{"id":97,"date":"2022-02-25T13:57:04","date_gmt":"2022-02-25T13:57:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=97"},"modified":"2022-03-02T05:40:22","modified_gmt":"2022-03-02T05:40:22","slug":"how-to-touch-your-toes-the-4-best-stretches-to-improve-flexibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/exercise-tips\/how-to-touch-your-toes-the-4-best-stretches-to-improve-flexibility\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Touch Your Toes (The 4 Best Stretches to Improve Flexibility)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3709944 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/woman-toe-touch.jpg\" alt=\"This won&#039;t be painful, I promise!\" width=\"811\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/woman-toe-touch.jpg 957w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/woman-toe-touch-300x144-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/woman-toe-touch-768x369-1.jpg 768w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/woman-toe-touch-713x343-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/woman-toe-touch-600x288-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 811px) 100vw, 811px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>It\u2019s time to learn how to touch your toes!<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What makes me so confident you\u2019ll be able to reach your little piggy wiggies?<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Because we teach even the most \u201cinflexible\u201d of folks how to touch their toes in our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1-on-1 Online Coaching Program<\/a>, and we\u2019ll share with you all our secrets below.<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/coaching-overview-page\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button yellow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tWant to become more flexible? A Nerd Fitness Coach can create a plan to make it happen!\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll cover in our guide, <\/b><b><i>How to Touch Your Toes<\/i><\/b><b>:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#benefits\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The benefits of being able to touch your toes.<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#why\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why can\u2019t I touch my toes?<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#determining\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Determining your initial flexibility (We all start somewhere)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#best\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The 4 best stretches to touch your toes (Improve your flexibility)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#how\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to become more flexible (Next steps)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s time to become bendy like Gumby!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3709945 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/gumby-guitar.gif\" alt=\"Don&#039;t worry, we&#039;re just getting started with appearances from Gumby.\" width=\"407\" height=\"311\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em>Awesome.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Let&#8217;s do this.<br \/>\n<span id=\"more-26626\"><\/span><\/p>\n<h2><a name=\"benefits\"><\/a><strong>The Benefits of Being Able to Touch Your Toes<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3709947 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/gumby-stormtrooper-1.jpg\" alt=\"I told you Gumby would be back.\" width=\"804\" height=\"425\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/gumby-stormtrooper-1.jpg 709w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/gumby-stormtrooper-1-300x159-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/gumby-stormtrooper-1-600x317-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 804px) 100vw, 804px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>If you want to increase your flexibility, you\u2019re gonna need to stretch.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-1\" id=\"refmark-1\"><sup>[1]<\/sup><\/a> It\u2019s how you make your muscles elastic and strong.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Why bother though? What\u2019s the big deal about being able to touch your toes?<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>The benefits of stretching include:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Increase range of motion. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you can move a joint through its full range of motion, you\u2019re gonna have more freedom of movement. Confidently navigating the physical world is a sign of a healthy nerd, which is why flexibility shouldn\u2019t be <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">overlooked<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. One of the best ways to become more flexible is to stretch.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-2\" id=\"refmark-2\"><sup>[2]<\/sup><\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Improve posture.<\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to stop slouching so much, regularly stretching may help.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-3\" id=\"refmark-3\"><sup>[3]<\/sup><\/a> Stretching works to improve muscle imbalances, which in turn might help your posture.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Alleviate back pain.<\/strong> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you suffer from <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">back pain<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, it might be worth starting a stretching routine .<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-4\" id=\"refmark-4\"><sup>[4]<\/sup><\/a> The muscles in your back might be tight, restricting your range of motion, which causes pain. Stretching can help loosen up the area, plus strengthen the muscle. This might help prevent future injury.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Stretching, and the <\/b><b>flexibility<\/b><b> that comes with it, should not be overlooked when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-build-your-own-workout-routine\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">building a workout routine<\/a>.