The Stretching Routine
The following stretching routine includes exercises designed to strengthen, lengthen and loosen
all the joints of the body. The routine begins with the neck and works its way systematically
down to the toes. Having gently stretched the body from head to toe, the routine moves on to
additional exercises designed to open the groin, strengthen the legs, and provide overall
flexibility in the lower body. Photographs have been included when a written description is
insufficient.
1. Neck rolls - Stand erect with feet parallel and hip width apart. Drop the head forward and
proceed to rotate it to the right, back, to the left, and forward again. Keep the motion circular
and smooth. Repeat eight times clockwise and then reverse and perform eight repetitions
counter-clockwise.
2. Turn the head left and right - Remain standing from the preceding exercise and look
straight ahead. Turn the head to the left until you feel a slight strain on the right side of the
neck. Keep the head level. Hold for an eight-count and then return the head to look straight
ahead. Now perform the same exercise looking to the right. Repeat each side one time.
3. Tilt the head left and right - Position the head to look straight ahead. Push the right
shoulder down slightly and then tilt the head over to the left side until you feel a slight strain
in the right shoulder and neck. Hold for an eight-count and then return the head to look
straight ahead. Now perform the same exercise tilting the neck to the right. Repeat each side
one time.
4. Tilt the head front and back - Look straight ahead. Push both shoulders down slightly and
then tilt the head forward until you feel a slight strain in the back of the neck. Hold for an
eight-count and then return the head to look straight ahead. Now perform the same exercise
tilting the head backward until you feel a slight strain in the front of the neck. Repeat forward
and backward one time.
5. Shoulder shrugs - Stand erect as before and pull both shoulders up as high as you can.
Inhale and hold the breath and the shoulders in place for an eight count. Exhale and
simultaneously release all the tension in the shoulders, dropping them down with an audible
"Ha!" sound. Repeat a total of four times.
6. Rotate both shoulders forward - Stand erect with feet hip width apart. Rotate both
shoulders forward simultaneously. Make as large a circle with the shoulders as you can.
Repeat for a total of eight times.
7. Rotate both shoulders backward - Perform the same exercise as above but change direction
to roll the shoulders backward eight times.
8. Rotate alternate shoulders forward - Perform the forward shoulder rotation with one
shoulder leading the other. Both shoulders should be in motion, but out of sync by 180
degrees. Repeat for a total of eight times.
9. Rotate alternate shoulders backward - Perform the same exercise as above but change
direction to roll the shoulders backward eight times.
10. Swing the arms left and right - Stand in a left Bow Stance ("archer's stance") with the left
foot forward. Loosen the right shoulder and swing the right arm forward in a large, vertical
circle as shown in Figure 5-1. Repeat for a total of eight times. Next, reverse the direction of
the swinging arm to make circles in reverse for a total of eight backward circles. Change to a
right Bow Stance and repeat the exercise with the left arm.
Figure 5-1
11. Horizontal elbow circles forward and backward - Stand erect with feet hip width apart.
Hold both arms in front of the body at chest height as shown in Figure 5-2. Circle the arms
horizontally outward, one following the other, for a total of eight times. Imagine that your
arms are the blades of an old-fashioned reel lawn mower. Now reverse the direction of the
circles and repeat for a total of eight times.
Figure 5-2
12. Vertical elbow circles clockwise and counter-clockwise - From the preceding exercise,
change the arms to a vertical orientation and make vertical circles clockwise with one arm
following the other a half-circle behind. See Figures 5-3a and 5-3b. Imagine that your arms
are twin propellers. Repeat for a total of eight clockwise circles. Now reverse the direction of
the vertical circles and perform eight counter-clockwise circles.
Figure 5-3a
Figure 5-3b
13. Fling the arms out - Stand erect with feet hip width apart. Bend down slightly allowing the
arms to hang downward. Imagine that you are dipping your hands in a washbasin filled with
water. Now rise up quickly and, as the legs straighten, bring the arms in slightly to your body
and then fling them outward as if you are flicking water off your fingers. Repeat for a total of
four times. See Figures 5-4a and 5-4b.
Figure 5-4a
Figure 5-4b
14. Fling the arms down - Stand erect with feet hip width apart. Rise up and circle the arms out,
around, and then in toward the chest. Drop down quickly and fling the arms downward as if
you are trying to flick something sticky off your fingers. Repeat for a total of four times. See
Figures 5-5a and 5-5b.
