Total body stretch

When you wake up in the morning, do you stretch your body either before you get up or after you stand up? Sometimes, nothing feels better than stretching out those sleepy muscles! This stretch may be common sense, but most people need a good reminder of how to stretch the whole body correctly and most effectively. Note: Breathing is key.
To do this exercise, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your back with your arms extended over your head.
2. Inhale deeply and stretch your arms and your legs as far as you can in opposite directions
3. As you exhale, release the stretch and relax your whole body.
4. Repeat this exercise three or four times, each time trying to reach and stretch a little farther. Pull your bellybutton toward your spine as you stretch and lengthen.
5. After a few repetitions, try reaching one side at a time. As you inhale, reach and stretch your right side only. Exhale and relax; repeat on your left side.

A few do’s and don’ts for this exercise:

• Do point your toes and lengthen your legs as you reach.
•  Don’t arch your back.
•  Don’t hold your breath.

Spinal rotation with bent knees

This exercise lengthens and stretches the muscles of your back and abdominals. Use a pillow to soften the stretch for the morning. This stretch is great to get you ready for your day!
To do this exercise, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the bed.
2. Bring both knees toward your chest, placing your hands under each knee for support.
3. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, release your hands from your knees and slowly lower your legs to one side.
4. Extend the arm on the opposite side straight out to your side.
5. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds, taking several deep breaths as you relax into the stretch.
6. Slowly lift your knees back to center and repeat the same stretch on the other side.

A few do’s and don’ts for this exercise:

• Do keep your knees at a right angle.
• Do keep your shoulders down and relaxed.
•  Don’t hold your breath.

Both knees to chest stretching

This stretch is my all-time favorite for my lower back. The movements are gentle and
simple, so I think it’s the perfect way to wake up my lower back. I hope you think so, too!
To do this exercise, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the bed.
2. Bring both knees toward your chest, placing your hands under each knee for support. Breathe deeply. Everyone has different body types. To make this stretch comfortable, you may have to adjust where you put your knees. Some people will be more comfortable with their knees wide; some people might feel the stretch more with their knees closer to their chest. Move your knees around a little to find the spot that’s most comfortable for you and allows you to breathe easily.
3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths.

A few do’s and don’ts for this exercise:

•  bo reath slowly and rhythmically.
•  Do keep your hands under your knees to prevent any undue pressure on your knees.
•  Don’t lift your hips off the bed; try to maintain neutral spine.

If your lower back is fairly flexible, deepen the stretch by clasping your hands together in front of your shins

Supine alternating knee to chest

This exercise is designed to help you slowly begin to stretch your lower back and hamstrings while loosening the muscles around your hips.
First thing in the morning your joints are stiff and your muscles are tight, so make sure that you do this stretch gently and progressively, rhythmically and slowly. The last thing you want to do as soon as you wake up is tear your muscle fibers and cause aches and pains. Doing this exercise first with both knees bent allows a little more time for your back to warm up properly.
To do this exercise, follow these steps:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the bed.
2. Inhale deeply and as you exhale, lift your left knee toward your chest, using your hands for guidance (see Figure 1). Don’t hold the top of your kneecap. This can cause pressure on your knee joint. Instead, place your hands under your knee as you guide your knee forward.
3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths and then release.
4. Lower your leg back to the beginning position and repeat on your right leg.
5. Alternate left and right legs for eight to ten repetitions and then extend both legs straight.
6. Keeping your left leg straight, bring your right knee toward your chest, using your hands for guidance (see Figure 2). Try to bring your knee a little closer to your chest than when you had both knees bent at the beginning of this stretch. Remember not to hold the top of your kneecap. Instead, place your hands under your knee as you guide your knee forward.
7. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths.
8. Lower your knee back to the extended position and repeat on your left leg.
9. Repeat this exercise for eight to ten repetitions.

A few do’s and don’ts for this exercise:

• Do exhale as you bring your knee forward.
• Do keep your neck and shoulders relaxed.
• Don’t bring your knee so far forward that it causes your hips to lift off your bed.
• Don’t hold the top of your kneecap.

