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Stretching Your Legs:
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Lie on mat with knees bent, feet flat on mat. Lift right leg, with leg straight, knee soft (slightly bent), foot flexed. Now, with both hands reach around right leg. Keep hips to the mat, as you gently pull right leg toward your body. Feel mild tension in back of upper right leg. Hold 15 seconds, and repeat on other side.
- Lie on mat on left side. Left arm extended straight out, head resting on left arm. Keep left leg straight. Bend right knee, and reach back with right hand grasping right ankle, pressing heel towards buttocks. Feel mild tension in front of thigh. Hold 15 seconds, and repeat on other side. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVER STRETCH KNEE.
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Sit tall on mat with knees bent, bottoms of feet together, feet close to body. With hand on knees, lean chest forward slightly as you push knees down. Feel mild tension in inner thigh. Hold 15 seconds.
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Stand about 12 inches away from wall. Place forearms against wall and lean forward. Step back with the right leg, keeping the right leg straight and press the right heel down. Feel mild tension in the right calf. Hold 15 seconds, and repeat on other side.
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Stand with legs apart, feet pointing straight ahead. Bend forward at the hips, and place both palms down on the floor. Bend right knee as you move right hand toward the right foot. Transfer weight to the right heel as left toes come up off the floor. To protect the knees, be sure that the weight is on the right heel rather than toes. Fell mild tension in the left inner thigh. Hold for 15 seconds then repeat on the other side
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Stand with feet shoulder width apart, knees soft (slight bend), toes pointing straight ahead. Place hand down flat on floor about two feet in front of you. Step back with right leg and press right heel to the floor. Feel mild tension in the right calf. Hold 15 seconds then repeat on other side
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Stand holding wall or chair for balance. Bend right knee up behind you as you reach back and grasp right ankle with right hand, keeping the knee close to the body, pulling the heel towards the buttocks. Feel mild tension in front of thigh. Hold 15 seconds, and repeat on other side. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVER STRETCH KNEE.
Stretching Your Arms:
- Either sitting or standing, extend arms straight out to the side, with palms forward. Relax neck as you press straight arms back a hold, feeling mild tension through the chest. Hold 15 seconds.
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Either sitting or standing. Extend right arm out in front of body, with palm facing up. Grasp right fingers with left hands, and gently pull right fingers back and towards your body. Feel mild tension front of upper arm. Hold 15 seconds, and then repeat on other side.
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Either sitting or standing. Drop chin down to chest, and reach right arm straight up overhead, palm forward. Bend elbow and drop right hand to back of neck, now palm facing in. Reach overhead with left arm and grasp just below the right elbow with the left hand, gently pulling the right arm to the left. Feel mild tension in the back of the right upper arm. Hold 15 seconds and repeat on other side.
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Stand with feet outside shoulder width, toes pointing straight ahead. Place right hand on right hip for support and reach left arm up and overhead, bending torso to the right. Feel mile tension up through left side of torso. Hold 15 seconds. Repeat on other side.
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Either sitting or standing, with shoulders square, reach across body with right arm, and with left hand holding right arm just beyond elbow, press right arm closer in to the body, feeling mild tension in the shoulder. Hold 15 seconds, then repeat on left.
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Stand tall. Reach both hands behind you and interlock fingers together. Straighten arms. Pull shoulder blades together and down as you lift chest up, keeping neck down. Feel mild tension through chest. Hold 15 seconds.
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Either sitting or standing. Drop chin down to chest, and reach right arm straight up overhead, palm forward. Bend elbow and drop right hand to back of neck, now palm facing in. Reach overhead with left arm and grasp just below the right elbow with the left hand, gently pulling the right arm to the left. Feel mild tension in the back of the right upper arm. Hold 15 seconds and repeat on other side.
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Stand with feet outside shoulder width, toes pointing straight ahead. Place right hand on right hip for support and reach left arm up and overhead, bending torso to the right. Feel mile tension up through left side of torso. Hold 15 seconds. Repeat on other side.
Stretching Your Neck:
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Either sitting or standing. Drop chin down to chest, then keeping chin down close to body, roll neck from shoulder to shoulder in a smooth controlled motion. Side to side 10 times.
- Sit tall on step or chair, holding side of chair with left hand and reach right hand over hand, placing right hand on left ear. Drop right ear down to right shoulder, stopping when you feel mild tension. Hold for 15 seconds. Release then repeat to the left.
Stretching Your Back:
- Lay on your back on the edge of a bed or couch... with your head and arms hanging off. Then GRADUALLY... slip off the bed until your hands touch the floor. Just slipping off slowly is FUN, but here's the good stuff.
- Once you're hands are beginning to support you.. straighten your arms COMPLETELY at the elbows... look at your hands with your eyes.
- Now bend your arms and let your head touch the floor... then STRAIGHTEN them again.. so it's a type of "push-up" but the back muscles are working too! For MORE fun...slowly...bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the bed. Then... push UP into an arch stand.. feet UP on the bed.. hands DOWN on the floor.
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