Couch stretch

With your back shin up against a wall, ease your hips forward for a deep stretch of the quads and hip flexors — stronger than the low lunge stretch.

How to do it

1. 01Kneel with your back to the wall and padding under your knee, place one knee near the base of the wall and rest that shin up the wall, top of the foot against it.
2. 02Step the other foot forward into a lunge, hands on the floor or on your front thigh.
3. 03Tuck your pelvis and squeeze the glute of the back leg.
4. 04Slowly bring your torso upright until you feel a strong but tolerable stretch in the front of the thigh, never a sharp pain; move the knee farther from the wall if it is too intense.
5. 05Breathe deeply and steadily; finish one side, then switch legs.

Common mistakes

• Arching the lower back to get upright — tuck your pelvis, squeeze your glute and only rise as far as your back stays neutral.
• Going too deep right away — start with the knee farther from the wall and hands on the floor, and progress over sessions.
• No padding under the knee — always pad the back knee well.