Ever skipped a pre-workout stretch? It can be pretty tempting. But now, Alexis Lagan - a USA pistol Olympian - has unveiled three easy stretches that could transform your pre-exercise routine, likening them to 'weight training for your feet and ankles'. Incredibly, just two pieces of equipment are needed for this too, including a foam roller and resistance bands.
In a discussion with The Washington Post , the 31-year-old competitive shooter explained that doing this twice a week at a minimum can have a great impact - though, she personally aims for daily stretches. Stretch 1: Calf rolling First, Alexis sits down on the floor and makes use of a foam roller, which is essentially just a big spongey cylinder. Placing her palms on the ground for support, she uses the centre of her leg to roll the cylinder back and forth between her upper thigh and calf.
Repeating this around 20 times should do the trick, though Alexis encourages exercisers to apply as much pressure as possible while doing so. "That foam rolling helps break up some of the tissues to help prepare for the activation and the stretching afterwards to make it a little bit deeper and more efficient," she explained. "I tilt my calf back and forth on the foam roller to get a little bit of activation on all the planes of my calf.
" Stretch 2: Heel raises Next, Alexis sets aside her gear and stands tall, feet a comfortable width apart and hands poised on her hips. A video accompanying the article shows her rising on to her ti.