your knees. 

• Kneel on the floor with your hips and knees hip-distance apart. The bench in front of you should be far enough away that you can fully extend your arms to touch it. 
• Hinge at the hips to lean forward, maintaining a straight back and sturdy core. Place your hands on the bench and keep your arms straight. 
• The more you lean forward, the more your arms come into a straight line with your shoulders. Sink back into the hips and keep your palms pressed into the bench. 
• Remain in this position, feeling the deep stretch along your lats, tucking your chin to stabilize your spine.
• Hold this position for 30 seconds as a static stretch, or make it dynamic by moving from kneeling to upright and back again 10-12 times. 

12. Supine Kettlebell Pullover

Although this article’s focus is on lat stretches, this dynamic movement aims to strengthen the lats and the abdominal muscles. This exercise falls under the plank umbrella, and it helps you from extending your spine. Maintaining stability while moving the kettlebell in a controlled manner is an excellent way to increase your ab strength. Don’t use your biceps to muscle through this stretch, or they will spazz out and you’ll have to stretch them before continuing. 

• Lie flat on your back in a supine position, but grab a kettlebell that isn’t too heavy before you lay down. 
• With the kettlebell in your hands, extend it straight above you, engaging your core and pectoral muscles. Brace your spine against the floor and keep your hips flexed as you lower the kettlebell overhead to the ground. 
• Return to the starting position, using your abdominal muscles and lats to do so. Complete a total of 10 reps and then rest. Complete two more sets of 10 reps. 

11. Bent Arm Wall Stretch

In this stretch, you will focus on one side of your upper back at a time. This will enable you to identify any lat imbalances that may exist. If stretching one side triggers more tension, then that side is likely tighter and you can work more to lengthen those muscles. 

• Stand up and face a wall, making sure to keep your feet shoulder-width apart. 
• Bend your knees slightly and lean forward against the wall. Raise your right arm over your head, hinge at the elbow so that your forearm is parallel to the floor. Lean your bent right arm against the wall.
• As you press into the wall, feel your right lats stretching and hold this position for 30-45 seconds. Repeat on the other side and stretch each side at least twice.

10. Foam Rolling

There is nothing greater than the release you get from foam rolling, which should be a staple in everyone’s stretching repertoire. Myofascial foam rolling works to massage muscle fibers and increase muscle length. It also works to reduce tension in muscle tissue, improving blood flow to the area, which may help accelerate recovery and reduce inflammation. 

• Lie down on your right side, extending your right arm out overhead. Your thumb should face upwards and you should rotate your shoulder externally. 
• Place the foam roller underneath your right armpit perpendicular to your body. 
• Roll back and forth across the upper lat and into the armpit, ensuring that you do not roll down to the ribs. It is very easy to crack a rib, so make sure you don’t roll your ribcage. 
• Repeat up and down rolling for at least 30 seconds and then switch sides. 

9. Exercise Ball Stretch

You will need an exercise ball for this stretch, which works to lengthen the lats and improve overhead mobility. If you want a slightly different version of the stretch, place your palm on the ball and face it up or down. 

• Start in a tabletop position with your knees directly under your hips and hands directly under your shoulders. 
• Place your right hand on the exercise ball with your thumb facing the ceiling. 
• Press your left arm into the ground for support while you engage your core muscles. With your right arm extended out on the ball in front of you, roll it forward to sink deeper into the stretch. 
• Once you feel the stretch, hold this position for 20-30 seconds and then return to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side. 

8. Eagle Pose

Although this is a traditional yoga pose, it also doubles as a great lat stretch and shoulder opener. It does use different leg and foot positions, but this pose is going to focus on arm positions that help you stretch your lats. 

• Stand up straight with your arms straight out in front of you. Bend your arms and cross the left arm over your right, hooking at the elbows.
• Once your arms are hooked at the elbow, bring your forearms together and wrap your right palm around your left palm, crossing at the wrists.
• Raise your elbows to shoulder height while you maintain a straight spine and hold this position for about 30 seconds. 
• Release your arms and then repeat crossing the other way. 

7. Upward Salute

One of the main things to remember when you stretch your lats is to get as much length in an overhead position as possible. Similar to other lat stretches, the upward salute uses an overhead position to stretch the lats. It’s a staple in the Sun Salutation, which is found in most yoga classes.