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While there are many indicators of good flexibility, one of the most popular is <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">undoubtedly<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> being able to touch your toes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3709948 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/banana-toe-touch.gif\" alt=\"Don&#039;t worry buddy, we&#039;ll teach you exactly how to reach your feet!\" width=\"404\" height=\"292\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After all, it was so important the President had all American schoolchildren perform the \u201cSit and Reach\u201d test to see if they could grab their feet.<a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-5\" id=\"refmark-5\"><sup>[5]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Touching your toes might have been a struggle for you then. It might still be a struggle for you now.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s going on?<\/span><br \/>\n<a name=\"why\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Why Can&#8217;t I Touch My Toes?<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3709949 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/otter.jpg\" alt=\"Do otters have toes? Claws?\" width=\"818\" height=\"469\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/otter.jpg 2039w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/otter-300x172-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/otter-768x441-1.jpg 768w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/otter-713x409-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/otter-600x344-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 818px) 100vw, 818px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>If you are unable to touch your toes, it&#8217;s most likely\u00a0because of one of these four major reasons:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>#1) Shortened\/tight posterior chain muscles. <\/strong>Although most people think not being able to touch our toes just means your hamstring muscles are inflexible, in reality our whole system (including the lower back) can play a huge role as well! As Mark Rippetoe explains in this video about the Romanian deadlift, what you may think is a lower back issue is also a hamstring issue (and vice versa):<\/p>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The RDL with Mark Rippetoe\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XowKMitOVNc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<p>You see, the posterior chain is an interconnected series of muscles that includes our back muscles, erector spinae (muscles along our spine), lower back muscles, butts, and hamstrings.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The posterior chain is shown here:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3710047 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/posterior-chain.png\" alt=\"As you can see, much of our body is dependent on the posterior chain muscles.\" width=\"479\" height=\"431\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/posterior-chain.png 624w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/posterior-chain-300x270-1.png 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/posterior-chain-600x540-1.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 479px) 100vw, 479px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Weak mobility points in one place in the system can become debilitating (and often easy to spot) when we do compound <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/strength-training-101-the-deadlift\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">movements like the deadlift<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>If you&#8217;re somebody who\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-survive-sitting-all-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">sits at a desk all day<\/a> and struggles to touch your toes, you probably aren&#8217;t\u00a0strengthening or lengthening these\u00a0muscles\u00a0because the chair is doing all of the work for you.<\/p>\n<p><strong>#2) You have relatively long legs compared to your torso and arms. <\/strong>People with long legs and short torsos will have a greater challenge than people who have short legs and long torsos and arms.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-3710048 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/sunny.gif\" alt=\"Yeah, having long legs might make reaching your toes more difficult.\" width=\"480\" height=\"240\" \/><\/p>\n<p>But fear not, you too can level up and get those toes touched.<\/p>\n<p><strong>#3) You have too much body fat.<\/strong>\u00a0If you are overweight and happen to have a big stomach, it can certainly make touching one&#8217;s toes more challenging. Because you already know that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2011\/11\/10\/healthy-eating\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">diet is 90%<\/a> of the battle when it comes to weight loss, focus on nutrition to begin losing weight <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here are the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-lose-weight-without-dieting-5-rules-of-weight-loss\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">5 rules of weight loss<\/a> to help you begin)<\/span><\/i>. This may be a factor in making it easier to touch your toes.<\/p>\n<p><strong>#4) You&#8217;re not warmed up yet.<\/strong>\u00a0If you JUST woke up or spent all day in a car, you&#8217;re familiar with the\u00a0rigidity that makes you\u00a0feel like a steel girder. Your muscles act like rubber bands; the more they are used, the more they are warmed-up, and the further they can stretch. This is why we encourage people to go through a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2012\/01\/09\/warm-up\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">mobility warm-up<\/a> before exercise!<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3674919 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/arm-circles.gif\" alt=\"Arm circles like so are a great way to get your heart rate up before doing HIIT.\" width=\"473\" height=\"266\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Let&#8217;s put a plan in place to finally touch our toes!<\/em><br \/>\n<a name=\"determining\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>Determining Your Initial Flexibility (We All Start Somewhere)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-3710049 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/steve-stretching.jpg\" alt=\"While we are going to go over many stretches, feel free to make your own!