Some of my Type A clients have a lot of trouble making time at the end of their workouts for a stretch and I know how they feel. It's hard to slow down and relax when you have to so much to do - Who has time to stretch, right? Unfortunately, you're doing your body a disservice when you skip stretching. Not only can you improve your flexibility and relax your body, you can also work on those chronically tight areas that only get worse as the day goes on (like the hips, back and chest).
To help my busy clients out, I put together 3 simple yoga-based moves that stretch multiple muscles at the same time. Each move flows well together, so you can do them as a series 2-3 times, which should only take a few minutes. In fact, these stretches are great at any time, so you should probably do them right now...just watch for the boss.
Warrior I
Step forward with the right foot into a lunge, keeping the back leg straight and the left toes pointed out at about 45-degrees, heel down on the floor. Keep the right knee directly above the ankle and the hips squared to the front. Sweep the arms up and overhead and look up as you slide the shoulders down and away from the ears. Stretch and hold for 10-15 seconds and move into Modified Triangle.
Modified Triangle
From Warrior I, turn to the side and take the right arm down, resting the forearm on the thigh. Take the left hand straight up over the shoulder. Focus on keeping the spine straight rather than rounding over the leg. Hold for 10-15 seconds and move into Low Lunge with a Twist.
Low Lunge with a Twist
Get into a low lunge with the left leg back, back knee resting on the floor, right knee forward and directly over the ankle. Twist to right, bringing the left elbow outside of the right thigh and pressing the palms together in a prayer position. Use the arms to deepen the twist, feeling a stretch in the hip flexor as well as the back. Hold for 10-15 seconds and then repeat the series on the other side.
Got any favorite stretches? Leave a comment and tell us about them.
Good stretches. I will give them a try tonight. I’m always looking for something new.
Mark
Great, streches, I did gave them a try and felt great. i couldn’t workout today, and these streches help me.
I learned these in a yoga class. I don’t look as graceful when I do them though!
I always do tai chi first thing with coffee and the movements are great stretches and helping start the day at 77
omg i have triede it and i lost 4 punds in ten days! which i used to work it out every night before i go to sleep!!!!!!!!!!1
Great poses! Stretches the sides and spine which suffer a great deal from our office sitting positions.
Do send more