Is World's Greatest Stretch a static or a dynamic stretch?

It is a dynamic stretch. You move in and out of each position with a pause of a breath or two rather than holding one position for a long time, which is why it suits a warm-up.

Should I do World's Greatest Stretch before a workout?

Yes, that is what it is built for. A systematic review of stretching in healthy, active people found that dynamic stretching done within minutes of activity produced small performance improvements, while static stretching produced small losses that were larger with holds of 60 seconds or more per muscle group.

How many reps of World's Greatest Stretch should I do?

Three to five slow reps per side is a common warm-up dose, pausing for a breath in the lunge and again at the top of the reach. Add a few more on a side that feels stiffer, or alternate sides for 5 to 10 reps per side when you want a longer mobility block.

Should I drop my elbow to the floor or add a hamstring stretch?

Both are common additions. The elbow drop toward the inside of the front foot deepens the stretch in the front hip and groin, and shifting the hips back to straighten the front knee adds a hamstring stretch. The version shown here keeps both hands down and goes straight into the twist, so learn it first and add the extra phases once it feels smooth.

What if I can't keep my back knee off the floor?

Lower it to a padded floor. The kneeling version takes the balance and back-leg effort out of the drill, so you can focus on the hip stretch and the twist, and you can lift the knee again as your hips loosen up.

What is the difference between World's Greatest Stretch and Lizard Pose?

Lizard Pose uses a similar lunge with the hands inside the front foot but holds it still for 30 to 60 seconds, which suits the end of a session. World's Greatest Stretch moves in and out of the lunge and adds a twist through the upper back, so it fits better in a warm-up.

World's Greatest Stretch

What Is the World's Greatest Stretch?

World's Greatest Stretch is a compound exercise that primarily targets the hips and groin and also turns the upper back and opens the chest and shoulders. It is a beginner-level movement done on the floor with no equipment, moving between a long lunge with both hands on the floor inside the front foot and a twist that sends one arm up toward the ceiling.

The drill packs several stretches into one flowing movement, which is why it is a staple of dynamic warm-ups in strength programs and team sports. The back leg sits long behind you with the hip extended, which lengthens the hip flexors at the front of that hip. The front leg sits in a deep hip bend with the knee outside the arms, which stretches the buttock and inner thigh of that leg. The twist then rotates the upper back and ribcage and opens the chest and shoulder of the reaching arm. Performance coaches use it to prepare the ankles, hips and upper back in a single drill before lifting, running or field sports.

This page covers the two-part version shown here: a lunge with the back knee lifted and both hands inside the front foot, then a rotation with the arm reaching up. Many coaches add an elbow drop toward the inside of the front foot before the twist, which deepens the stretch in the front hip and groin, and a final phase where the hips shift back and the front knee straightens to stretch the hamstrings. Lowering the back knee to the floor makes it easier to balance and takes effort out of the back leg. It is also different from Lizard Pose, which uses a similar lunge but holds it still for a long stretch, and from the Bodyweight Lunge, a strength exercise that steps down and back up.

World's Greatest Stretch suits almost anyone who trains, and it fits best early in a warm-up or as a short mobility break between long periods of sitting. If the lunge is too deep to hold with the back knee lifted, build up with Low Lunge or Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch, which rest the back knee on the floor. If the twist is the limiting part, the Open Book Stretch trains the same upper-back rotation lying on your side.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Adductor Magnus: Primary
Tensor Fasciae Latae: Primary
External Oblique: High
Gluteus Maximus: High
Rectus Femoris: High
Sartorius: High
Erector Spinae: Medium
Pectoralis Major: Medium
Deltoid: Low
Serratus Anterior: Low

Instructions

Start in a high plank with your hands under your shoulders and your body in a straight line from head to heels.
Step your right foot forward to the outside of your right hand, planting the whole foot flat with the right knee bent over the ankle.
Keep your left leg straight behind you with the knee off the floor and the toes tucked under, pressing back through your left heel.
Place both hands flat on the floor inside your right foot, keeping your right knee pointing the same way as your toes.
Let your hips sink forward and down until you feel a stretch at the front of your left hip, keeping your lower back long, and pause for a breath.
Keep your left hand pressed into the floor, then turn your chest toward your right knee and reach your right arm up toward the ceiling.
Follow your right hand with your eyes until the arm stacks over your left hand, turning from your upper back while your hips stay low and square.
Pause for a breath at the top, then lower your right hand back to the floor inside your right foot.
Repeat for your planned reps, then step your right foot back to plank and repeat on the left side.

