12 Stretches To Burn Fat At Home With No Special Equipment

May 25, 2018 by apost team

You may associate cardio workouts with weight loss and fat burning, but you would not think the same of stretching exercises in the same way. Typically stretching exercises will aid blood circulation, improve metabolism and even help in muscle building. If practiced with consistency, stretching and certain Yoga poses can lead to fat burning. If you are planning to engage in a rigorous workout regime, stretching exercises can provide an easy way to build up to that end.

You may associate cardio workouts with weight loss and fat burning, but you would not think the same of stretching exercises in the same way. Typically stretching exercises will aid blood circulation, improve metabolism and even help in muscle building. If practiced with consistency, stretching and certain Yoga poses can lead to fat burning. If you are planning to engage in a rigorous workout regime, stretching exercises can provide an easy way to build up to that end.

What Makes Stretching So Effective:

1. Stretching burn calories. The calories burned may not be as much when following an aerobics class, but it far exceeds the calories burned if you are sedentary.

2. Stretching benefits metabolism. The poses help to regulate the digestive system

3. Stretching decreases stress. When you are stressed your body reacts by storing excess fat. This is why it is difficult to lose weight when you are stressed. Stretching exercises help keep the body balanced and calm.

4. Stretching builds muscle.

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The stretch targets your oblique muscles, hips, chest, abs, back, and shoulders.

How to perform this stretch:

• Lie on the mat, feet together with arms stretched at your side

• Move your upper body up

• Stretch your head backward

• Hold this pose for 20-30 seconds

The seated twist stretch targets the oblique muscles, your back, and your abs.

How to perform this stretch:

• While seated on the floor, stretch one leg in front, bend the other leg at the knee and cross it over the first leg

• Twist your body in the direction of the bent knee

• Hold this pose for 20-30 seconds

The warrior stretch targets your abs, back, and your hips.

How to perform this stretch:

• Stand with feet together then take a big step backward with your left foot. Rotate the heel of the left foot 45 degrees in direction of the mat’s center

• Maintain a straight back leg while bending the right leg to 90 degrees with the knee directly above the right ankle

• Stretch your arms upwards

• Maintain this pose for 25-30 seconds

• Switch legs and repeat the process

The bridge stretch targets your abs, legs, glutes, and hips.

How to perform this stretch:

• Lying on your back, with arms at your side bend your knees to 90 degrees.

• Raise your body upwards while pressing your upper back and shoulders against the floor

• Hold this stretch for 10-15 seconds

The side lunge stretch targets your hamstrings, quads, and hip flexors.

How to perform this stretch:

• Move your right leg to the side and bend the knee to 90 degree

• Extend your left leg to the left side

• Lean your body forward

• Maintain this stretch for 25-30 seconds and repeat motion after switching sides

The inner thigh stretch targets the groin muscles and the inner thighs.

How to perform this stretch:

• Sit up straight in a squatting position on the floor

• Move your feet inwards so the soles touch. Lower your knees to your sides

• Press gently down on your knees with your forearms and feel the stretch

• Maintain this stretch for about 25-30 second

The knee squeeze stretch targets the upper, the middle and the lower back muscles.

How to perform this stretch:

• Lie on your back on the floor, wrap your arms around your knees

• Press your knees gently towards your chest and feel the stretch

• Maintain that stretch for about 25-30 seconds

The triceps stretch targets your abs, triceps, shoulders, and back.

How to perform this stretch:

• Standing straight place your feet apart with your arms stretching upwards

• Bending your right elbow, reach your left hand over to hold on to the right elbow

• Pull the right elbow gently towards your head

• Maintain this stretch for 15-20 seconds

• Repeat this stretch after switching arms

The sitting side bend stretch targets your shoulders, abs, back, and oblique muscles.

How to perform this stretch:

• Sit cross-legged on the floor, or you may sit on a chair if that is more comfortable

• Raise your left arm over your head, leaning it to the left

• Feel the stretch on the left side

• Maintain that stretch for 10-15 minutes

• Repeat after switching sides

The bow stretch targets your hips, back, and your abs.

How to perform this stretch:

• Lie down on your stomach and stretch your arms up and back

• Bend at your knees and grasp your ankles with your hands

• Do not let your shoulders touch your ears

• Maintain this stretch for 20-30 seconds

This stretch targets your arms, shoulders, hips, back, and legs.

How to perform this stretch:

• Position yourself on your hands and knees

• Exhale while straightening your knees and arms

• Push your heads into the floor and press your head in the direction of your feet

• Maintain that stretch for 15-20 seconds

The triangle stretch targets your chest, shoulders, oblique muscles, hips and legs.

How to perform this stretch:

• Stand on the mat with feet about 4 feet apart

• Rotate the left foot about 45 degrees and the right 90 degrees

• Raise your arms parallel to the floor and reach out to the left

• Breathe out while bending to the left and allow your hand to touch your ankle or an object such as a block placed on the mat

• Reach towards the sky with your right arm looking up as you do

• Maintain that stretch for 30-35 seconds

Since these stretches require no equipment, you can as easily perform them in a park as in your home. By performing them daily, you can easily get into a great shape.

If this post has helped you please leave a comment letting us know. Also, if you know of others who would enjoy these stretching routines direct them here so they can read the post for themselves.

Our content is created to the best of our knowledge, yet it is of general nature and cannot in any way substitute an individual consultation by your doctor. Your health is important to us!