Related Links:
- How much exercise?
- Benefits of exercise
- Physical activity guidelines: children (under 5s)
- Physical activity guidelines: children and young people
- Physical activity guidelines: adults
- Why we should sit less
- Physical activity guidelines: older adults
- Exercise as you get older
- Couch to 5K
- Couch to 5K: week by week
- How to stretch after a run
- Get running with Couch to 5K
- Life after Couch to 5K
- Running podcasts for C25K graduates
- Knee exercises for runners
- Knee pain and other running injuries
- Exercise tips
- Get active with a disability
- Fitness advice for wheelchair users
- Common exercise mistakes
- Why do I feel pain after exercise?
- Exercises for sciatica
- Exercises for sciatica problems
- Common posture mistakes and fixes
- Fitness guides
- Get active your way
- Get fit for free
- How to warm up before exercising
- How to stretch after exercising
- A guide to pilates
- A guide to tai chi
- A guide to yoga
- Running for beginners
- Swimming for fitness
- Dance for fitness
- Walking for health
- 10-minute workouts
- 10-minute abs workout
- 10-minute upper arms workout
- 10-minute firm butt workout
- 10-minute home cardio workout
- 10-minute home toning workout
- 10-minute legs, bums and tums home workout
- 5-minute wake-up workout
- Do I need to stretch before exercising?
- Exercises for strong bones
- 12-week fitness plan
- Balance exercises
- Flexibility exercises
- Gym-free exercises
- Gym-free workouts
- Easy exercises
- Sitting exercises
- Strength exercises
- Get fit with Strength and Flex
- Strength and Flex exercise plan
- Strength and Flex exercise plan: week by week
- Strength and Flex exercise plan: how-to videos
- How to improve your strength and flexibility
Flexibility exercises
These flexibility exercises can be done at home to help improve your health and mobility.
Don't worry if you haven't done much for a while – the exercises are gentle and easy to follow.
Wear loose, comfortable clothing and keep some water handy. Build up slowly and aim to gradually increase the repetitions of each exercise over time.
Try to do these exercises at least twice a week and combine them with the other routines in this series:
Neck rotation
Improves neck mobility and flexibility.
A. Sit upright with shoulders down. Look straight ahead.
B. Slowly turn your head towards your left shoulder as far as is comfortable. Hold for 5 seconds and return to the starting position.
C. Repeat on the right.
Do 3 rotations on each side.
Neck stretch
Good for loosening tight neck muscles.
A. Sitting upright, look straight ahead and hold your left shoulder down with your right hand.
B. Slowly tilt your head to the right while holding your shoulder down.
C. Repeat on the opposite side.
Hold each stretch for 5 seconds and repeat 3 times on each side.
Sideways bend
Helps restore flexibility to the lower back.
A. Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart and arms by your sides.
B. Slide your left arm down your side as far as is comfortable. As you lower your arm, you should feel a stretch on the opposite hip.
C. Repeat with your right arm.
Hold each stretch for 2 seconds and perform 3 on each side.
Calf stretch
Good for loosening tight calf muscles.
A. Place your hands against a wall for stability. Bend the right leg and step the left leg back at least a foot's distance, keeping it straight. Both feet should be flat on the floor.
B. The left calf muscle is stretched by keeping the left leg as straight as possible and the left heel on the floor.
C. Repeat with the opposite leg.
Perform 3 on each side.
