Stretching and mobility is a component of fitness that is regularly overlooked, but can play a critical role in recovery and overall performance. Stretching is great for your joints mobility, flexibility, fighting stress, and having a good night’s sleep.
Try these 34 stretches to loosen up your entire body.
Related: Why You Should Dynamic Warm-up Before You Swim
1. Camel Pose
Muscles involved: Rectus Abdominus and External Obliques.
2. Wide Forward Fold
Muscles involved: Adductors.
Related: 5 Stretches for Swimmers
3. Frog Pose
Muscles involved: Adductors.
4. Wide Side Lunge Pose
Muscles involved: Adductors.
5. Butterfly Stretch
Muscles involved: Adductors.
6. Forearm Extensor Stretch
Muscles involved: Forearm Extensor.
7. Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck
Muscles involved: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM”.
8. Neck Rotation Stretch
Muscles involved: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM”.
9. Neck Extension Stretch
Muscles involved: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM”.
Related: 15 Low Impact Dryland Exercises for Swimmers
10. Lateral Side Flexion of the Neck with Hand Assistance
Muscles involved: Sternocleidomastoid “SCM” and Upper Trapezius.
11. Half Kneeling Quad / Hip Flexor Stretch
Muscles involved: Psoas and Quadracep.
12. Forearm Extensor Stretch
Muscles involved: Forearm Extensor.
Related: 10 Swiss Ball Dryland Exercises for Swimmers
13. Lateral Shoulder Stretch
Muscles involved: Side Deltoid.
14. Standing Assisted Neck Flexion Stretch
Muscles involved: Trapezius Muscle.
15. Lat Stretch with Spinal Traction
Muscles involved: Latissimus Dorsi.
16. Lat Stretch at the Wall
Muscles involved: Latissimus Dorsi.
17. Child’s Pose
Muscles involved: Latissimus Dorsi.
18. Standing Calf Stretch
Muscles involved: Soleus and Gastrocnemius.
Related: 5 Resistance Band Dryland Exercises for Swimmers
19. Front Split
Muscles involved: Psoas and Hamstring.
20. Seated Forward Fold / Seated Toe Touch
Muscles involved: Hamstrings and Calves.
21. Single Leg Forward Bend
Muscles involved: Hamstrings.
22. Deep Squat
Muscles involved: Glutes.
23. Seated Half King Pigeon Pose
Muscles involved: Glutes.
24. Standing Calf Stretch at the Wall
Muscles involved: Soleus and Gastrocnemius.
25. Lateral Flexion at the Wall
Muscles involved: External Obliques.
26. Supine Twist
Muscles involved: Glutes and External Obliques.
27. Lateral Flexion with a Dowel
Muscles involved: External Obliques and Latissimus Dorsi.
28. Triangle Pose
Muscles involved: External Obliques.
29. Chest Stretch at the Wall
Muscles involved: Pectorals.
30. Assisted Chest Stretch
Muscles involved: Chest and Latissimus Dorsi.
31. Seated Half Pigeon Variation
Muscles involved: Anterior Tibialis.
32. Supine Shoulder External Rotation Stretch
Muscles involved: Subscapularis.
33. Down Dog Variation at the Wall
Muscles involved: Pectorals and Latissimus Dorsi.
34. Assisted Chest Stretch Variation
Muscles involved: Pectorals.
Related: 10 Steps to Swimming Smarter Freestyle
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10 Comments
Nice sounds pretty easy
Thanks for info. Great pics – I need to warm up more to lessen/prevent injuries. Maintenance is always cheaper than repair – an old real estate term.
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Excellent. Several I currently have in my daily routine but it’s so good to see the pics that go with each position . Thank you.
I love how the photos pin point the muscles you’re streching
It is indeed helpful . I am a swimmer and it helps me in keeping the proper way of my exercise.
Great pictures. .. help visualisation !
What’s the difference between 18 and 24 ? Is it just redundant?
I recommend trying both! They each focus on different muscle groups within the calf, so it’s helpful to mix both into your stretching. Thanks!
18 focuses dominantly on the Soleus muscles in both calves at the same time, but still hits the big Gastrocnemius muscle in both legs. 24 isolates the Gastrocnemius and you can control the stretch by placing as much or as little leverage on the muscle by ankle flexion. The Gastrocnemius is probably the most stubborn muscle in the body because we’ve been walking up right and using them for thousands, maybe millions, of years, not sure. But this fact makes it a pretty good conceptual idea to stretch the Gastrocnemius from as many different angles as possible. I always have my clients do an extra 4th set of 15 reps on calf presses because it takes more to break down the calf than other muscles that are more dormant throughout the day
It is indeed helpful . I am a swimmer and it helps me in keeping the proper way of my exercise.