Common Mistakes

Rushing the reps
Swinging quickly from the lunge into the twist skips the positions the drill is for, so pause for a breath at the bottom of the lunge and again at the top of the reach.
Twisting from the hips and lower back
Letting the hips roll open toward the ceiling as the arm goes up moves the rotation into the lower back, so keep the hips low and square and turn the chest instead.
Front knee dropping in
Letting the front knee fall in toward the midline strains the knee and loses the stretch at the front hip, so keep it pointing the same way as the toes.
Stance too short
Stepping the front foot only a short way forward pushes the knee past the ankle and crowds the hips, so step far enough that the knee stacks over the ankle.
Back leg sagging
Letting the back knee bend and drift toward the floor takes the stretch out of the front of the back hip, so press back through the heel or lower the knee to the floor on purpose.
Reaching with the arm only
Lifting the arm without turning the chest just raises the shoulder, so follow the hand with your eyes and let the ribcage rotate until the arm stacks over the planted hand.

Injuries

World's Greatest Stretch is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The places it tends to go wrong are the front knee, the front of the front hip, the lower back and the wrists. A stance that is too short, or a front knee that drops in toward the midline, loads the knee at an awkward angle. The deep bend at the front hip can cause a pinch deep in the front of the joint, especially in people with hip impingement. Letting the hips sag toward the floor, or swinging the hips open to reach further in the twist, moves the stretch and the rotation into the lower back. Both hands carry some body weight, so stiff or sore wrists can complain during longer sets.

To keep the load where it belongs, step far enough forward that the front knee stacks over the ankle, keep that knee pointing the same way as the toes, and let the hips sink only as far as you can while keeping the lower back long. Turn from the upper back and ribcage while the hips stay low and square, and move slowly, pausing for a breath in each position rather than swinging the arm up. If the floor feels too far away, place the planted hand on a yoga block.

To make it easier, lower the back knee to a padded floor, or split the drill into its parts with Low Lunge for the hip and Open Book Stretch for the twist. To progress, add an elbow drop toward the inside of the front foot before the twist, add a hamstring phase that shifts the hips back and straightens the front knee, or step forward from one rep into the next.

Stop if you feel sharp pain in either knee, a pinch in the front of the hip, pain in the lower back or the shoulder of the reaching arm, or tingling or numbness that travels down the leg or arm. Anyone recovering from a knee, hip or back injury, or from surgery on those joints, should get clearance from a physical therapist before using this drill.

Overview

Primary Focus: Hips & groin
Equipment: Body weight
Modality: Stretching
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is World's Greatest Stretch a static or a dynamic stretch?: It is a dynamic stretch. You move in and out of each position with a pause of a breath or two rather than holding one position for a long time, which is why it suits a warm-up.
Q: Should I do World's Greatest Stretch before a workout?: Yes, that is what it is built for. A systematic review of stretching in healthy, active people found that dynamic stretching done within minutes of activity produced small performance improvements, while static stretching produced small losses that were larger with holds of 60 seconds or more per muscle group.
Q: How many reps of World's Greatest Stretch should I do?: Three to five slow reps per side is a common warm-up dose, pausing for a breath in the lunge and again at the top of the reach. Add a few more on a side that feels stiffer, or alternate sides for 5 to 10 reps per side when you want a longer mobility block.
Q: Should I drop my elbow to the floor or add a hamstring stretch?: Both are common additions. The elbow drop toward the inside of the front foot deepens the stretch in the front hip and groin, and shifting the hips back to straighten the front knee adds a hamstring stretch. The version shown here keeps both hands down and goes straight into the twist, so learn it first and add the extra phases once it feels smooth.
Q: What if I can't keep my back knee off the floor?: Lower it to a padded floor. The kneeling version takes the balance and back-leg effort out of the drill, so you can focus on the hip stretch and the twist, and you can lift the knee again as your hips loosen up.
Q: What is the difference between World's Greatest Stretch and Lizard Pose?: Lizard Pose uses a similar lunge with the hands inside the front foot but holds it still for 30 to 60 seconds, which suits the end of a session. World's Greatest Stretch moves in and out of the lunge and adds a twist through the upper back, so it fits better in a warm-up.