\" width=\"637\" height=\"323\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/steve-stretching.jpg 637w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/steve-stretching-300x152-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/steve-stretching-600x304-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 637px) 100vw, 637px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Before we can implement a strategy to develop more\u00a0flexibility\u00a0that allows you to touch your toes, we need to\u00a0know your starting point. <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>As\u00a0Peter Drucker said, &#8220;That which gets measured gets managed.&#8221;\u00a0<\/strong><em>Or in this case, that which gets measured gets more flexible!\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p>The following comes from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/join-the-yoga-flexibility-challenge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">our free 5-Day Flexibility Series<\/a>, which you can sign up for today!<\/p>\n<p>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"How to Touch Your Toes (Initial Flexibility Testing)\" width=\"950\" height=\"534\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/pQervjat1W0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/p>\n<h3><b>THE \u201cCAN YOU TOUCH YOUR TOES?\u201d TEST:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Stand straight with your legs about hip-width apart. You want your legs to be straight, but don\u2019t aggressively lock out your knees either (this feels like a \u201cmicrobend\u201d to a lot of people).<\/li>\n<li>Begin by bending and leaning forward towards the ground with your quads (front of your legs).<\/li>\n<li><em>Let your body rest naturally, as if you were a ragdoll.<\/em> Keeping your hands relatively close together, straighten your fingers and begin to stretch down slowly to the ground.<\/li>\n<li>Do this 2-3 times to get warmed up. Try to keep your legs straight by flexing or activating your quads; keep your legs straight, without <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">locking your knees<\/span>.<\/li>\n<li>Other than the microbend, don\u2019t bend your knees to help you get closer to the ground! <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">I&#8217;m watching you<\/span>. If you\u2019re videotaping yourself on these to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-track-progress\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">track your progress<\/a>, note that depending on your body (and your hamstrings) your legs may not look 100% straight.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>When you are ready, reach towards the ground and hold it for a few seconds. Measure the distance in one of the following ways:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>If you aren\u2019t touching the ground, have a friend measure the distance from the tip of your fingers to the ground. If you don\u2019t have a friend with you, place your hands on your legs and note where the tips of your fingers end up.<\/li>\n<li>If you can touch the ground, you\u2019ll want to flatten your hands as much as possible, and record the distance from the top of your head to the ground. As you can stretch further, the top of your head will actually get closer and closer to the ground.<\/li>\n<li>If this seems easy, try hugging your calves and pulling your head in towards your body.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Record your\u00a0measurement in a document or on a piece of paper (if you&#8217;re <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/join-the-yoga-flexibility-challenge\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">part of the flexibility challenge<\/a>, we have a document you can print out), and\/or save the photo\/video to show how far down you are reaching.<br \/>\n<a name=\"best\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>The 4 Best Stretches to Touch Your Toes (<\/b>Improve Your flexibility)<\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-27198 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/GUMBY.jpg\" alt=\"Of course we were going to include this photo.\" width=\"724\" height=\"543\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/GUMBY.jpg 1024w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/GUMBY-300x225-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/GUMBY-713x535-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/GUMBY-160x120-1.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 724px) 100vw, 724px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>There are two key factors that will determine whether or not you are\u00a0successful\u00a0in gaining the ability\u00a0to touch your toes as you practice over the next few\u00a0weeks:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>Actively stretching your muscles JUST past the point of comfort.<\/strong> Like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/strength-training-101\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">strength training<\/a> by adding 1 rep or a few pounds to an exercise, we want to stretch just beyond the point where we stretched last time so our muscles have to elongate.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Consistent practice and effort!<\/strong> You can&#8217;t improve your flexibility by stretching for 5 minutes once a month. You&#8217;d be better off stretching for 30 seconds spread out 10 times throughout the month.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>That&#8217;s right.<\/strong>\u00a0Studies confirmed that actively focusing on touching your toes for 30 seconds, 3 times per week was enough to lengthen hamstring muscles in 4 weeks. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a class=\"fn-ref-mark\" href=\"#footnote-6\" id=\"refmark-6\"><sup>[6]<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<p><em>I<\/em><em>&#8216;m sure there&#8217;s an inappropriate joke to be made here about 30 seconds of effort, but I&#8217;m better than that (I think).<\/em><\/p>\n<p>In less time than it takes to update your\u00a0Facebook status, you could be touching your toes and make Gumby proud.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3710051 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/gumby-hi.gif\" alt=\"Is there anything Gumby can&#039;t do?