Equipment Required:

Wall, chair, ballet bar or other support

Starting Position:

Stand with back straight, feet together and abdominal muscles contracted to hold torso stable.
Rest right hand on the supporting object.

Actions To Execute Exercise:

Keeping knees aligned, bend left knee and raise left foot toward buttocks. Grasp left ankle (or top of the foot) with left hand; do not grasp toes.
Contract the abdominal muscles and tuck the buttocks under the hipbones to yield a stretch in the front of the thigh.
Keep the body erect.

What The Exercise Does:

Stretches the front of the thigh (Quadriceps).

Variations On This Exercis:

This exercise may also be performed while lying on side (see Side Lying Quad Stretch ).

Precautions / Contraindications:

Lift foot straight back; do not lift to the side.
Avoid pulling the lower leg too close to the thigh; this may strain the knee. This exercise may be contraindicated for some individuals with knee or ankle problems.

Training Tips:

The key to proper execution of this exercise is to keep knees aligned and the tilt the pelvis, tucking the buttocks under hip bones and flattening lower back.
This is a limbering and a flexibility stretch. It is recommended that stretches for improved flexibility be held for 30 seconds and stretches for pre-activity limbering for 5-20 seconds.