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Yoga poses

World's Greatest Stretch: Three Stretches in One Slow Move

Deep lunge, inside elbow toward the front foot, turn and reach that arm up, then straighten the front leg. Hip, upper back and hamstring in one move.

Moving · Upper back · Hips · Hip flexors · Inner thighs · Hamstrings · 3 min read

Why it works: Chapter 23, Stiff people work harder for every stroke

How to do it

  1. 1

    Deep lunge, back leg long

    From standing, fold and put your hands down, then step your left foot well back into a deep lunge, both hands on the inside of your right foot. Left leg straight and long, knee off the floor, heel lifted. Let your hips sink down and forward.

  2. 2

    Inside elbow toward the instep

    Bring the arm on the inside of your front leg down toward the floor: forearm if you can reach, hand on a block if you can't. Keep your back long. Your front hip opens here.

  3. 3

    Sink, then turn and reach up

    Sink your hips low first. Then turn your chest toward the front leg and reach that same arm straight up to the ceiling, eyes following your hand, hips staying low and still. This is the part most people rush.

  4. 4

    Straighten the front leg

    Bring the hand back down, on a block if the floor is far. Keep the back knee off the floor, lift your hips up and back and straighten the front leg as far as it goes, folding over it with a long back. Toes can pull back toward you.

  5. 5

    Round again, slowly

    Bend the front knee, sink back into the lunge and go round again: elbow down, turn and reach, straighten. Three slow rounds, then step the back foot forward and do the other side.

  6. 6

    The test

    Three distinct stretches: the front of your back hip, a turn through your upper back and the back of your front leg. If the turn feels like nothing, drop your hips lower before you rotate.

Watch for

  • Rushing the turn. You flick the arm up and your upper back barely turns.
  • The back knee drifting to the floor. The front of the back hip loses its stretch.
  • Rounding your back to reach the floor. You use up the turn before it starts.
  • Hips swinging up with the turn. The rotation comes from your hips instead of your upper back.

Questions

What muscles does the World's Greatest Stretch work?

The front of the back hip, the inner thigh and glute of the front leg, the muscles around your upper back as you turn, and the hamstring when you straighten the front leg.

How long should you do the World's Greatest Stretch?

A minute each side, right then left, in Post-Strength Yoga · 01, the routine that follows a slow, heavy kettlebell session: three slow rounds of lunge, turn and straighten. There is no daily target: do it when your training day has that routine.

Is the World's Greatest Stretch dynamic or static?

Dynamic. You move through three positions with the breath and pause only briefly in each. It warms you up as it goes, which is why it can open a routine with nothing in front of it.