The Power of a Good Stretch

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The Power of a Good Stretch

Carol Lafferty: Certified yoga instructor (YRT-200) & Olympic yoga and flexibility coach • Jul 08, 2020

Stretch Your Body's Limits For Instant Wellness

As a warm-up or as a cool-down, stretching has always been an important part of working out. Its benefits are invaluable: stretching improves your posture and flow, is excellent for your spine, helps with your balance, and will relieve some tension from your muscles.

A good stretch twice per week can do wonders for you. Whether you’re working from home and in need of a break, finishing a good workout, or just waking up before heading to the office, a quick stretching session will always help your body relax and your mind re-center. Don’t know where to begin and what to do? Don’t worry, here are our favorite, simple-yet-effective positions to have you feeling relaxed and fresh! Hold each for 5 deep cycles of breath.

Seated Twist & Side Bend

Sit cross-legged on the floor and bring your right hand behind your back as close to your body as comfortable, fingers pointing behind you. Place your left hand on top of your right thigh. As you inhale, gentle push onto the floor behind you with your right hand to straighten the spine. As you exhale, use your opposite hand as leverage to twist to your right. Keep your neck neutral or gaze over your shoulder. Twist a little deeper with every exhale for 5 breaths. Switch to the other side and repeat.

Sitting back in a neutral cross-legged position, extend your right hand out onto the floor beside you. Keeping both sitting bones grounded on the floor, slowly start to bend your right elbow towards the floor whilst bringing your left arm over your head. Bring your left bicep towards the ear whilst keeping the left palm facing down. Gently draw the left elbow back to slightly open the chest up towards the sky. Use each exhalation to go deeper into the side bend. Hold for 5 breaths and repeat on the opposite side.
Muscles engaged: shoulders, abs, obliques, back, chest, neck.
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Forward Fold with Chest Stretch

Stand up straight with your feet hip width apart. Interlace your fingers behind your back and gently lower them towards the floor behind you to open up your chest and shoulders. Gently stretch your neck upwards and gaze towards the sky. Take a deep inhale here. As you exhale, drop your chin towards your chest and start to raise your interlaced hands away from your lower back.

Continuing with the exhalation, start to bend forward with a slight bend in the knees, raising your interlaced hands above your head if possible. Relax your shoulders and let gravity ease your hands towards the floor in front of you. Start to straighten your legs to further elongate the hamstrings and calves, but try maintain a micro-bend in the knees (do not lock the knees). Hold for 5 deep breaths and work at bringing your nose or chin towards your knees.
Muscles engaged: Hamstrings, shoulders, calves, back, chest, neck.
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Low Crescent Lunge

From a standing position, bend both knees as deeply as needed until you can plant your hands on either side of your feet. Step your left foot all the way back until you are in a runner’s lunge. Lower your left knee down to the floor and bring the top of your foot onto the floor (do not tuck the toes). If your hips are right above the left knee, lean your upper body forward until you can feel a stretch in the upper thigh and psoas muscle. Adjust your right foot so that your right knee is directly on top of your right ankle (this helps to protect the knee).

Slowly raise both hands above your head, keeping them shoulder-width apart, or join the hands together. Gaze up towards your hands and slowly start to bend backwards, opening up the chest to the sky. Hold here for 5 deep breaths. Bring both hands to either sides of your front foot, tuck your left toes onto the floor and step the left foot to meet the right. Repeat on the other side.
Main muscles engaged: core, hips, quadriceps, lower back.
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Butterfly Fold

In a seated position, bend both knees and bring the soles of your feet together. Draw your feet as close to the groin as is comfortable and wrap your hands around your feet (you can also use your hands to open the feet up like a book so that both soles face the sky for a deeper stretch). Bring your elbows onto your thighs to gently open up the hips and groin, drawing the knees closer to the floor. Take a deep inhale and straighten the spine.

As you exhale, use your hands as leverage to slowly pull your upper body forwards, drawing your chest towards your feet. Try to keep your back as straight as possible. There is No need to go very low, just bend into it slightly, challenging yourself but making sure there is no pain.
Main muscles engaged: Inner thighs, groin, hips, lower back.
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Reclined Pigeon Pose

Lay on your back with your knees bent and soles of your feet flat on the floor. Bring your left ankle to rest on your right thigh, just above the knee. Thread your left arm through the triangle you’ve created with the legs and grab a hold of your right hamstring, or the top of your shin for a deeper stretch.

Keep your head resting on the floor and left foot flexed at all times (this helps to protect the knee). As you exhale, slowly use your arms to pull the right knee towards your chest whilst using your left elbow to gently push the left thigh away from you with an equal and opposing force. Use each exhalation to draw your knee closer to your chest. Hold for 5 deep breaths and repeat on the other side.
Main muscles engaged: lower back, hip flexors, glutes, hamstring.
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Puppy Dog Pose

Come on to all fours and bring your hands forward, pushing your chest towards the floor and have your hips above your knees. Drop your forehead or chin to the floor and breathe into your back, feeling your spine lengthen.
Main muscles engaged: Spine, shoulders, upper back, arms, abs.
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A great tip to also keep in mind about stretching is to save your most relaxing stretches for after your workout and get into your most active positions when you warm up. This will broaden your range of motion when you sweat it out. And never force your body into a position, or you could cause serious damage and injuries.

Stay safe, and enjoy the stretch!

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