Stretching Day 15 – Habit Nest

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    Stretching Day 15

    DYNAMIC WARMUP

    1. Push-Up

    1. Lie on the ground face down and place your hands shoulder-width apart. Push your body off the ground through your hands while keeping your back as straight as possible.
    2. Lower yourself back down until your chest nearly touches the ground as you inhale.
    3. Exhale and press your upper body back up 
to the starting position while squeezing 
your chest, arms, and abdominal muscles.

    2. Good Morning

    1. With feet hip-width apart, stand upright, knees slightly bent, and place your hands at the back of your head, elbows opened wide.
    2. Engage your abdominal muscles by pulling them into your spine.
    3. Keeping your spine neutral and pressing 
your rear backward, bend forward at the 
hips and continue doing so until your back 
is nearly parallel to the floor.
    4. Slowly return to standing, engaging your 
core and squeezing your glutes at the top 
of the movement.
    5. Perform the movement 15-20 times.

     

    3. Standing Hip Circles

    1. Stand straight with your feet a little wider than shoulder-width apart.
    2. Slightly bend your knees and place your hands on your hips.
    3. Rotating clockwise, make as big of a circle as you can with your hips, bending your torso at the waist backwards, to the side, and forwards as you rotate your hips. Perform 10-15 repetitions.
    4. Then, perform 10-15 repetitions rotating your body counterclockwise.

     

     

    UPPER BODY STRETCHES

    1. Up & Down Neck Tilt

    Starting position: This can be done while 
you're seated or standing.

    1. Start with your head squarely over your shoulders and your back straight.
    2. Lower your chin toward your chest, hold for 3-5 seconds. Relax, and slowly lift your head back up.
    3. Tilt your chin up toward the ceiling and 
bring the base of your skull toward your back. 
Hold, and then alternate.
    4. Repeat both motions in succession, alternating every few seconds.

     

    2. Side Neck Tilt

    Starting position: Stand with your feet 
hip-width apart and arms down by your sides, 
or sit in a chair with your back straight.

    1. Gently tilt your head toward your right shoulder and try to touch it with your ear, while stretching to point the other ear to 
the ceiling.
    2. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds, then return to the start position.
    3. Perform the same stretch on your left side. Hold for 15 seconds.

     

    3. Forward & Backward Neck Tilt

    Starting position: Stand with your feet 
hip-width apart and arms down by your sides, 
or sit in a chair with your back straight.

    1. Stand straight with your feet hip-width 
apart and arms down by your sides.
    2. Gently reach your chin directly forward in front of you as far as you can, as if you were trying to touch the wall in front of you with your chin.
    3. Hold the stretch for 3-5 seconds, then return 
to the starting position.
    4. Pull your chin inward, as if you were trying 
to pull it into your spine. Hold for 3-5 seconds, and return to the starting position.
    5. Repeat both stretches in succession for 
30 seconds.

    4. Lateral Side to Side Neck Rotation

    Starting position: Stand with your feet hip-width apart and arms down by your sides, 
or sit in a chair with your back straight.

    1. Gently turn your head directly to the right, 
as if you were trying to turn around and see what was behind you. Hold the stretch for 3-5 seconds, then return to the starting position.
    2. Perform the same movement on the other side, hold for 3-5 seconds, and then return to the starting position.
    3. Repeat both stretches in succession for 
a total of 30 seconds.

     

    5. Child's Pose

    Starting position: Get into a tabletop position, 
with your hands directly under your shoulders 
and your knees in line with your hips.

    1. Push your butt back towards your feet as far 
as possible.
    2. Stretch your arms out on the floor in front of you until you feel like your spine is elongating.
    3. Reach forward with your fingers to further elongate the spine, to the extent that it feels good and comfortable.
    4. Hold the stretch for 60 seconds and deepen 
the stretch when you feel it is possible by further elongating your spine.

    6. Cat-Cow

    Starting position: Get into tabletop position on the floor, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your knees in line with your hips. The neck should begin neutrally, looking at the floor in front of you.

    1. As you lift your head, push your chest forward towards the floor, allow your belly to sink, 
pull your shoulder blades back, and your 
butt/tailbone up towards the ceiling. (Cow)
    2. Hold this pose for a few moments.
    3. Then, try to do the exact opposite and round your spine while releasing your head towards the floor, pulling your tailbone/butt towards the ground, and pulling your pubic bone forward. (Cat)
    4. Perform both movements in succession 
for 30 seconds, holding each pose for 
a few moments.

     

    7. Static Y Hold

    Starting position: Stand straight with your arms by your side.

    1. Keeping your arms completely straight, 
lift them above you to create a Y shape 
with your torso and your arms.
    2. Without moving your torso, and without bending your arms at all, try to pull your 
arms back behind your body to open 
the shoulder muscles as much as feels comfortable and right.
    3. Hold for 30 seconds.

     

    8. Corner Chest Stretch

    Starting position: Stand at a corner between 
two walls, about 1 foot away from the corner 
of the wall.

    1. Place one arm on each wall, with each forearm and palm resting comfortably on a wall.
    2. Lean in towards the wall as much as possible 
as you feel the stretch in your chest.
    3. Lean your head back as the front of your neck stretches, with your chin reaching towards 
the ceiling.
    4. Hold for 30 seconds.

