What are the best stretches and exercises to improve flexibility?

Mathew P.
I try to do 60 or 90 mins of Yin Yoga every day. The deep stretch poses and holding each one are great for flexibility and also for calming the mind.
Charles Q.
Toe-touches, splits, and butterflies but if you want to go back you can try lifting your feet around to touch your head.
Lesa S.
I am actually still learning which stretches and exercises are the best fit for me. I find that raising my arms as high as they'll go above my head opens up my diaphragm and helps me to feel like I'm getting really good deep breaths in. I also enjoy stretching my legs and hamstrings. I'm still trying different stretches to see which ones are the best fit for me but at this point those two always make me feel more limber and awake.
Roy P.
I use the Jessica smithtv mild stretching on YouTube.
Martha T.
Well for you legs it's lunges for 30 seconds each and your back corbra pose is great but a bridge is also great for arms the over the shoulder stretchs are great
Mabel X.
ANY stretch is going to benefit your flexibility. Yoga is a great place to start. You can also look up flexibility training programs. There are seven categories which stretching is classified:

Ballistic stretching
Dynamic stretching
Active stretching
Passive (relaxed) stretching
Static stretching
Isometric stretching
PNF stretching

Aid E.
Warrior pose. Wall stretches. Butterfly pose. Yoga all around. Shoulder stretches.
Tierri F.
Stretches for all the body and all muscle groups. Remember to stretch both front and back of muscle groups. Elongating and flexibility stretches
Daniel A.
I like yoga for improving flexibility. It also combines meditation and relaxation with exercise which I have found beneficial.
Irina C.
A daily 10 min yoga video stretches me right out. Touch your toes touch the sky chatranga upward facing dog. That alone is lovley
Bernardina Z.
All stretches are good. Depending on what feels tight, I will adapt my stretches to target my needs.
Maxence O.
Yoga! Beginners yoga will introduce you to stretching and will increase flexibility over time to reduce risk of injury.
Eddie S.
I actually had to Google the answers to your question. I found a lot of information. I think that if you stretch your hamstrings, and stretch your hip flexors got should get more flexibility. Sit on the ground with your legs out to the sides. Stretch your arms up then bend at the his and try to get your hands down to the ground and walk them out on the ground as far as possible. I hope this helps.
Milena F.
I believe any stretch you do has the ability to increase your flexibility in some way – I'm not 100% sure of the exact stretches you can do to increase certain areas of flexibility, but I know that doing the 10 min stretch embedded within the Fabulous Stretch habit/routine is great for strengthening your back and arm muscles/flexibility. Another thing you can do is just, always remember to stretch. When you wake up, when you're sitting down for a long period of time, even when you're walking down the street. Stretching awakens your muscles and helps your body stay lose, meaning you'll feel better too.
Isabelle Z.
I lean towards exercises that stretch my calves because when your calf is tight it impacts your feet which we all want to use for the long term. Exercises like lunges and squats and stretches that alternate between one foot heel down and then the other.
Berta Q.
Sun salutations that are derived from yoga. It focuses on breathing and lengthening as you move through various postures. Essentrics also helps. It is a combination of lengthening and stretching your muscles that increases your range of movement.
Ureo F.
Repeat sun salutations, downward dog, upward dog, pigeon. For body weight exercises do air squats, lunges, push-ups. With weights do deadlifts, squats, carries, bench press, overhead press, and bent rows or pullups.
Eva Y.
I personally practice yoga most days of the week. But for the one minute first thing in the morning stretch I prefer half sun salutes. Begin with you hands together at the center of the chest, breath in and raise your arms above the head. On the out breath fold forward at the hips, keeping a slight bend at the knee. On the in breath half way lift, placing the hands on the thighs to help extend the back. On the out breath fold forward and reaching towards the floor. (It's okay if they don't make it). On the in breath stand up straight bring the hands over head. Look up if it's comfortable. On the out breath return the hands to heart's center of your chest. I one minute you can usually complete the repetitions of this stretch sequence.
Miroslaw R.
I really enjoy reaching my arms up overhead and then slowly folding forward. I feel it puts less strain on my back(I have an injured back) and doesn't overdo the stretching in the back of the legs. Sitting on the floor with the soles of your feet together and pushing your knees down is helpful. Finally, in the same seated position I like to bring one foot into my chest and you can feel it stretch your hips. I'm not sure if it's because I'm bottom heavy or sedentary, but it gives it a nice stretch– hurts but feels good sort of thing. Hope this helps! Good luck on your journey.
Durvalino Z.
Anything that requires you to reach, or stretch each part of your body… toe touches, lunges, reaching above your head!
Albrecht Y.
dynamic stretches performed with an emphasis on comfortably moving each of the major joints and areas of the body through as much of their natural range of motion as possible
Heino F.
Sitting down on a chair and touching you toes. As well as stretching your hip flexors thoroughly. They are both often the tightest, as soon as you open them up everything else is easier to stretch
Jamile Y.
For me personally I like to squat down put my hands as far as I can(I like putting my fingers under my feet) and then I stand up and lock my knees, start with easier stretching first though or you may hurt yourself. Also for splits try sitting with your legs apart and reaching as far as possible
H Lo Se I.
I personally like the child pose, quad stretch,sit and reach,cat pose, cow pose, and the cobra pose the best. I myself don’t preticualy don’t enjoy the half moon stretches because I can’t always find my balance and often fall. I also like the frog and pigeon pose. I like the butterfly pose the best because it really stretches out my hamstrings and it is not the most difficult to do.
Eden Y.
With a simple exercise you should improve flexibility, it isn't very hard and difficult, just practice simple exercises every day and when time pass you'll get good benefits.
Gail T.
All of them!
Louisa G.
Stretching that lasts at least 1 minute every day, I love it the most in the morning, it really energises me. I stretch my whole body, moving my arms upwards above my head and bending slightly backwards, then I go into a lunge left and right and do a few cat and cow poses.
Derrick E.
Stretch to keep your body's musculoskeletal frame in its proper shape. This ensures the mechanics function properly, avoiding issues such as backaches, neck pain, headaches, foot problems, and gut pain or constipation.

