Helen's Quad Stretch

by Helen
(Cardiff, Wales)

Here's my quad stretch.

This is a great stretch to do before you run. Always warm up a little before stretching, even if all you do is walk on the spot for a minute or two. Yogis can always do five salutations to the sun before stretching!

Loads of people find this difficult initially because they can't balance on one foot. If that's your problem, don't worry find something to hold onto, the back of a chair or the shoulder of a willing friend. Improvise, sometimes I hold on to the edge of the kitchen surfaces while I stretch. Doesn't always improve the cooking but helps the stretching!

When you are OK balancing, investigate how close your foot is to your derriere (bottom, bum). Imagine there is an apple between your foot and your bum. If you bring your foot closer, you will move the stretch into the hip area which is fine if that's what you want to do; not so good if it was the quad you really wanted to work.

One of my students just can't manage to stretch her quad muscle. She goes effortlessly in to this stretch, we even tried the frog posture when she lies on the floor on her tummy and tries to bring her feet to either side of her waist. Most of us can only dream about doing the posture, she can just do it!

Always be pleased with yourself and your achievements. We are all shapes and sizes, all ages and all colours, all making up the beautiful rainbow of humankind. Be happy!

I've been teaching Yoga since 1974. I was trained by the Iyengar cell based in Leicester at that time. When I moved to Neath I started the Neath Yoga Club in 1976 and continued to teach there until 2004.