If you want to loosen tight quads, this article will show you the best exercises to do at home to keep your quads strong and flexible.
Chronic tightness in the quadriceps is a common issue that affects the natural blood flow to your legs. Furthermore, it limits the ability to straighten your legs. Plus, tight quads can change/affect the way you stand, walk, or sit.
The quadriceps group typically consists of a total of four muscles on the front portion of your thigh. The main job this quadriceps group is to straighten and extend your knee.
One of the quadriceps (widely termed as the rectus femoris) is a hip flexor. Your rectus femoris is attached to the front portion of the pelvic bones (above your hip sockets). And the other end of your rectus femoris is attached below your knee.
Note that rectus femoris is a relatively long muscle that crosses two joints. And when this muscle gets tight and short, it may hurt your ability to properly walk, stand, and sit.
So, how to release tight quads? For your reference, eight helpful yoga tips are discussed below so that you can easily loosen tight hamstrings.
How to Loosen Tight Quads at Home
Bow Pose
Tight quadriceps can be an extremely tricky situation for all active people. Luckily for you, you can easily loosen up tight hamstrings with some specific yoga techniques, such as Bow Pose.
Here’re the three simple steps on how to perform a Bow Pose.
How to perform
- Gently lie down on your belly and then take a few deep breaths.
- Now, once you are ready, slowly bend your knees & try to hold the outside edges of your right ankle & then your left.
- Once you’ve got a firm hold of your ankles, now you should strive to keep your toes together, either flexing or pointing your feet. Lift the feet up as high as you can. Then, shift your weight forward so that you can rest on your navel rather than on your pubic bone. Take five deep breaths and slowly release the position.
Bow Pose benefits
Strengthens your back; improves hip-flexor function; stabilizes your legs; opens your shoulders and chest; stimulates digestion & energy flow inside your internal organs; helps you accomplish your fitness goals.
Pigeon Twist
This yoga pose can help you to stretch your quads, open your hips, and give you a great spinal twist. Here’re the three steps to perform a Pigeon Twist.
How to perform
- Sit on the floor while bending your right knee and extending your left leg directly straight behind you.
- If this position feels comfortable, then slowly bend your left knee & reach the top of your foot with the help of your right hand. Next, wrap the left arm around your lower back and wrap your fingers around the top of the right thigh.
- Deeply take five breaths, gently release the position, and switch sides
Standing stretch
This is another simple yoga pose (that can be performed at home) in order to release tight quads.
How to perform
- Stand on the left foot and try to grab your right shin simply by bending the leg behind you.
- Tuck the pelvis in & pull out the right shin towards your glutes in order to make sure that your knee is pointing towards the ground. Do not try to pull your knee sideways and backward.
- Hold this yoga position for thirty seconds & then switch sides.
Kneeling quad stretch
This particular yoga pose loosens your muscles that are right above your knees.
How to perform
- Begin in the runner’s lunge position and stretch your right foot forward. Next, slowly lower the left knee to the ground.
- Take some time in order to find a balance. Once you are stabilized, you can now grab the left foot with the help of your left hand.
- Hold this position for around 30 seconds, then switch sides.
Tilt walk
Tilt walk is a dynamic warm-up exercise that can actively stretch your muscles.
How to perform
- Take a step forward and try to balance on your forward foot (from a standing position). Now, tilt the torso forward at your waist until you feel tension/sensation in your hamstring. Next, extend your free leg right behind you to get a balance.
- Slowly return to your upright position, step forward with the help of your opposite foot, and perform tilt walk for one more time. Continue this exercise for 30 seconds.
Frog Pose
This is a simple yet intensive yoga pose that frees your spirit and alleviates your back pain. It opens up your chest and shoulders, improves posture, releases tights quads, strengthens your back muscles, improves circulation in your hips and thighs, and stimulates your digestive system.
How to perform
- Begin with a Table pose on your knees and hands. Make sure that your hips are over your knees & your lower legs are parallel to each other.
- Lower down to your forearms & slowly separate your knees as wide and comfortable as possible. Your ankles will be behind your knee.
- Your knees, ankle joints, and hips should be at 90-degree angles.
- Breathe comfortably and try to relax the shoulders out of your ears.
Standing forward bend
This calming yoga posture can lengthen your hamstrings and activate the inner legs.
How to perform
- Stand on your feet together. Now, slightly bend your knees & slowly fold your torso above your legs, moving from your hips.
- Place both of your hands directly next to your feet or on the floor that’s in front of you.
- Inhale & extend your chest in order to lengthen your spine.
- Exhale & gently press your legs straight. Now, lift your kneecaps & gently spiral your inner and upper thighs back. Additionally, try to keep the legs straight without hyperextending them.
- Slowly extend your torso down without rounding your back. Now, stay long throughout the neck and extend the crown of your head towards the ground. Draw the shoulders down to your back.
Split
To perform this yoga, simply follow the below-mentioned steps. This yoga pose is effective to loosen up your tight quads.
How to perform
- Slide the front foot forward, slowly lean back, and lower yourself towards the ground; use your hands to grab a proper balance as your body gets lower.
- Keep your hips squared & your toes straight.
- Are your legs now resting on the ground at 180-degree angles to your pelvis, body, and back? If yes, then you have just performed a split – an advanced yoga pose that releases your tight hamstrings.
Final word
Doing these yoga poses regularly will loosen your quads and as a result, improve the way you walk, stand and sit. More importantly, they’ll protect your knees and prevent knee pain in the future.
Which of these yoga poses will you use to loosen your tight quads?
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