One thing I have really been trying to focus on the last couple months is pre and post workout stretches! I am definitely one that will either bypass them all together, or do a few half-ass stretches. SO I wanted to highlight some pretty basic - yet effective - go-to pre and post workout stretches you can easily fit in before each workout session and feel so much better after!
PRE-WORKOUT:
FOCUSING ON SOME MORE ACTIVE WARM-UP STRETCHES TO GET THE BODY READY FOR THE WORKOUT AND YOUR HEART PUMPING A LITTLE
NECK STRETCH - EAR GOES TO SHOULDER WITHOUT REACHING YOUR SHOULDER UP; GENTLY PRESS NECK DOWN IN FRONT TOO TO FEEL IT IN THE BACK
ARM CIRCELS - ROTATE YOUR ARMS OUT TO THE SIDE AND FRONT AND BACK WARMING UP YOUR ARMS AND SHOULDERS
UPPER BODY TWIST - WARM UP YOUR ABDOMINAL MUSCLES AND BACK
BACK BODY TWIST AND STRETCH - STARTING IN T, REACH RIGHT HAND TO OPPOSITE FOOT AND SWITCH (FEELING IT IN YOUR BACK BODY)
SHOULDER AND BACK STRETCH - FIRST TILT YOUR HEAD BACK OPENIGN UP YOUR NECK, THEN SLOWLY BEND FORWARD BENDING YOUR KNEES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND LIFTING YOUR ARMS UP OFF YOUR SHOULDERS
BACK BODY AND HAMSTRING STRETCH - GRAB A BIND WITH YOUR TOES OR PLACE HANDS RIGHT AT HEEL LEVEL
QUAD AND HIP OPENER - PULL ONE KNEE INTO YOUR CHEST, AND YOU CAN STAY HERE OR OPEN YOUR KNEE TO THE SIDE TO FEEL A HIP OPENER (NOTE: USING THE WALL FOR BALANCE IS NEVER BAD!)
SHOULDER AND BACK ARM STRETCH - WITH YOUR ARM OUT, LEAN YOUR SHOULDER ON THE WALL FACING IT, THEN START TURNING YOUR BODY AWAY FROM THE WALL AND YOU WILL FEEL YOUR SHOULDER AND BACK ARM START TO OPEN UP
POST-WORKOUT:
I TEND TO DO A COUPLE MORE STRETCHING AFTER THE WORKOUT, FOCUSING ON RELAXING MY BODY AND GETTING INTO DEEPER STRETCHES
CLASSIC QUAD STRETCH
COMPLETE ARM STRETCH - FIRST CROSSING ACROSS YOUR BODY PULLING INWARD, THEN OVERHEAD PULLING YOUR ELBOW OR WRIST DOWN FOR A TRICEP STRETCH
TWIST AND SHOULDER OPENER - FIRST JUST GENTLY TWISTING TO EACH SIDE USING YOUR KNEE FOR SUPPORT, THEN WITH THE BACK OF YOUR HAND ON YOUR OPPOSITE HIP, PRESS INTO THAT HAND AND TURN YOUR HEAD THE OPPOSITE WAY - YOU’LL FEEL A SUBTLE BUT SUPER EFFECTIVE SHOULDER OPENER
SIDE BEND AND BACK/HIP OPENER - GENTLY PULLING YOUR WRIST TO THE SIDE OPENING UP YOUR SIDE BODY (OR HAND CAN BE ON THE GROUND INSTEAD OF HOLDING OPPOSITE WRIST), THEN WITH THE BOTTOM OF YOUR FEET TOUCHING AND KNEES OUT WIDE YOU CAN USE YOUR ELBOWS TO PUSH DOWN YOUR KNEES OPENING YOUR HIPS, AND THEN FINALLY JUST FOLDING FORWARD TO FEEL YOUR BACK OPEN
HALF FALLEN HERO QUAD AND HIP STRETCH - BEND ONE KNEE SO YOUR FOOT IS BY YOUR BUTT, THEN YOU CAN LEAN BACK AS FAR AS YOUR COMFORTABLE WITH (ON EACH LEG)
HIP AND OUTER THIGH STRETH - WITH ONE LEG OUT IN FRONT OF YOU, PLACE YOUR OTHER FOOT ON FLAT KNEE THEN RAISE UP THE STRAIGHT LEG (YOU’LL FEEL THIS IN YOUR HIP AND THE OUTSIDE OF YOUR THIGH)
INNER AND BACK THIGH STRETCH - WITH YOUR LEGS OPEN WIDE, SIMPLY FOLD FOWARD OVER EACH LEG AND THEN ALSO IN THE MIDDLE
AB AND BACK STRETCH - MOVING INTO A COBRA OR BABY COBRA POSE TO FEEL YOUR ABDOMINAL MUSCLES STRETCH, AND THEN INTO CHILDS POSE WITH ARMS FORWARD OR LAYING BESIDE YOU (CAN HOLD SEPARATELY OR MOVE BACK AND FORTH INTO THEM)
GENTLE NECK STRETCH AND A MOMENT OF MEDITATION - END WITH A GENTLE STRETCH OF YOUR NECK, PLUS A FEW DEEP BREATHS OF GRATITUDE FOR EVERYTHING YOU JUST DID!
Hopefully some of these are helpful to you when you’re in a bind or a rush to get some stretching in! It’s too important to your health and wellness routine to forget some type of pre and post stretching, and these are perfect moves that are easy to remember and hit all areas of the body. Here’s to your next good stretch!