Wide-legged Forward Fold

Target Areas: Hamstrings, calves, core, lower back, upper back, shoulders

Practical Benefits: Improve your running ability and reduce chronic pain in your lower back. This can also help alleviate the symptoms of shin splints.

Technique:

1. Legs spread wide, toes slightly turned in, and feet separated about 4 - 5 feet.

2. Squeeze thighs towards one another. 3. Extend your arms sideways in opposite directions at shoulder level, palms facing down.

3. Reach chest forward as far as possible while maintaining a flat back.

4. Plant fingertips on the ground and pull chest forward. Bend knees if necessary.

5. Hold for 30 - 60 seconds.

Tips: Relax your neck. Transfer the weight toward the fronts of your feet and engage your core to reach your head closer to the ground.

For a modification of wide-legged forward fold that adds a shoulder and upper back opening component, take the following modification.

Modifications:

Interlaced fingers (Adds a shoulder and upper back opening benefit to the exercise)

1. Instead of arms at shoulder level, interlace fingers behind the small of the back and press the palms together.

2. Reach the chest forward while maintaining a flat back. Once you reach the halfway point, relax your chest and neck, and look between your legs.

3. With palms pressed together, lift the hands off the small of the back. Bend the elbows if necessary to keep the palms pressing together.

4. Reach the hands as far forward over the head as possible.

5. Hold for 30 - 60 seconds.

Tips: Use your arm strength to open your shoulders by engaging your arm muscles and reaching more and more forward.