Standing side reach

Finishing this routine with a good side reach gets you geared up for more complex, integrated stretches that you do later on. You feel this stretch in your shoulder, back, abs, and even the top part of your hip.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand up very tall with your feet apart and toes forward.
2. Reach your left arm directly overhead, using the muscles in your upper back to keep your shoulder blade down.
3. Inhale and as you exhale, bend to the right and reach with your left arm up and out and away from your body. Make sure to keep your hips and legs anchored to the floor. Rest your right hand on your right thigh for extra support (see Figure).
4. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths.
5. Repeat the stretch on your other side. If you notice tension in your shoulders, just keep your elbow bent instead of reaching with a straight arm.

A few do’s and don’t for this stretch:

• Do bend only to the side — no twisting or arching your back.
• Do keep your shoulder blades down.
• Do open up your chest, keeping your shoulders and hips facing forward.
• Do breathe through the stretch.
• Don’t hold the stretch if you feel tension or pain.
• Don’t arch your back or bend forward.
• Don’t twist.
• Don’t lift your opposite heel; keep both feet flat on the floor.

Standing forearm stretch

This stretch helps combat the discomfort caused by repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome. You should feel this stretch throughout your forearms and wrists.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand up tall with the palm of one hand against the fingers of the other hand. Keep your elbows lifted toward the ceiling.
2. Inhale and as you exhale gently press the heel of your hand against your fingers (see Figure).
3. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds.
4. Repeat on the other hand.

If this stretch is more comfortable to hold for a few seconds and then repeat several times instead of just holding for the full 30 seconds, that’s okay. Do what makes you comfortable. Stretching shouldn’t be painful!
A few do’s and don’t for this stretch:

• Do stand up tall with good posture.
• Don’t tense or lift your shoulders.
• Don’t hold your breath.
• Don’t let your elbows drop.

Standing wrist stretch

This stretch increases and maintains flexibility in your wrists and forearms. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart.
2. Hold your arms straight and lift them slightly out in front of your body, your hands at about the level of your hips, palms facing each other (see Figure 1).
3. As you exhale, rotate your thumbs downward as if you were turning two knob handles (see Figure 2).
4. Continue rotating as far as you can for about 30 seconds.

It may be more comfortable for you to hold this stretch for a few seconds and then repeat several times instead of just holding for the full 30 seconds.
A few do’s and don’t for this stretch:

• Do stand up tall with good posture.
• Do keep your elbows slightly bent.
• Don’t tense or lift your shoulders.
• Don’t hold your breath.
• Don’t lock your elbows.

Seated forward bend

You should feel this stretch along your spine and throughout your entire back. By hinging at your hips, you release any tension in your back muscles and help stretch out the vertebrae in your spine.
To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Sit on a chair with your feet flat on the floor and your tummy pulled in or abdominals tight(see Figure).
2. Inhale and as you exhale, bend forward at the hips as far as you can comfortably stretch, letting your arms hang down toward the ground (see Figure).
3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths.
4. Slowly roll back up, stacking one vertebra on top of the other until you’re sitting up tall.

A few do’s and don’t for this stretch:

• Do start the motion from your hips, not from your back.
• Do start the stretch in the comfort zone, gradually getting deeper with each breath.
• Don’t hold your breath.
• Don’t force the stretch.
• Don’t hold tension in your shoulders.

Seated lateral shoulder stretch

This stretch is for the middle part of your deltoid muscle. If you’re wondering if you even have a deltoid, the answer is yes — it’s the muscle that runs across the front, middle, and back of your shoulder.
To do this stretch:

1. Sit up very tall and raise your right elbow to shoulder height and place your right hand on your left shoulder.
2. Place your left hand on your right elbow and as you exhale, gently pull your elbow toward your left shoulder.
3. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and then repeat the steps with your left arm.

If you want to try a slightly different version of the same stretch, try keeping your arm straight, rather than bending at the elbow, as you reach across your body.
A few do’s and don’t for this stretch:

• Do sit up tall with good posture.
• Do keep your hips and shoulders facing the front of the room.
• Do keep your shoulder blade down.
• Don’t twist at the waist.
• Don’t tense or lift your shoulders.
• Don’t hold your breath.
• Don’t jam or force your elbow back.