Figure 5-5a
Figure 5-5b
15. Hands together wrist rolls - Stand erect with feet hip width apart. Clasp your hands together
lightly with the fingers interlaced. Roll the hands around the wrists eight times clockwise.
Change direction and repeat eight times counter-clockwise.
16. Figure Eight wrist rolls - Stand erect with feet hip width apart. Extend your arms out from
the shoulders and rotate your arms so that he two wrists are facing each other. Form mirrorimage figure eights with each hand, concentrating on the circular motion of the wrists.
Perform eight series of figure eights. Reverse the direction of each hand and repeat for a total
of eight figure eights.
17. Push the wrists down - Stand erect with feet hip width apart. Place the hands together at
chest height as if you are praying. Keeping the hands vertical and together (don't let them
drift forward or apart) pull the hands down until you feel a slight strain in the wrists. Try not
to lift your shoulders as you do this exercise. Hold for an eight count. Repeat four times.
18. Pull the wrists up - Turn the hands over with the fingers pointing down. Pull the hands up
until you feel a slight strain. Again, don't let the hands drift outward or separate, and be sure
to engage the shoulders. Hold for an eight count. Repeat four times.
19. Turn the wrists in - Now point the hands outward. Turn the hands over to point inward until
you feel a slight strain in the wrists. Hold for an eight count. Repeat four times.
20. Fingertip pushups - Place the tips of the fingers of each hand in contact with the fingertips
of the other hand. Keep the palms apart. Maintaining some tension in the fingers, press the
palms together, separating the fingers and pressing them outward. Hold for an eight count.
Repeat four times.
21. Shake it out - Stand erect with feet hip width apart. Allow the arms to hang down from the
shoulder sockets. Bounce gently up and down and allow the arms to shake with the
movement of the torso. Loosen the entire arm with each "shake", from the shoulders down to
the fingers. Repeat for a total of eight "shakes".
22. The bear wakes up - Stand erect with feet shoulder width apart. Hang the arms down at the
sides. Now rotate the hips and shoulders first to one side and then the other. Allow the arms
to swing up and wrap around the torso to lightly tap front and back. Imagine that you are a
bear emerging from a nap and want to "work out the kinks" by slapping yourself awake.
Don't force the arms; instead allow them to remain loose and use the centrifugal force of the
rotation of the torso to propel the arms. See Figures 5-6a and 5-6b.
Figure 5-6a
Figure 5-6b
23. Forward bends - Stand erect with feet hip width apart. Inhale and raise the hands high
overhead. Now exhale and bend forward, leading with the head, until the hands are hanging
straight down. Relax the neck and the lower back. Hang for an eight count, breathing
naturally. Then, inhale and roll up, leading with the lower back and stacking the vertebra one
on top of the other until you are again standing erect. Float the arms over the head and repeat
once more. See Figure 5-7.
Figure 5-7
24. Sideways forward bends - Stand with your feet hip width apart and float the arms over the
head. Twist to the right and bend forward as before. Hang downward with the hands on the
right side of the feet and relax. See Figure 5-8. Breathe naturally and hold for an eight count.
Now - very important - while still bending over, rotate forward until you are hanging with
the hands in front of the feet. Then, slowly roll up one vertebra at a time as in the preceding
exercise.
Figure 5-8
25. Back bends - Stand with your feet hip width apart and place the palms on the lower back,
fingers facing downward. Use the palms to push the pelvis forward. Then lean back slightly.
See Figure 5-9. Don't lean backward too far until you are sure of your own limitations. Hold
for an eight count and breathe naturally. Using the palms to support your lower back, slowly
return to an upright position. Repeat one time.
Figure 5-9
26. Side bends left and right - Stand with your feet hip width apart. Place the left hand on the
left hip with the fingers forward and the thumb behind. Raise the right hand over the head
with the palm facing up. Try to keep a bend in the right arm. See Figure 5-10. Now press the
pelvis sideways toward the right as you incline the torso over to the left. The trick here is to
push the pelvis sideways before inclining the torso. Hold for an eight count. Return to
vertical, reverse the hands, and perform the exercise pushing the pelvis to the left as you
incline the torso to the right. Repeat the exercise one additional time on each side.