\" width=\"387\" height=\"287\" \/><\/p>\n<p>And I know <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/2012\/07\/26\/priorities\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">you have time<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><b>HOW TO TOUCH YOUR TOES (CONSISTENT FLEXIBILITY PRACTICE): <\/b><\/p>\n<p>All I&#8217;m asking for is 2 minutes. 2 minutes! You can even spread these movements out throughout your day &#8211; I like to do them after I work out. After a long day at a desk, after driving, or upon waking up are all good times to work on flexibility!<\/p>\n<p><em>Through each of the movements below, make sure you are breathing slowly and steadily.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>You can follow along with all of the movements below that come from our really fun online course, Nerd Fitness Yoga (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/prime-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">part of NF Prime<\/a>). It&#8217;s essentially yoga for people that don&#8217;t do yoga.<\/p>\n<h3><b>THE 4 BEST STRETCHES TO TOUCH YOUR TOES:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li>Standing toe touch stretch &#8211; 30 seconds<\/li>\n<li>Cat\/Camel &#8211; 30 seconds (switch positions every 5 seconds)<\/li>\n<li>Star stretch &#8211; 30 seconds (as many slow reps as you can)<\/li>\n<li>Moon the sky &#8211; 30 seconds (as many slow reps as you can)<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><strong>1) Standing toe touch stretch:<\/strong>\u00a0Flex\/activate the front of your legs, keep them straight, and bend over at the waist juuuust past the point of discomfort; hold that position for 30 seconds. Repeat this process every other day and hold it for 30 seconds.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3710052 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/forward-fold.gif\" alt=\"Don&#039;t push it, but let yourself ragdoll down.\" width=\"557\" height=\"280\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>2) We can loosen up a tight lower back by doing 30 seconds of moving back and forth every few seconds by doing a &#8220;cat&#8221; and then a &#8220;cow&#8221;:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3710053 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/cat-cow.gif\" alt=\"These yoga poses are a great way to help exercise your back.\" width=\"556\" height=\"284\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>3) You can also do what we call a star stretch to help stretch those legs out!\u00a0<\/strong>Stand with your legs spread wide, and arms extended (hence the term Star!), and then reach down with one hand to your opposite leg; hold for five seconds, back to start, and repeat with the other leg.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3710054 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/star-toe-touch.gif\" alt=\"The Star Stretch is a great practice to touch your toes.\" width=\"551\" height=\"281\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>4) Here&#8217;s another favorite movement of mine that helps improve my flexibility and mobility: the &#8220;Moon the Sky&#8221; stretch!<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3710055 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/moon-the-sky.gif\" alt=\"This stretch is a great way to increase flexibility so you can touch your toes!\" width=\"549\" height=\"309\" \/><\/p>\n<p>This is a great stretch to mix into your pre-workout warmup to get your legs, butt, and back prepared for work:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Squat down\u00a0and\u00a0put your hands under your feet<\/li>\n<li>Slowly move your butt up with your hands remaining under your feet.<\/li>\n<li>Raise your butt and try to straighten your legs<\/li>\n<li>Go a TEENY bit higher each time until you can fully\u00a0straighten your legs!<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For any of the above moves, a good way to check your form would be to record a video of yourself and match it against the videos and gifs here. If they look close, you\u2019re doing great!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to have an expert review your stretches, our coaches can do just that in our snazzy app!<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button yellow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tHave a Nerd Fitness Coach help you touch your toes! Learn more here.\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a name=\"how\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><b>How to Become More Flexible (Next Steps)<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-3710060 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/yoga-silhouette-sunset.jpg\" alt=\"This would be an advanced way to touch your toes.\" width=\"804\" height=\"536\" srcset=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/yoga-silhouette-sunset.jpg 1920w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/yoga-silhouette-sunset-300x200-1.jpg 300w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/yoga-silhouette-sunset-768x512-1.jpg 768w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/yoga-silhouette-sunset-713x475-1.jpg 713w, http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/yoga-silhouette-sunset-600x400-1.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 804px) 100vw, 804px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b>It\u2019s now time to train to touch your toes!<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Test your toe-touching abilities before and after doing the 2-minutes of exercise above, and I bet you\u2019ll notice a difference right away \u2013 just wait to see what you can accomplish in a few weeks!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The cool thing about flexibility is that any combination of the stretches above will help you improve your flexibility as long as you consistently work on it a tiny bit every day.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I do mobility work:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When I wake up<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After I work out<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Throughout my day (when <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-survive-sitting-all-day\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">working at my desk<\/a>)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At the end of my day for a minute or two before bed<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All added up, it\u2019s less than 5 minutes of time, but it&#8217;s enough to show me some results!