     

     

    LOWER BODY STRETCHES

    1. Frog Pose

    Starting position: Lie facedown, bend your 
knees about 90 degrees, and spread them 
as wide as you can.

    1. Fold your hands under your forehead 
to relax the upper half of the body.
    2. Keeping your knees bent, sink your hips towards the floor.
    3. Hold for 60 seconds, and deepen the stretch by sinking your hips more towards the floor whenever possible.

    2. Butterfly

    Starting position: Sit on the ground and place 
the soles of your feet together in front of you. 
Let your knees bend out and fall to the ground 
as much as gravity allows them to.

    1. Place your hands on your feet and pull your heels towards you.
    2. Keep your back straight and your abs 
engaged as you let your knees relax and 
inch closer to the floor. You’ll feel the 
stretch in your groin muscles.
    3. Hold for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch whenever it feels comfortable to do so.

     

    3. Scorpion Pose

    Starting position: Lie on your stomach with your legs straight and arms extended out to the sides, forming a ’T’, with your palms face down.

    1. Keeping your left leg straight, lift your right leg off the floor, bend your knee, and cross your right foot behind your left leg and up towards your left hand. You’re aiming for a diagonal movement of the right foot towards the upper right part of your body.
    2. Hold the position for 30 seconds.
    3. Perform the same stretch on the other side.

     

    4. Runner's Lunge

    Starting position: Get into a push-up position with your hands and the balls of your feet on the floor, both shoulder-width apart, and a straight line running through your head down to your feet.

    1. Step your right foot to a point just outside your right hand. You should feel a stretch in your hip and groin area on the left side.
    2. If you feel comfortable and want a deeper stretch you can stretch more, lower your elbows closer to the floor instead of using your hands for stability.
    3. Hold for 30 seconds.
    4. Return to the starting position, and repeat with the left leg forward.

     

    5. Figure 4

    Starting position: Lie down on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor in 
front of you.

    1. Cross your left foot over your right knee.
    2. Grab your right leg with both hands and pull your right knee in towards your upper body until you feel a stretch in the glute muscles 
on the left side of your body.
    3. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds, then relax 
and return to the starting position.
    4. Repeat the stretch on the other side. 
Hold for 30 seconds.

     

    6. Seated Single Leg Hamstring Stretch

    Starting position: Sit on the floor with one leg extended straight out in front of you, the other leg bent comfortably so that the sole of your resting foot touches the inner thigh of the straight leg, and your back straight.

    1. Bend forward at the waist, making sure to keep the back straight and reach out towards your foot with your hands as far as you can.
    2. Hold for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch whenever it feels comfortable to do so.
    3. Relax and perform the same stretch on the other leg.

     

    7. Downward Dog

    Starting position: Begin on all fours, with your knees hip-width apart and your hands directly below your shoulders.

    1. Press back into your heels to straighten your knees and raise your butt up to the ceiling until you feel the stretch in your hamstrings. If you need to, extend your arms forward so that you can straighten your legs a bit more.
    2. Keep your head, neck, and spine aligned as you press back into the feeling of the stretch in the back of your legs and calves.
    3. Hold for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch whenever it feels comfortable to do so.

     

    8. Lateral Squat

    Starting position: Stand straight up with your 
feet very widely apart (double shoulder-width).

    1. Shift your weight to your right leg, bend your right knee, and push your hips back as if you’re going to sit down. This results in a slight squat towards your right leg. Keep your chest, 
back, and spine straight without curling 
or bending forward.
    2. Drop as low as possible towards your right 
foot while keeping your left leg straight and your left foot flat on the ground, with your toes on your left leg pointing directly in front of you.
    3. Hold for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch whenever it feels comfortable to do so.
    4. Relax, and repeat the same stretch on the 
other leg.

     

    9. Lateral Squat w/ Toe Raise

    Starting position: Stand straight up with your 
feet very widely apart (double shoulder-width).

    1. Shift your weight to your right leg, bend your right knee, and push your hips back as if you’re going to sit down. This results in a slight squat towards your right leg.
    2. Twist your left foot so that only your heel is on the ground and your toes are pointing straight up towards the ceiling.
    3. Turn your body so that you’re facing your 
left leg.
    4. Drop as low as possible towards your right foot while keeping your left leg straight with toes pointed to the ceiling. Find your balance in 
this position and place your hands on the 
floor as needed to stabilize.
    5. If possible, reach towards your left foot 
while bending only at the hip/waist, 
curling your back as little as necessary.
    6. Hold for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch whenever it feels comfortable to do so.
    7. Relax and perform the same stretch on 
the other leg.

     

    10. Reverse Tabletop

    Starting position: Sit on the floor with your feet shoulder-width apart and place your hands about shoulder-width apart as close to your shoulders as possible, with fingers facing away from your face.

    1. Flatten your fleet on the ground, and lift your whole body off the ground using your palms and feet glutes, and back muscles.
    2. Try to reach your hips towards the ceiling as high as you can, as you relax your head and neck and look up towards the ceiling.
    3. Hold for 30 seconds.

     

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