April 14, 2009

(Chris Philpot)

For many of us who sit on our butts all day long (at the desk or in a car), the “Forward Lunge Elbow-to-Instep Stretch,” a.k.a. “The World's Greatest Stretch,” is incredibly useful to help counteract the stress placed on your body in a seated position. Sitting destroys your posture. Your shoulders slouch. Your hips sink forward. And your flexibility and mobility decrease, as a result.

Do you have a question of your own?

The World's Greatest Stretch calls on all the muscles from your hips to your shoulders to provide stability. It challenges your balance, loosens your hips, and engages muscles on the backside of your body, like your glutes, which can actually “turn off,” or stop contracting effectively, from sitting for too long too often. It also stretches your calves, hamstrings, back and shoulders.

Seeing how much it accomplishes, it's no wonder the World's Greatest Stretch is so complicated. Watch this video to learn how to perform it right.

-- Nick Anthony, performance specialist, Athletes' Performance

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