Leg stretches: exercise chart and how to do them

In this article

1. Leg stretches: step-by-step exercises
2. Leg stretching chart
3. Common mistakes when stretching muscles

Leg stretches are a simple way to work on muscle flexibility and joint mobility. We show you how to do the main leg stretches properly and bring them together in a chart so you always have them on hand.

Leg stretches: step-by-step exercises

Leg stretches are very useful for improving flexibility and range of motion, two things that matter both for sports and for moving comfortably day to day.

With any kind of stretch, it is important to watch your technique and avoid pushing the body too far. Here are the different ways to stretch the main leg muscles:

Quadriceps stretch

Stand upright, bend one knee and bring your heel toward your glute. Hold your ankle with the hand on the same side and gently draw your foot toward your body, keeping your knees in line and your torso straight. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, do 2 to 4 repetitions and switch legs. You should feel the stretch at the front of the thigh.

Hamstring stretch

Lie on your back and raise one leg. Hold it with both hands behind the thigh and gently draw it toward you. The knee can stay slightly bent if you need it to. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, do 2 to 4 repetitions and switch legs. You should feel the stretch at the back of the thigh.

Calf stretch

Stand facing a wall with your hands resting on it. Step one leg back, keep the knee straight and the heel down on the floor. Bend the front leg slightly and lean your body toward the wall until you feel the stretch in the calf of the back leg. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, do 2 to 4 repetitions and switch legs. Throughout the stretch, try not to lift the heel off the floor.

Adductor stretch

Sit on the floor, bring the soles of your feet together and let your knees fall out to the sides. Draw your feet toward you as far as is comfortable and keep your back straight. From that position, lean your body slightly forward until you feel the stretch along the inner thighs. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, without pushing your knees down with your hands or forcing the movement. Do 2 to 4 repetitions.

Glute stretch

Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Place the ankle of one leg over the thigh of the other, just above the knee. Now lift the foot of the lower leg off the floor, hold that thigh with both hands and gently draw it toward your chest. You will feel the stretch in the glute of the crossed leg. Hold the position for 20 to 30 seconds, do 2 to 4 repetitions and switch sides.

Leg stretching chart

You can also download the leg stretching chart as a PDF and save it to check whenever you like! Download the chart as a PDF

Common mistakes when stretching muscles

Even though the exercises are simple, doing them incorrectly can make them less effective or cause discomfort. These are some of the most common mistakes:

• Pushing until it hurts: a stretch should create tension, but not pain. If it hurts, ease off the intensity.
• Jerking or bouncing: the movements should be smooth and controlled. Avoid trying to increase your range of motion with small jerks or bounces.
• Neglecting your posture: trying to reach farther by arching your back, rotating your hip or moving other parts of the body means you are no longer stretching the target muscle correctly.
• Holding the stretch too briefly: coming out of the position after a few seconds is too short to work on flexibility. As a guide, hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds.

It is not about stretching as far as possible, but about maintaining the correct position and building flexibility gradually.