Figure 5-10
27. Hip circles - Stand with your feet hip width apart and place the palms of both hands over the
hips as in the preceding exercise. Bend the knees slightly and then rotate the hips in a
clockwise direction. Try to keep the torso and especially the head erect as you rotate the hips.
Complete eight clockwise circles and then reverse and complete eight counter-clockwise
circles.
28. Knee circles - Stand with your feet together and place the palms of both hands over the
knees with the fingers pointing down. Bend the knees between fifteen and forty-five degrees,
depending upon your level of flexibility. Using the palms to support the knee joints, press the
knees together and then rotate the two knees as a single unit in a clockwise direction for eight
rotations. Rise up and then bend down again and rotate the knees together in the counterclockwise direction for eight rotations.
29. Push the knees back - From the preceding exercise, keep the palms on the knees and rise up.
Press the knees backward, extending the legs fully. Hold for an eight count.
30. Bend the knees and squat down - From the preceding exercise, squat down as low as you
are able without placing undue strain on the knees. Again, use the two hands to both support
the knees and press them together. If you can squat all the way down to rest your buttocks on
your ankles that is ideal. If not, use the strength in your thighs to support yourself in the
squatting position. See Figures 5-11a and 5-11b for both options. Hold for an eight count and
then rise up.
Figure 5-11a
Figure 5-11b
31. Ankle circles - Stand with the feet approximately hip width apart but with the right leg
extended forward and outward as shown in Figure 5-12. Place the toes of the right foot on the
ground. Rotate the foot around the ankle joint for a total of eight rotations. Repeat for the left
foot and ankle.
Figure 5-12
32. Achilles’ tendon stretches - Stand in the same posture as the previous exercise. This time
place the heel of the right foot on the ground. Lean forward and grasp the toes of the right
foot with both hands and pull upward. See Figure 5-13. If you are unable to reach the toes
with either hand, grasp your ankle or even your calf and pull up. Hold for an eight count and
then release. Change legs and repeat on the left side.
Figure 5-13
33. Bent toe stretches - Stand with the feet hip width apart. Extend the right foot backward
approximately two feet. Place the toes on the ground and then lift the heel off the ground.
Bend the both knees approximately forty-five degrees and sink down. This will cause your
right toes to flex. Bounce and flex the toes of the right foot eight times. Then change legs and
repeat for the toes of the left foot.
34. Hamstring stretches against the wall - Stand close to a wall and place your hands on the
wall at approximately shoulder height. Place your right foot and knee against the wall.
Extend the left leg backward as shown in Figure 5-14. Press the right knee against the wall
and push the left heel backward to create a lengthening of the left leg. Hold for an eight
count. Reverse the stance and repeat with the right leg extended backward.
Figure 5-14
35. Achilles’ tendon stretches using a ledge - Stand on a door ledge or similar elevation (not
too high!) as shown in Figure 5-15. Hold onto the door frame or a banister if possible.
Placing all the weight on the right foot, press the heel of the right foot downward to create a
stretch in the sole of the right foot. Hold for an eight count. Reverse feet and repeat.
Figure 5-15
36. Triangle forward bends - Stand with the feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Bend
forward and place both palms on the floor at approximately shoulder width. Lean forward
and downward, supporting your weight with your hands as shown in Figure 5-16. Try to
separate your feet a few more inches by duck walking them further apart. Hold for an eight
count. Now walk the feet closer together until they are approximately shoulder width apart.
Then come up by rolling up one vertebra at a time.
Figure 5-16
37. Hip flexor stretches outward and inward - Stand with feet hip width apart. Place the entire
weight of the body on the left foot and lift the right knee up until the thigh is parallel with the
ground. Allow the shin and foot to hang down naturally as in Figure 5-17a. Now, keeping the
thigh parallel to the ground, rotate the entire leg outward ninety degrees until it is in the
position shown in Figure 5-17b. Drop the foot to the ground and bring the foot back to hip
width distance facing forward. Repeat for a total of eight times. Then change legs and repeat,
standing on the right leg and lifting and rotating the left leg eight times.
