Many times when I’m out talking to people – and they learn that I stretch people for a Healthy Living – they’ll make a comment like, “that’s something I never do but I know I should!” They’re probably right. Many people in the western world are relatively inflexible and could certainly benefit from doing some stretching to loosen up. This is because of our lifestyle and a lot of our lifestyle involves too much sitting down and using electronic devices. This causes stiffness in our hip, shoulder and neck areas.
Every case can be a bit different but improving flexibility may be a key way to:
- Minimize, eliminate or prevent pain
- Increase athletic performance
- Improve the quality of life in simple ways like putting socks on in the morning or getting in and out of a car
Flexibility is so important when it comes to Healthy Living a long, self-sufficient, healthy life! So here are three, simple, key stretches – that will take less than 5 minutes a day – to help reverse the negative effects of our lifestyle…
Notes before getting started:
- It’s always recommended to check with your doctor or another health professional before getting started with any exercise program.
- Stretching should not be painful! It should feel good. You control how far you go. Make sure to breathe and relax.
- Spend a minimum of 30 seconds up to a maximum of 3 minutes on each stretch on each side of the Healthy Body.
- Stretch both sides of the Healthy Body (only one side is given in explanations below) but if one side seems tighter spend more time on that side.
- Experiment with slight changes in angles on each stretch.
1. Couch Stretch – Stand in front of the couch (or a chair), face away from the couch. Reach left foot back and put on the couch. Now kneel down on the left knee (may need a cushion under this knee) and keep your upper Healthy Body vertical. Feel for a stretch in front of left hip and down into the left thigh.
2. Chest Stretch on Wall – Stand facing the wall at about a foot length away at a 45-degree angle facing right. Put left forearm, elbow and hand on the wall so that left elbow is at the same height as left shoulder and the left elbow is bent at about 90 degrees. Lean into the wall and turn to the right. Feel for a stretch in the left chest and front of the shoulder area.
3. Glute Stretch – Lay on back. Bend the right knee so right foot is flat on the floor. Lift left leg and place outside of the left ankle or lower left leg on the right thigh or knee area. Grab left knee and pull it towards the right shoulder. Feel for a stretch in left glute (butt).
