All stretches should be held for 15-20 secs and repeated twice.
A good indication of how far you should stretch is to only go as far as you can go whilst maintaining normal regular breathing. You should avoid holding your breath and pushing the stretch into pain.
Here is a sequence of moves that flow nicely from one stretch to the next.
Child’s pose
- Good stretch for lower back, upper back and shoulders.
- Start in 4point kneeling and sit back as far as you can on your heels
- Reach arms as far forward as is comfortable
Mid back rotation
- Good stretch for stiff rib cage, upper back and shoulders
- Start in 4 point kneeling and reach one arm under the opposite arm pit, rotating through rib cage
Downward dog
- Good stretch for hamstrings, calves, lower back and shoulders
- Start in 4 point kneeling and lift your tail bone up to the sky
- Gently try to lower heels to ground as far as is comfortable
Cobra
- Good stretch for abdominals, hips flexors and lower back
- Lie flat on stomach with legs and bottom relaxed
- Gently push through your arms to lift chest off the ground as far as comfortable
Now turn over onto your back
Lower back rotation
- Good stretch for lower back and rib cage
- Lie with arms out to the side, knees bent up and feet together
- Drop knees to one side as far as you can go without lifting the shoulders off the ground
- Look to opposite direction with head
Now stand up
Quads stretch
- Good for hip flexors and quads
- Stand with feet and knees together
- Lift one foot up behind you and try to keep your knees together
Half moon
- Good for shoulders, abdominals, whole spine and outside of legs (ITB)
- Stand with feet together
- Reach hands together above head and lean over to one side, reaching as high as you can.
