It’s important to incorporate stretching into your exercise regime, and even if you aren’t exercising regularly, a few stretches regularly will do you the world of good.
Try these easy stretches for a few minutes each day – hold for 30 seconds and breathe easily the whole time. Never stretch to the point of pain, but a little discomfort means your body is moving past its comfort zone and changing.
Hips
Stand with your feet underneath your hips. Take one long step backwards and keep both heels on the ground with your feet hip width apart. Hold on to a chair for balance if you need to. Now bend your front knee press your body weight forward, aiming to feel some ‘space’ and lengthening in the front of your hip (right hip if right foot is forward and vice versa).
Hamstrings
Stand facing the back of a chair with your feet beneath your hips. Place your hands on the back of the chair and lean your chest forward towards the ground, keeping your back and knees straight. Feel the stretch and the back of your legs. To intensify it, lift your tailbone while pressing your heels into the floor.
Neck
Stand with good posture, drop your shoulders and tip your ear towards your shoulder while looking straight ahead. It may pay to do this in a mirror, to ensure you are tipping your head to the side, rather than scrunching up your shoulder. Repeat on both sides.
Chest
Stand tall. Breathe in and lift your arms sideways to shoulder height and allow your hands to go slightly behind your body line. Lift your chest and open it. Keep your shoulders pressing down and neck long.
Back
Upper: Lift your arms straight out in front of you and cross your left hand over your right and touch palms together. Drop your shoulders down, then open your shoulder blades and reach your hands forward.
Lower: Lie on the floor on your back with legs out straight. Bend your right knee and let it cross over to the left side, twisting your torso. Keep both shoulders on the floor. Repeat on the other side.
Calves
Stand facing a wall close. Place your right toes on the wall (foot flexed) and leave your right heel on the floor. Lean forward. Repeat on the other left.