4 Exercises To Help You Get Rid Of Stretch Marks

A continuous tugging and stretching of skin will lead to stretch marks – let that be the ones on tummy because of pregnancy and/or because of reducing a good amount of belly-fat or the ones on your limbs and butt because of reducing a great deal. They really become a bothersome issue when you think about wearing your favourite sleeveless tee or a nice crop top. Worry not. Here are simple exercises and tips to help get rid of them.

* Normal Leg Lifts + Side-Ways Leg Lifts

- Lie on your back, legs straight and together. Keep your hands beside your torso, palms placed downwards on the floor.

- Slowly, by pressing your forearms and palms on the ground, raise your legs upwards. Make sure you do not lift any other part of your body.

- Slowly lower your legs back down till they’re just above the floor. Hold for a moment. Breathe evenly.

- Raise your legs back up. Repeat.

* Crunches

- Lie on your back, bring your knees upwards. Place your feet, hip-width apart, flat on the ground.

- Place your hands behind your head for support. Do not lace your fingers with each other. Keep your elbows at ease.

- Gently pull your abdominals inward. Make sure the pressure is mostly on your stomach muscles/abs only.

- Curl up and forward so that your head, neck, and shoulder blades lift off the floor.

- Hold for a moment at the top of the movement and then lower slowly back down.

- Repeat this 10 times to make one rep. Do 10-15 of such reps.

* Squats

- Stand upright with your feet apart at your shoulders’ length. Face forward.

- Extend your hands straight out in front of you to help keep your balance.

- Sit back and down like you’re sitting into an imaginary chair. Keep your head facing forward as your upper body bends forward a bit. Make sure you do not curve your back and lean forward on your knees.

- Lower down so your thighs so that they are parallel to the floor, with your knees over your ankles.

- Keep your body tight, and push through your heels to bring yourself back to the starting position. Do not hold your breath through the process; breathe deeply and consciously

* Arm Raise

- Take two dumbbells of 1 kg each in either hands. In a straight standing position, lift your arms sideways so that your shoulder and elbow align and are parallel to the floor. Your hands (and dumbbells) should be near your shoulders.

- Raise both arms together in a straight upwards direction so that your shoulders, elbows and wrists align in one single line and are perpendicular to the floor. Hold this for 5 seconds.

- Slowly, while exhaling, lower your elbows and let your hands rest near your shoulders.

- Repeat this 10 times to make 1 rep. Do 3 reps like this in one workout session.