| Foot
Pulled back
The picture below
demonstrates the proper way to pull back the foot. Note there
is little or no space between the achilles tendon and the floor,and
the toes are pulled back as well. This position is known as dorsiflexing
the foot.
Concentrate on
pulling back the big toe, and relaxing the rest of the toes. They
will relax back in the same direction as the big toe.
Leg Straight
A straight leg
is defined as having the knee straight. At first, this may be
hard to do, and you may have to tense the muscles of the thigh
(quadriceps) to achieve this. As your hamstring muscles stretch
and relax, you will be able to hold your leg straight with no
unnecessary tension.
The picture below show the correct leg straight position (from
above and side)
The
pictures below show the incorrect positions
 
Hips
Level
In many standing
positions, it is required that the hips be level, as in the picture
on the left. This is so both sides of your body get stretched
equally. If there is an imbalance in stretch between sides of
your body, what feels "normal" will probably be a position
with uneven hips (picture below)
Use a mirror or
have a friend look at your hips, to insure they are level.
Breathing
Breath in and out
of your nose. Alternatively, you can breath in your nose and out
your mouth. Try to bring the breath into your belly, not your
chest. Keep your breathing steady and slow. Here is an exercise
for learning how to breath into your belly correctly: sit comfortably,
in a position that causes no strain for you. Place one open palm
on your chest, another on your abdomen. As you breath in your
nose, do not let the chest move at all. Let the belly move out,
then when you exhale, let the belly move in. Do not strain. Try
to fill the lower lobes of your lungs as you breath into your
belly. The lower lobes have more capacity for holding air.
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Disclaimer
It
is possible to injure onself in any physical activity.
Consult your physician if in doubt about your physical
condition before embarking on a stretching program. The
author of howtostretch.com accepts no liability for any
injuries sustained while practicing any of the stretches
described within.
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