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-3710061 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/touch-toes.gif\" alt=\"I feel like this is cheating.\" width=\"327\" height=\"234\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you follow our guide above, you\u2019ll be well on your way to increasing your flexibility and touching your toesie wosies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You just need to start!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Want some help getting going? A little extra push out the door?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We built three perfect next steps for increasing your flexibility!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>#1) Work with a professional Yoda! <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want confidence that you\u2019re following a program that is tailor-made for your busy life, situation, and goals, check out our popular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/coaching-overview-page\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1-on-1 Coaching Program<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many of our clients have \u201cincreased flexibility\u201d as one of their fitness goals, and they take comfort knowing a <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">certified NF instructor is<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> guiding them there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\t<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"\/coaching-overview-page\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t<button class=\"cta-button yellow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tOur coaching program changes lives! Learn more here.\t\t<\/button><br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><b>#2) Exercising at home and need a plan to follow? Check out Nerd Fitness Journey!<\/b><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Our fun habit-building app helps you exercise more frequently, eat healthier, and level up your life (literally).<\/p>\n<p>Try your free trial right here:<\/p>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup-leadin\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup\" style=\"background: none; border: none;\">\n\t\t\t\t<a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/click.nerdfitness.com\/8BxQ\/a0e2674e\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"desktop-show mobile-hide\" style=\"margin-left:auto; margin-right: auto;\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/NF_Journey_BodyweightWorkout_Desktop_V1A.jpg\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<img class=\"desktop-hide mobile-show\" src=\"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/NF_Journey_BodyweightWorkout_Mobile_v1A.jpg\" \/><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<p><b>#3) Join our amazing free community, the Nerd Fitness Rebellion! <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not only is it free to join, but we\u2019ll provide you with loads of free goodies when you sign-up:<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup-leadin\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-in-post-signup one-column split yellow-cta shortcode-form-12 \">\n<div class=\"nf-signup-intro\">\n<div><span style=\"font-weight:700\">Get your Nerd Fitness Starter Kit<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-signup-benefit\">\n<ul>\n<li>The 15 mistakes you don\u2019t want to make.<\/li>\n<li>Full guide to the most effective diet and why it works.<\/li>\n<li>Complete and track your first workout today, no gym required.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"nf-signup-form\"><img class=\"asset-image\" src=\"&gt;\" \/><\/p>\n<form accept-charset=\"UTF-8\" action=\"https:\/\/tv329.infusionsoft.com\/app\/form\/process\/12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" class=\"infusion-form\" method=\"POST\" id=\"inf_form_12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\"><input name=\"inf_form_xid\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" \/><input name=\"inf_form_name\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"Plugin Signup\" \/><input name=\"infusionsoft_version\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"1.68.0.144\" \/><input class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_field_Email\" name=\"inf_field_Email\" type=\"email\" required placeholder=\"Your Email\" \/><input name=\"null\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"null\" \/><input style=\"display:none;\" class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_custom_SiteSignupURL\" name=\"inf_custom_SiteSignupURL\" type=\"text\" value=\"http:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/feed\/\" \/><input style=\"display:none;\" class=\"infusion-field-input-container\" id=\"inf_custom_SignupPostID\" name=\"inf_custom_SignupPostID\" type=\"text\" value=\"26626\" \/>\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOriginURL\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOriginLandingPage\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_IPAddress\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"250.156.152.110\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastMedium\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastCampaign\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastSource\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastTerm\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CookieLastContent\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_CoachingOptinFormFilledDate\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"2022-03-02 01:59:32\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_infcustomcoachvariation\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_FacebookBrowserId\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><br \/>\n\t<input name=\"inf_custom_FacebookClickId\" type=\"hidden\" value=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<div class=\"infusion-submit\">\t<input class=\"opt-in-submit button infusion-recaptcha\" id=\"recaptcha_12c97c001a652ac813119a536e4fb4a4\" type=\"submit\" value=\" Level Up!\" \/><\/div>\n<\/form>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"clearme\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">That should just about do it for our guide on <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Touch Your Toes<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Now, your turn:<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Can you touch your toes?