Stretch of the Week: Assisted Toe Touch Stretch

Welcome to February, our partner stretch month! With Valentine’s Day around the corner, we are going to grab our favorite person and help each other stretch!

For the first week of February, we will be performing an Assisted Toe Touch Stretch. Please consult your doctor before performing this stretch if you have any low back or hamstring injuries. Skip this week’s stretch if you have difficulty getting up or down from the floor.

How to perform:

1. Both people have a seat on the floor, backs touching. Partner one will straighten their legs, while partner two will bend their knees and plant their feet on the floor. Then, partner one should begin to reach their hands toward their toes. Partner two will begin to gently lean into partner one’s back with their own back.

2. Partner two should gently press their feet into the floor for a little bit more pressure into partner one’s back. Partner two will also begin to open their arms very wide with their palms facing up. Their gaze will be at the ceiling. Partner one should continue to reach toward their toes with the assistance of the person leaning into their back. Their legs will remain straight and they will pull their belly in toward their spine to protect their back. All of this is shown in the “Yes” photo.

Tips: Partner two should keep their knees together, feet firmly planted on the floor and allow their chest to open wide. Palms are rotated up not down as shown in the “No” photo. Partner one should keep their legs straight not bent as in the “No” photo. Also refrain from rounding in the upper back, instead lead into the fold with your chest. Partner one should reach their hands first to their shins and then toward their toes, reaching the toes if possible.

3. As always, communicate with your partner on the intensity of the stretch. You want to feel sensation, but not pain. Remain in this position for one minute and then partner one will begin to straighten up which will assist partner two in coming back up right. Then alternate, so each person gets the benefits of each stretch.

Interested in learning more? Email me at rachel.lackowski@athletico.com

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