Figure 5-17a
Figure 5-17b
38. Extended leg toe circles outward and inward - Stand with the feet hip width apart. Place
the entire weight of the body on the left foot and bend the left knee slightly. Extend the right
leg forward with the toes pointing out. Hold the arms out to the sides for balance as shown in
Figure 5-18. Make small vertical circles, approximately twelve inches in diameter, in the air
with the toes of the right foot. Make eight clockwise circles and then reverse to make eight
counter-clockwise circles.
Figure 5-18
39. Heel kicks - Stand with the feet hip width apart. Place the entire weight of the body on the
left foot and bend the left knee slightly. Raise the right leg until the right thigh is parallel
with the ground. Allow the shin and foot to hang down naturally. Cross the arms in front of
the body with the right arm in front. Now lift the right foot up with the entire sole of the foot
facing outward as in Figure 5-19a. Then extend the foot slowly outward, leading with the
heel, to execute a slow-motion heel kick. At the same time, open the arms in two crescentshaped curves to finish in the position shown in Figure 5-16b. Hold for just a second in the
position. Then withdraw the extended leg and the arms back to the position shown in Figure
5-19a. Repeat for a total of eight times and then change legs and perform eight slow-motion
heel kicks with the left leg.
Figure 5-19a
Figure 5-19b
40. Crescent kicks - Stand with your feet hip width apart. Angle the left foot outward
approximately thirty degrees. Place the entire weight of the body on the left leg and bend the
left knee slightly. Lift the right leg up with the toes pointed outward and sweep it first to the
left of the body and then across the body to the right side in a sweeping crescent-shaped
curve. The apex of the curve should reach at least shoulder height. As the leg is sweeping up,
over and across the body, extend the arms outward palms down and try to slap the bottoms of
both sets of fingers with the top of the toe. See Figures 5-20a and 5-20b. Repeat for a total of
eight times and then change to the other leg for an additional eight repetitions.
Figure 5-20a
Figure 5-20b
41. Cross-legged squat downs - Begin with the feet hip width apart. Step out with the left foot
and place it on the ground turned outward approximately thirty degrees. Bend the left knee
approximately thirty degrees. Now bend the right knee and squat down until the right knee is
nestled behind the bent left knee. Continue to squat down until you can sit down with the
right buttock resting upon the elevated heel of the right foot. Rest your hands comfortably on
top of your right knee. See Figure 5-21a. If you can't sit down completely, don't worry about
it. Just support the weight of your body using the muscles of your right thigh and left calf.
Every time you perform this exercise, try to sink a little lower. Eventually you will be able to
sit on your right heel with the right buttock.
As an additional challenge, before sitting down, extend the arms outward and cross the left
arm over the right. Grasp both hands together with fingers interlaced. Then, as you sit down,
fold the arms back toward the body so that the clasped hands are pointing up with the right
hand forward as in Figure 5-21b. Repeat twice on each leg. Important note here - If you
feel any strain or sharp pain in either knee, rise up and try again holding on to a chair or other
stable object and lower yourself again slowly. If the pain persists, skip this exercise.
Figure 5-21a
Figure 5-21b
42. Squatting hurdler’s stretches - Stand with your feet shoulder width apart and pointing
outward as in a duck stance. Bend the left knee and squat down onto the left foot while
extending the right leg. Squat as low as you are comfortable. Try to keep the upper body
erect. See Figure 5-22. Repeat twice on each leg. Important note here - If you feel any
strain or sharp pain in either knee, rise up and try again holding on to a chair or other stable
object and lower yourself again slowly. If the pain persists, skip this exercise.
Figure 5-22
43. Standing hurdler's stretches - Find a parallel bar, the back of a high couch, or a countertop. Stand on the left leg with the left toes parallel to the bar and approximately three feet
apart. Lift the right leg up and place the heel of the right foot on the bar. Lean forward and
wrap the fingers of both hands around the erect toes of the right foot. See Figure 5-23. Hold
the stretch for an eight count. Release the hands and then release the heel of the right foot
from the bar. Lower the right leg. Repeat twice on each leg.
Figure 5-23
This completes the stretching routine, which should have lengthened, loosened and, for some
muscle groups, strengthened all the major muscles, ligaments and tendons of the body. In
addition to this stretching routine, it is highly recommended to include the loosening and silkreeling exercises presented in the following chapter prior to beginning your standing and solo
form practice.