Partner Stretching 101

Experiencing post-workout muscle stiffness? Find a partner who can assist you with these four moves taking turns such as the stretcher and the stretcher to relax your muscles when experiencing rigidity.

Stretching is often perceived as a tedious activity. However, if someone assists you in partner stretching, it changes the whole landscape of exercising. 

According to Los Angeles – based yoga and martial-arts instructor Steven Schilling, our caretaking impulses are stimulated when we help another person stretch. “Because humans are social animals,” he says, “we are naturally compelled to assist one another.”

According to Schilling, alignment is critical, but not everyone can see what their back, toes, or chest are doing while deep stretching. An extra set of eyes helps ensure you lengthen the correct muscles without harming them.

The 4 Most Effective Stretches For Partner Stretching

1. High-Kicker’s Stretch

SETUP

Partner 1:

• The first partner sits on the floor with their neck elongated, shoulders relaxed, and stretched out back that is long and upright. 
• Next, they flex their feet and point their toes toward the ceiling while spreading their legs wide as far as possible.

Partner 2:

• The second partner sits in front of the former with the soles of their feet braced against their partner’s. 
• The next step is to extend their arms forward and clasp their hands with their partners.

STRETCH

Partner 1:

• Elongate your back from the root of your tailbone to the top of your head and slowly lean forward at the hip joints.
• Extend your arms directly forward (not down).

Partner 2:

• Gradually lean backward while helping your partner stretch. Ensure they keep a forward gaze, feet flexed, toes pointing upward with an elongated back.
• Hold this stretched position for 30 seconds.
• Relax briefly and repeat.

How to Perform this stretch without a partner?

Sit on the floor with your feet against the legs of a table and reach forward. Repeat the same sequence.

2. Wall Stretch

SETUP

Partner 1:

• The first partner places their hands on a wall at their chest’s height and shoulder’s width apart. With their fingers spread wide, their index fingers are to point upwards.
• Next, they step back 4 feet from the wall while placing their feet at hip width and parallel and bend their knees slightly.

Partner 2:

• The second partner stands next to their partner’s hips and places their hands on the iliac crests (the bony areas along the sides of their hips and lower back).

STRETCH

Partner 1:

• Keep your arms straight and neck relaxed, and lower your back into its natural arch.
• Slowly press your chest towards the floor while folding your hip joints as much as possible.
• Push your heels into the floor and straighten your knees as you breathe deeply.

Partner 2:

• Observe your partner’s lower back as they stretch, ensuring their lower back is arched and not rounded up.
• Help them deepen their stretch by rotating their hips forward to stretch the hamstrings, further lengthening the hamstrings.
• Hold the stretch for 45 to 60 seconds and encourage your partner to take deep breaths while stretching.

How to Perform this stretch without a partner?

Perform this stretch as mentioned above with a slight tweak – push your heels backward, almost scraping the bottom of your feet along the floor.

3. Pectoral Release

SETUP

Partner 1:

The first partner stands with their back straight, elongated neck and arms extended directly forward with their palms facing each other.

Partner 2:

The second partner stands in front of the first partner and holds the inside of their partner’s right elbow with their left hand.

Similarly, the second partner holds the inside of their partner’s left elbow with their right hand.

STRETCH

Partner 1:

• Squeeze your arms together against your partner’s hands while keeping your arms straight.
• Do this at an effort level of five out of 10 and maintain the effort level throughout the stretch.

Partner 2:

• Push your partner’s elbow until their arms reach the sides (extended).
• Very slowly reverse the movement using light pressure on your partner’s arms.
• Maintain the same pressure level while your partner moves gradually through the stretch about three or four times.
• Each cycle lasts for 10 to 15 seconds.

How to Perform this stretch without a partner?

Stand in a doorway facing the door post and place the palm of your left hand against the wall on the left side of the door post.

4. Eccentric Hamstring Stretch

SETUP

Partner 1:

The first partner lies on their stomach with their left leg extended and right knee bent to the maximum capacity.

Partner 2:

• The second partner sits on the floor next to their partner’s bent leg and places their right hand on the back of their partner’s right thigh and their left hand on their partner’s heel.
• Next, they press their partner’s thigh down and maintain pressure throughout the stretch.

STRETCH

Partner 1:

Maintaining an effort level of 50 percent through the stretch, contract your right thigh’s hamstring.

Partner 2:

Pull your partner’s heel slowly until their right leg is completely extended.

Ease up on the pressure on your partner’s leg so they can bend their knee and their hamstring contracts in a reverse movement.

The contraction phase should be more straightforward than the extension during this stretch.

Maintain the same pressure level while your partner performs the stretch three to four times, taking 10 to 15 seconds per cycle.

Repeat the stretch with your partner’s opposite leg.

How to Perform this stretch without a partner?

• Place your right foot flat on the second step of a staircase and your left foot on the floor.
• Contract your right leg’s hamstrings as if dragging your right foot backward on the stair.
• Maintain tension in your hamstring while slowly rocking your body back and forth.
• Bend and straighten your knee with every rep lasting five to ten seconds.
• Exert more pressure during the extension phase and less stress during the contraction phase.
• Perform the stretch six to eight times before repeating it on the other side.