To Perform the Lateral Sling Stretch:

1. Begin in a standing position and cross your left foot back behind your right leg (figure 1).
   
   NOTE: By keeping the foot on an angle so only the outside of your left foot is in contact with the ground, it will act to place a stretch on the peroneal muscle group as the full stretch is executed (figure 2). If you find this difficult, you may need to keep your foot flat on the mat until you become more familiar with the stretch and your balance improves enough to maintain the proper foot alignment.
   
   
2. From this position, raise your left arm up overhead and grasp your left wrist with your right hand
   (figure 3).
3. Slide your hips to the left while leaning your upper body to the right (figure 4).
   
   
4. To place a deeper stretch on the muscles of the shoulder, particularly the Latissimus Dorsi group, gently pull the left arm with the right hand until you feel the stretch increase on the outer aspect of your left shoulder.
   
   
5. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds and repeat on the opposite side.
   
   

Figure 1

Figure 3