TOE TOUCHES

A Toe Touch is an exercise that aims to increase core strength and stability. There are many ways you can perform the Toe Touch so feel free to add your own flair to the exercise! The toe touch is a fairly simple exercise that improves range of motion in a variety of muscles in the back and legs. Physical therapists and fitness professionals often use the toe touch as an assessment of general flexibility throughout life. You should always strive to be flexible enough to touch your toes, regardless of age. You want a strong, defined abdomen to power you through workouts and to look good in a swimsuit. That's where the toe-touching exercise comes in. It works the middle and upper region of your ab muscles. Although it alone won't give you a six-pack, it does work the muscle responsible for that cut look. Use the exercise as part of a comprehensive core-building workout, which contributes to better sports performance, daily function and defined abs. Perform the standing toe touch by assuming a standing position with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Keep your toes forward as if fixed in a pair of skis. Bend at the waist and extend your arms downward toward your toes. Stretch as far as you can until you feel tension in the back of your legs and lower back. Hold this position for 10 to 30 seconds and repeat for two to three sets. Be sure to warm up before attempting this static stretch to avoid sudden muscular tears. Avoid stretching to the point of pain. While the standing toe touch is the predominate stretch used to assess flexibility, you can perform a number of variations that can also help improve flexibility in the hamstrings and erector spinae. Seated toe touches allow you to isolate one leg at a time to improve the emphasis on the erector spinae. Perform this exercise by sitting on a mat, extending one leg out to the side, and curling one leg forward so your heel is near your groin. Reach both hands to the extended leg, attempting to touch your toes.

BENEFITS

The benefits of the Toe Touch are centered around strengthening the core. Specifically, the Rectus Abdominus. Additional Toe Touch benefits include improving flexibility, balance and posture. The Toe Touch is a useful exercise because it engages the Abdominals. Strengthening the core is essential to performing our everyday activities and keeping a strong posture and balance. A strong core will translate into almost every other exercise that you do and help you to perform them even better. Moreover, as we age, strong abdominals are crucial to keeping our balance and reducing falls risk. Touching the toes does not seem a problem when you are a baby but as you begin to count the years, it becomes a tall order. Try to perform this with your legs placed straight and you will discover that you are not all that flexible or your core and thighs are not that flexible. You may perform toe touching with a variety of positions, and this is what determines which part of body benefits from the workout. Stretching the back and hamstring. The classic standing toe touch will stretch the hamstrings and the four muscle groups found in the back of thigh. Using this exercise, you can also work on the erector spinal muscles that are found on the lower back. Targets abs. You can target the abdominal muscles by combining toe touches with crunch sometimes known as the toe touch crunch or vertical toe touch. In this exercise, you lie in the position of standard crunch and extend the legs towards ceiling in order for the thighs to remain perpendicular to floor. You may also perform the toe touch as dynamic stretches and not only static stretches. In doing the dynamic stretches, you can warm up your body. The walking toe touches can work on hamstrings and the hips. In this exercise, you stand straight and step forward with left foot while you simultaneously reach down to touch your toes at the bottom.  19가이드03