Instead of hitting the snooze button in the morning, take an extra 10 minutes to stretch. You don't even have to leave the bed to do them! Try this simple stretching sequence when you wake up tomorrow to get your blood flowing and your body primed for your day.
- Upward Stretch - Lace your fingers together and raise your hands above your head, palms facing upward. Elongate your spine and feel the stretch in your ribcage and arms. Hold for a count of ten and then incorporate a sitting side stretch into the sequence to target your torso.
- Neck and Shoulder Stretch - To stretch the muscles on the right side of your neck, turn your left ear over to your left shoulder and hold for twenty seconds. Repeat on the other side to stretch out your left side. Relax for a moment and then roll your shoulders to the back, and then to the front. Then lift them right up to your ears, tensing the muscles, and allow them to drop completely. Repeat this entire sequence three times.
- Spinal Twist - Hold the pose for at least 30 seconds on each side and don't be alarmed if you hear some "cracks" in your spine when you twist your spine. Don't force anything here, just feel your spinal column wringing itself out after a good night's sleep.
- Lying Side Quad Stretch - To really maximize your quad stretch, squeeze your glute max while engaged in the stretch. Since quads are one of the most overworked muscles in the body, make sure to stretch 'em every day.
- Hamstring Stretch - Make sure that when you do this stretch your pelvis is square (keep your hips centered and flat). Think of this stretch as a way to wake up your legs, rather than helping you make it into the splits. Circle your ankles a few times in each direction, too.
Have a great day!! :-)
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