Make sure and do a warm-up first! We have to get the blood flowing to these lower body muscles and get them warm so you don't pull anything. Some examples of a warm-up are:
*Controlled high-knees ~ 30 seconds
-Like you are in a high knee march. This warms up the hip flexors, core, knees.
*Controlled heels to butt, also known as butt kickers ~ 30 seconds
-Try to hit your heels to your butt area with out stressing your knee. Warms up your hamstrings, and quads.
*Jumping Jacks or Modified Jacks (dont jump off floor and one leg "jacks" at a time)
- Full body warm-up
*Repeat above for a total of two times. Then do a little bit of dynamic stretching:
-Roll upper body down to touch toes and roll back up into a back bend. Repeat a few times.
-Stand tall with feet a bit wider than shoulder width. Slowly lunge to one side and then the other. This is a fluid, controlled movement. Repeat 3 or 4 times and feel the stretch down the inside of your legs. Hold to one side and stretch, and move to the other side. and hold.
-Stop in the middle roll up slowly again to standing position.