• Stand up straight and raise your arms overhead and keep your shoulders relaxed. Face your palms toward each other. 
• Remain grounded and keep your arms in line with your shoulders. Clasp your palms together and tilt your head back slightly to look up. 
• If you want to intensify the stretch, reach high using your core muscles and lean back just a bit. If your core is too tight, consider engaging in some ab stretches before you do this stretch. 

6. Child’s Pose

Child’s pose is a classic resting posture in most yoga classes, but you can achieve a dynamic back stretch while doing it. Ideally, you extend your arms as far out as you can to create length in your upper back. 

• Begin on all fours in a tabletop position, stacking your hips over your knees and shoulders over your wrists. 
• With your toes untucked, sit your butt back towards your heels. You may need to angle your knees out to the sides a bit to get comfortable. 
• Your arms should be extended out in front of you, but try to extend all the way through your fingertips to really feel a stretch along your lats. Hold this position for as long as you need to. 

5. Standing Side Lat Stretch

For the standing side lat stretch, you can use anything from a squat rack to a door frame. You should feel the stretch run deep down your side, from your lats to your obliques. 

• Stand in front of the piece of gym equipment or door frame and turn your body sideways so that your right shoulder is facing the equipment. 
• Keeping your fight side by side, raise your arms straight overhead and then move them laterally to the right to grab the equipment/door frame. Keep your hands right next to each other and relatively straight.
• Extend your hip out to the left until you feel a stretch along your entire side. Hold this position for about 15-20 seconds and then repeat on the other side. 

4. Dynamic Back & Shoulder Stretch

If it’s back day at the gym, the dynamic back and shoulder stretch is great to include in your pre-workout routine. This stretch also works to warm up the shoulders to improve flexibility, extension, and flexion. 

• Stand up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart. Keep your arms by your sides, extending your elbows. 
• Swing your arms straight in front of you so that the shoulders are in flexion. Your arms should come straight overhead, and you should ideally feel a stretch in your upper back. 
• In a controlled movement that flows, bring your arms back down and repeat the upward swing again. Repeat a total of 10 times. 

3. Downward Facing Dog

Yet another classic yoga pose, downward dog makes it onto this list for good reason. Although this position can help stretch your hamstrings and calves, it also creates space in your upper back. It’s a great full-body stretch you can do any time of day.

• Begin on all fours in a tabletop position, stacking your hips over your knees and shoulders over your wrists. 
• With your toes tucked, lift your knees off the floor and push your hips back gently, straightening your knees and lengthening at the waist. 
• The last thing you want to do is round your back and shrug your shoulders. You want to drop your shoulders, widen your lats, and push your butt up and back. You can bend your knees slightly if necessary to maintain proper form. 
• Hold this position for about 20-30 seconds and then return to the starting position.

2. Lat Pull-down

While pull-ups are phenomenal for increasing upper-body strength, they can be difficult. Fortunately, you have lat pull-downs, which involve a similar movement to the pull-up. This exercise challenges your upper back, targeting your lats and traps. 

• You can take a neutral or wide-grip position on the lat pull-down machine. Wide-grip may be more difficult if you don’t usually do this exercise. That’s because the wide-grip version works your lats harder.
• Choose a weight that is comfortable to start, and you can increase as you progress through the exercise. 
• Grip the pull-down bar and sit down on the seat, planting your feet flat on the floor and wedging your thighs under the stoppers. 
• Lean back slightly (no more than a 45º angle) and engage your lats to pull the bar down to your chest. Pause for a brief moment before returning the bar to an overhead position. Repeat for a total of 10 times, rest, and complete two more sets of 10 reps. 

1. Overhead Lat Stretch

If you lift weights or play sports that involve powerful movements, you should regularly engage in overhead lat stretches. Many boxers and other athletes use this stretch in their warm-ups. 

• Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart and raise your arms straight overhead.  
• Grab your right wrist with your left hand and sway your hips to the right as you pull your right wrist to the left overhead. 
• You should feel a stretch along your lats and ribs, but make sure not to extend too much, so as not to break form. 
• Hold this position for about 20 seconds and then repeat on the other side. 

When to Stretch Your Lats

You should incorporate lat stretches into your pre- and post-workout routines. Warming up with some of these movements can help reduce the risk of injury during workout, while cooling down with some may relieve post-workout tightness. Even if you don’t hit the gym, health experts advise stretching your lats periodically throughout the day. This is especially true for people who sit at desks or stand up all day. When you stretch your lats, you counteract the natural rounding that takes place, and you can keep your upper back loose and limber as a result. 

