Stretching How often are you one a web site or surfing through the web and see “life hack! Do these simple things and you will be healthy!” Well I think we all know that doesn’t quite work, anything worth having doesn’t come easy and that includes your health and wellness. We can’t give you a quick fix for your health because it doesn’t really exist, but we can give you some tips on how to make your routine a bit easier to accomplish. Some of us love working out, others do it out of necessity. There are about a hundred different ways you can exercise and one of those ways that a lot of people do is yoga. Yoga is great and if you love going to the classes then keep at it! However some of us don’t love the classes or simply don’t have the time to fit them into our busy schedule. That is ok, we can still realize some of the amazing benefits of stretching without making it to the yoga classes! Try waking up just 20 minutes earlier or take an extra 15 minutes after lunch at work to roll out a mat and do these 5 stretches. Figure 4 stretch – Lie on your back and cross your left ankle over your right knee. Pull your right thigh towards you and hold. Then do the same stretch with your opposite leg. Muscles Targeted: Glutes Chest Opener – Sometimes we forget that the upper body needs to be stretched as well. Stand facing a corner in your room, with your arms bent at shoulder height press your palms into the wall. Lean inward pressing your chest towards the wall. Muscles Targeted: Chest and Shoulders Man on the Beach – Ok this probably isn’t the real name, but my high school gym teacher called it this and the name forever stuck with me. Cross your right foot over your left knee, twist to the right placing your left elbow outside your right knee and look over your shoulder. Hold then switch sides. Muscles Targeted: Back and Obliques Straight leg pull – Lie on your back and with a band or a towel loop it around the sole of your right foot. Pull your leg towards your chest and hold. Then switch legs Muscles Targeted: Hamstring Calf Stretch – Standing next to a wall put the toes of your right foot against the wall. Lean towards the wall while keeping your leg straight, then switch legs. Muscles Targeted: Calves The benefits of stretching everyday are too numerous for us to list them all, but we can tell you a few of them. Relieve stress, relieve stiff muscles and creaky joints, eases back pain, prevents injury, promotes blood circulation and reduces soreness. Our bodies all need a little more help now then in the past. Our mind might think we are 25, but our body doesn’t feel that way. With an easy everyday stretching routine you can get your body back to feeling young and heathy again.
