Flex Time: Stretching Guide to Loose and Limber Muscles

Test Your Flexibility

Are you sitting down for this? All day long at your desk job, your hips and hamstrings are stuck in a shortened position, while the overstretched muscles in your back are getting kinks if you hunch -- hello, lower back pain! But no need to go yoga pro to undo the tension: Targeting your specific twangs helps. A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that just one 30-second stretch three times a week can significantly lengthen hamstrings in four weeks. Take our expert test to find out exactly how limber you are and get the fix for areas where you come up short. Try again next month to see how far you've stretched your limits.

Instantly Tally Your Flexibility Score Here