Dynamic vs. Static Lat Stretches

You should ideally engage in dynamic lat stretches prior to starting your workout. These active movements can stretch and warm up your lats and shoulder joints to help optimize your range of motion. Vertical arm swings, for example, help to create more space and mobility in the shoulders, making that movement very dynamic. 

If you just finished a hard back workout or are stiff from sitting all day, your muscles are naturally sore. In these scenarios, you want to focus on static lat stretches, which work to lengthen the lat muscles. You can hold static stretches for 30-60 seconds, but you can hold them for a little longer if necessary. Make sure that you ease into static stretches to help avoid injury when your muscles are sore and tired. 

Tight lats can affect the most basic of movements, which is why you should aim to stretch them daily. You don’t have to do all of these stretches every day, but consider fitting some of them into your pre- or post-workout routines, or even on your lunch break. Just remember to engage in both the dynamic and static stretches, as they benefit your body in different ways, but they primarily help to relieve tension.

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Winter sports, like skiing, snowboarding, or even ice skating, require a tremendous amount of lower-body mobility and balance. The last thing you want to be is stiff before you hit the slopes because that increases the risk of injury. Cold weather already makes your body stiffer because there isn’t as much blood flow in your circulation as there is in warmer climates. That means it falls on you to get your blood flowing to all areas of the body.

In addition to warming up your internal core temperature, you need to activate specific muscles and joints that are necessary for skiing or boarding. Winter mountain sports require quad, glute, and hamstring strength. When you hit bumps on a mountain or you want to break a fall, the body needs to absorb the impact safely. In order to keep the hip and knee joints safe, you have to activate your core and lower-body muscles. Below, you’ll find great mobility and balance exercises to prep your muscles and joints for a day on the slopes. 

Bounce Back Lunge

This lunge variation aims to warm up your knee joint while activating your quads. If you plan on doing any jumps on the slopes, this exercise helps you absorb the force during the landing. Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Without moving your left foot, take a big step forward with your right foot. Come into a lunge position, bending your right knee to 90 degrees. To return to the starting position, engage your glutes and drive through your right heel to press up. Complete eight reps on one leg and then repeat on the other side. 

Shin Sits To Deep Squat

This exercise is great for hip and spine rotation, glute strength, and hamstring flexibility. Plus, you may feel a stretch along the soles of your feet, which is much needed before cramming them into tight snow boots. Come into a kneeling position and sit back on your heels, ensuring that they Shift your weight forward to flex your ankles and toes. Now, sit back on your heels again and feel the stretch along the soles of your feet. In a fluid motion, sit back onto your heels, pivoting into a deep squat position. Place your elbows on the insides of your knees and push them out to feel a stretch in your inner thighs. Reverse the movement to return to the starting position and then repeat a total of 10 times. 

Supine Thoracic Rotation

While strengthening your lower-body muscles is integral for balance, you also have to maintain a strong and flexible core. Opening up the rib cage and rotating the thoracic spine can help reduce stiffness on the slopes. Lay down on your right side in a fetal position, knees and hips bent at a 90-degree angle. Place your left arm on top of your right and your left leg on top of your right. Keep both of your knees together and slowly open your left arm up, extending it toward the ceiling. Follow your left hand with your gaze, but make sure to keep your right shoulder on the ground and that your knees are lined up and together. Bring your left arm back down to return to the starting position. Complete 10 repetitions and then switch sides, making sure not to rush through this movement. 

Heel Toe Shift With Hip Hinge

This movement aims to activate the glutes and hamstrings, allowing you to move your hips in full range of motion. That can help prevent falls by training hip coordination and balance. Stand up straight with your feet hip-distance apart. Hinge at the hips, extend your butt back a little, and squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, shifting the weight to your heels so that your toes are off the ground. Return to the standing position and stand tall on your toes, squeezing your glutes and engaging your calves. Complete eight reps and then finish. 

Loaded Beast To Front Step

We have this movement as the final mobility exercise, which helps to improve knee, ankle, plantar, hip, and hip flexor extension and flexion. Come into a kneeling position and sit back on your heels, keeping your toes flexed. Extend your arms out in front of you onto the ground and press off the ground to tuck your knees to your chest. Take a deep breath in and then explode forward to replace your right hand with your right foot. Bring your right hand by your face as you exhale. Return to the loaded position and then repeat on the other leg. Make sure to sink your hips towards the ground without letting your back knee touch the floor during your step backs. Complete a total of five times per leg. 

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