Couch Stretch

Intermediate
Written By Danielle Enos (Dani Winks)

Flexopedia > Quads & Hip Flexors

Couch Stretch

Muscle Group Stretched: Quads, Hip Flexors

Muscle Group Strengthened: n/a

Type of Stretch: Passive Static

Difficulty: Intermediate

Suggested Prerequisites: Can pull heel very close to butt in a standing quad stretch, zero knee discomfort in a traditional kneeling lunge.

The couch stretch is one of few stretches that is often reverently referred to as THE couch stretch - as in “the one and only” (as opposed to “A butterfly stretch” or “A lunge”). I think that’s funny because I rarely recommend this for beginners. It requires a pretty large range of motion in the knee (very flexible quads), so much so it’s difficult for beginners to comfortably do this stretch without compromising their form. That said, it is a great quad and hip flexor stretch for students who already have a decent amount of quad and hip flexor flexibility to start with. But for less flexy students, I’d recommend other lunge variations and quad stretches instead.

How To

Step 1

Start kneeling near a couch or a wall (which is what I use), with your front knee stacked over the front ankle. Lean forwards so you can adjust your back leg to press the back knee against the wall on the floor, and point your back toes and shin up the wall.

Step 2

Lift your torso up, bringing your hands to your front thigh for balance if you need to, so that your shoulders are stacked over your hips. Tuck your tailbone down towards the floor so that you’re feeling a stretch in the front of the back leg hip (in your hip flexors).

Step 3

Keeping your torso lifted and tailbone tucked (don’t lean forwards, and don’t arch your low back), push into the front foot to send your hips back to the wall (sending your butt towards the foot on the wall). This will increase the stretch in the quad in the back leg. Make sure your whole upper body is moving back with the leg and you’re keeping your torso upright, not just shooting your hips/butt back.

Hold for 20-60 seconds.

Modifications

Need to make it easier?

Keep your hips forwards in your lunge. Your butt doesn’t have to touch your heel or the wall, because this is a pretty intense stretch, you already might be feeling a great stretch in your quads even without pushing your hips back.

Slide your back knee farther away from the wall. Instead of starting with the knee against the wall, start with the knee a couple of inches (up to a foot) away from the wall.

Want to make it harder?

Make it active by pushing your back foot into the wall to contract your quads while they’re in the stretch.

 
 
Danielle Enos (Dani Winks)

Dani is a Minneapolis-based flexibility coach and professional contortionist who loves sharing her enthusiasm for flexibility training with the world.

https://www.daniwinksflexibility.com
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