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does attempting to \u201csit and reach\u201d bring back horrors from grade school?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Any other tips or tricks for mobility training?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let us know in the comments!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>-Steve<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>PS: <\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Make sure you check out the rest of our <\/span><b>Mobility Training<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> series:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/the-3-best-flexibility-exercises-the-ultimate-guide-for-improving-flexibility-in-30-days\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Ultimate Guide for Improving Flexibility in 30 Days<\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-stretch\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Stretch<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/a-nerds-guide-to-yoga-4-movements-to-try-today\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">21 Basic Yoga Poses for Beginners<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-use-a-foam-roller-step-by-step-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How to Use a Foam Roller<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>###<\/p>\n<p><b>GIF credit: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/transparent-banana-the-struggle-OmQ9fnEshXtOU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">banana<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/sunnyfxx-sunny-iasip-fxx-Dr1fAUKrLxC8qTBlY6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Danny Devito<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/gumby-3p4yWp3pjlNU4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">gumby<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/giphy.com\/gifs\/funny-spongebob-squarepants-patrick-bb7nhUEShyXV6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">patrick<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Photo credit: <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/pixabay.com\/de\/photos\/dehnung-sport-frau-athlet-fitness-498256\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">toe touch<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Anatomy-Trains-Myofascial-Meridians-Therapists\/dp\/070204654X\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">posterior chain<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/8628862@N05\/39927386573\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">roar<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.needpix.com\/photo\/1540359\/yoga-woman-silhouette-sunset-exercise-pose-female-black-orange\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">yoga sunset<\/a>,<\/span><\/strong> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/86044507@N00\/32421772\">the adventures of Gumby and R2D2<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/83346641@N00\/7073464941\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stormtroopers and Gumby<\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"footnote-list\" style=\"display:none;\"><span id=\"fn-heading\">Footnotes<\/span> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;( returns to text)<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li id=\"footnote-1\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cCURRENT CONCEPTS IN MUSCLE STRETCHING FOR EXERCISE AND REHABILITATION.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3273886\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-1\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-2\" class=\"fn-text\">This <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC3273886\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">study covers<\/a> stretching for mobility.<a href=\"#refmark-2\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-3\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cEffect of an exercise program for posture correction on musculoskeletal pain.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC4499985\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-3\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-4\" class=\"fn-text\">Read, \u201cStretching and strengthening are key to healing and preventing back pain.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.health.harvard.edu\/healthbeat\/stretching-and-strengthening-are-key-to-healing-and-preventing-back-pain\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Harvard Health Publishing<\/a>.<a href=\"#refmark-4\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-5\" class=\"fn-text\">A practice that has now been discontinued.<a href=\"#refmark-5\"><\/a><\/li>\n<li id=\"footnote-6\" class=\"fn-text\">Read,\u201cThe effectiveness of 3 stretching techniques on hamstring flexibility using consistent stretching parameters.\u201d Source, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/15705041\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PubMed<\/a>. <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/8066111\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Here\u2019s another study<\/a> that shows 30 seconds of effort results in a more flexible frame!<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"#refmark-6\"><\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n<p>The post <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\/blog\/how-to-touch-your-toes-become-bendy-like-gumby\/\">How to Touch Your Toes (The 4 Best Stretches to Improve Flexibility)<\/a> first appeared on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nerdfitness.com\">Nerd Fitness<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It\u2019s time to learn how to touch your toes! What makes me so confident you\u2019ll be able to reach your little piggy wiggies? Because we teach even the most \u201cinflexible\u201d of folks how to touch their toes in our 1-on-1 Online Coaching Program, and we\u2019ll share with you all our secrets below. Here\u2019s what we\u2019ll [\u2026]<br \/>\nThe post How to Touch Your Toes (The 4 Best Stretches to Improve Flexibility) first appeared on Nerd Fitness.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":99,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wprm-recipe-roundup-name":"","wprm-recipe-roundup-description":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":140,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97\/revisions\/140"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/99"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}