The Power of Two: 2 Partner Stretches to Open Your Hips, Glutes & Spine
Several years ago, one of my students in my barre class told me that she always hoped that the instructor would pick her to press on at the end of class during cool-down stretches.
Some instructors will go around the room and randomly choose a few students to assist their stretch at the end of their class. She knew the benefit of the gentle press of assistance provided a deeper stretch than she could do on her own.
That tiny little press of assistance is so beneficial to increasing range of motion and flexibility and elongating really tight muscle tissue. It is life-changing!
My family has always stretched each other out almost every night in the floor of our den. Since my boys were little, I would always stretch them out. It was a way of life for us as we all were very active.
I didn’t realize that my family stretching routine could benefit so many others until I started sharing this partner stretching routine with my students at the end of my classes. Students still say to me that they come to my class because they love the stretching at the end.
Partner Stretching is SO beneficial because you are able to move through a range of motion with ease to open up really tight muscle tissue with assistance and not straining!
Grab a partner and try these 2 partner Assisted Stretches to elongate your spine and open up your glutes and hips!
this partner assisted stretch is a great spine elongator.
Lying Overhead Spine Elongator
1. One person lies flat on back.
2. Second person sits with legs in a V-form in front of you, near to the top of lying person’s head.
3. Using a ring or a belt or a towel, the lying person takes arms over head and grabs onto the ring.
4. Sitting person holds onto item and leans back with arms extended directly in front of them. This pulls the torso up and out of the trunk and elongates the spine.
5. Lying person will take one hand by their side and sitting person will lean back and pull just one arm at a time to further stretch out the lying person’s trunk. Repeat with other arm.
Try this partner assisted stretch to open up your hips and glutes.
Lying Hip/Glutes Opener
1. One person lies flat on back.
2. Second person stands at lying person’s feet.
3. Lying person bends knees and puts one ankle crossed over bent knee.
4. Standing person takes lying person’s foot from the floor and places it on their quad and leans in toward lying person.
5. Repeat with other side.
