Be Flexible!
Stretching Exercises for Supple Muscles
For too many weekend warriors, action on Saturdays and Sundays is all the exercising they do. They have no time or interest in grunt weightroom workouts. While all men should weight train, most don’t and won’t. Okay. You can still keep your body in better shape and stymie minor injuries by performing simple weight-free exercises. The following comprehensive program addresses every major muscle group and can be done in just a few minutes, anytime, anywhere. Who knows, maybe you’ll get smart and decide to lift a few weights as well.
Photography by Keith Munyan
HAMSTRINGS
Stand with arms overhead and feet wide
apart. Proceed to bend at the waist and
extend the right hand to the left foot. Pause,
then rise and extend the left hand to the right
foot. Perform 20 alternating repetitions to
each foot.
OBLIQUES
Stand with hands on hips and feet wide apart.
Proceed to bend to the left, with the left hand sliding
down and the right arm extending over the head.
Pause, then return to starting position and perform
the next repetition to the other side. Perform 20
alternating bends to each side.
CHEST
Stand erect, with arms crossed in front of the chest and hands fisted. Keeping
arms bent, proceed to extend elbows out behind you. Pause, then return to
starting position. Perform 20 repetitions.
ARMS
Stand with legs slightly bent, feet shoulder-width apart
and arms extended out in front, hands clenched. Proceed
to swing arms to the left and behind you, then back
and over to the right and behind. Perform 20 alternating
swings to each side.
SHOULDERS
Stand erect, with arms straight out to
sides, palms down, about a foot lower
than parallel to the ground. Proceed to
raise arms until palms are even with the
top of the head. Pause, then lower to
starting position. Perform 20 repetitions.
ABDOMINALS
Stand erect, with hands behind
head and feet shoulder-width apart.
Proceed to bring the left knee up
and extend the right elbow down
to meet it. Pause, then return to
starting position and perform the
next repetition with the opposite
knee and elbow. Complete 20
alternating repetitions to each side.
BACK
Kneeling on
hands and
knees, sag the
abdominals
and back
downward.
Then proceed
to tighten abs
and arch the
back. Perform
20 repetitions.
HIPS & GLUTES
Lie on your left
side with the
right leg over the
right. Proceed
to raise the right
leg. Pause, then
lower. Perform
20 repetitions,
then turn over
for 20 reps with
the left leg.