Touching your toes may seem like a simple task. But actually doing it can feel like an impossible feat.
Because my clients often see seated toe touches incorporated into warmup and cool down routines, a lot of them become frustrated when they aren’t able to reach their toes. However, it’s completely normal for it to take time and effort to be able to perform a full toe touch.
Being able to reach your toes requires flexibility in the hamstrings, calves and even the back — and to reach this level of flexibility, you need to incorporate stretching into your routine on a daily basis.
And just because you can’t reach your toes doesn’t mean that the stretch isn’t working! It actually does more good to stop where you’re comfortable — whether that’s your shins, knees or thighs — then to force yourself past your flexibility level.
What are the health benefits of a seated toe touch?
The seated toe touch works on stretching the hamstrings as well as the calves and can even help reduce back pain or injury. Stretching before and after a workout is essential, and the seated toe touch is a great way to target the backside of the body.
For those with a sedentary lifestyle (which, let’s be honest, is most of us!), a lack of flexibility in the lower body is common. So if you spend a lot of time sitting, it’s worthwhile to take time each day to work on your flexibility.
The common mistakes people make when performing the seated toe touch
Most people don’t think of stretches as an exercise they need to work on like say a plank or a squat. It’s common for people to rush through stretching to get to their workout or move on afterwards. But the seated toe touch will only improve your flexibility if you give it the time it requires.
I also find that a lot of my clients are unsure of where to bend when performing the seated toe touch. Many people simply reach their arms out toward their toes without properly bending at the hips. This makes the move much more difficult…
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