The rule of thumb is to hold each stretch for 30 seconds. It's ok to build up to that.

Relax into the stretch. You might find it more intuitive to tense, but that is counterproductive.

Are you unusually flexible? Many people are hypermobile and don't know it. Look up the Beighton Scale online. If you are, it might also mean you get unusually tight. Stretch every day, both sides, but take special care not to hyper-extend your joints.

Essential everyday functional flexibility exercises:
1) Roll your shoulders and stretch your rear shoulder muscles by holding one straight arm across your body and supporting the stretch with the other arm.
2) Hamstring stretches – lie down and pull each leg at a time, gently straightened with your foot gently flexed, towards your upper torso.
3) Calf stretch – lean into a wall with one leg stretched straight out behind you. Then switch sides.
4) Chin tuck – move your chin straight out from your neck into a "head forward" position (don't move your shoulders), then move it back in all the way so your head is "stacked" directly over your body. If you're used to sitting in a head forward position, you might feel a twinge when your head moves into place, so move slowly. Hold on the stacked position for 5 seconds and release.
5) Kegels – tighten and release your pelvic floor muscles for 10 seconds, ten times. This isn't really a stretch, but it's essential nonetheless and easy to combine with stretches.
6) Cat Cow – On all fours, arch your back and look up for 5 seconds (cow), then reverse and look down for 5 seconds (cat).
7) 20-20-20 Your eyes need "stretching", too! When doing screen work, every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This is a minimum! Then blink. Developers have learned this the hard way, and they have made apps to nudge you.

Adamantino Q.
Butterfly stretch, put the soles of your feet together and pull them into your body. Lean down onto your knees. Modified hurdle stretch, one foot out then lean down and grab the outside of your foot. Do this after the leg has been sraightened. Crossed legged stretch, as the title says, pull your feet in and your knee. Pidgeon stretch, one leg out behind, the other perpendicular to your body, back straight and relax down into it.
Terezinha Q.
Focus on the muscles that are tightest and are creating an inbalance. It may be necessary to work with a trainer to identify inbalances.

Hold stretches until you feel a slight release into the Stretch. If it takes more than 30 seconds. Back off a little the next time.

I walk a lot and have an impaired ankle so leg stretches are particularly important.

Standing hamstring stretch
Lunging hip flexor stretch with back leg elevated.
Standing quad stretch.
Sitting glute stretch.
Standing side stretches.

I have some back posture stretches that I learned from a trainer but I don't know what they are called.

Emily F.
I don't think there is really any "best stretches/exercises" for flexibility but more consistency is key. I try to do calves, hamstrings, quads, glutes, and hips after a run. I also do arms, neck and back daily.