Stretching Day 2 – Habit Nest

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    Stretching Day 2

    DYNAMIC WARMUP

    1. Inch Worm Walk Out

    1. Stand straight up with feet hip-width apart. Keep knees slightly bent.
    2. Bend at the waist and fold over in a slow and controlled manner to reach your hands to the ground. Bend your knees as much as necessary to actually have your hands firmly planted on the ground.
    3. Walk your hands forward until you find yourself in a push-up position.
    4. Hold the push-up position for 1-2 seconds, squeezing your core, butt, and hamstring muscles.
    5. Walk your hands back to your feet until you’re comfortable enough to stand up again.
    6. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions total.

     

    2. Clam Opener w/ Side Plank

    1. Lie on your right side on the floor, using your right forearm to hold your upper body up and with your legs on top of each and your knees bent up to about hip level.
    2. In one motion, while squeezing your glutes and keeping your core nice and tight, open your knees as widely as you can, and lift the right side of your body off the floor by pushing off the floor with your right knee and forearm.
    3. Hold for 1-2 seconds, and then return to the starting position.
    4. Repeat this 10-15 times on the right side, and then 10-15 times on the left side, for a total of 20-30 repetitions.

     

    3. Low Lunge w/ Elbow Twist

    1. Stand tall with feet hip-width apart.
    2. Step forward with your right foot.
    3. Bend your knee to get into a low lunge position. Make sure not to bend your knee past your toes. There should be a straight line from your knee down to your ankle.
    4. Tilt your torso forward and down by bending 
at the hip.
    5. Put your left hand on the floor for stabilization, and twist your spine to the extent it’s comfortable and try to get as close as you 
can to touching your right elbow to your 
right foot (or the floor next to your foot).
    6. Return to the starting position (standing up).
    7. Step with the left foot, and perform the same movement with the other side.
    8. Alternate each time, and perform a total 
of 20-30 repetitions.

     

     

    UPPER BODY STRETCHES

    1. 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. Peddle 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.

      2. Levator Scap Neck Stretch

      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. Put your right hand on the back of your head with your fingertips reaching the base of your skull. Fingertips should be facing down 
your spine.
      2. Bring your chin to your chest and turn the 
back of your head towards your right armpit.
      3. Hold the stretch for 15 seconds, and then relax.
      4. Repeat the same stretch on the left side for 
15 seconds.

      3. 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.

      4. Leaning Long Arm Shoulder Stretch

      Starting position: Choose an object you can hold 
in front of you that is high enough for you to grab with your hands, and sturdy enough that it won’t fall when you fold your body over (think: table or chair). Ideally, it should be somewhere in between belly and chest-height. Stand in front of the object and grab it with your hands.

      1. Take a few steps back to give yourself space, and shift your body weight forward, bending 
at the waist to create a stretch in the chest and shoulder muscles.Elongate the arms and spine as much as possible while trying to open the chest and shoulder muscles by pushing your torso towards the ground.
      2. Hold for 30 seconds.

      5. 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.

      6. Open Book Chest Stretch

      Starting position: Lie down on your left side, 
with both knees bent and legs lying on top 
of each other on the ground.

      1. Stretch your left arm out so it's extended horizontally to the side of your body, with 
the palm facing up.
      2. Extend your right hand, and place it directly on the left hand, so now both of your arms and legs are simply lying on top of each other.
      3. Without moving your legs at all, raise your right arm and, making a semi-circle, twist your head and torso to the other side as you try to place your right arm on the floor to the right side of your body, as if you were an open book.
      4. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds.
      5. Repeat the same stretch on the other side.

      7. Seated Forward Curl

      Starting position: Sit in a chair with your feet 
flat on the ground.

      1. Bending at the waist, bend your whole 
upper body towards the floor, as if you 
were trying to touch your chest to the floor.
      2. Stretch and hold for 30 seconds, 
trying to deepen the stretch as you relax.

       

       

      LOWER BODY STRETCHES

      1. Seated Forward Fold Hamstring Stretch

      Starting position: Sit down on the floor and straighten both legs in front of you while 
sitting upright.

      1. With both arms, reach towards your feet as far as you can while only bending the upper body at the waist and keeping your spine straight.
      2. Hold for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch whenever it feels comfortable to do so.

      2. 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.

      3. 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.

      4. Standing Quad Stretch

      Starting position: Stand with your whole 
body relaxed.

      1. While balancing on your left foot, grab the bottom of your right shin, where it meets 
your foot, by bending your leg behind you.
      2. Tuck your pelvis in, and pull your shin 
toward your butt (glutes), making sure your knee is pointing to the ground, or as close to the ground as possible.
      3. Hold for 30 seconds, deepening the stretch whenever it feels comfortable to do so.
      4. Relax and perform the same stretch on 
the other leg.

       

      5. 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.

      6. Reclining Angle Bound Pose

      Starting position: Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.

      1. Turn your feet so now the sides of your feet are on the ground and there is an open space between your knees.
      2. Bring the soles of your feet together, pull them up towards your butt as much as you can.
      3. Allow your knees to open up and drop closer to the floor.
      4. Hold for 30 seconds.

      7. Standing Wall Calf Stretch w/ Achilles Focus

      Starting position: Stand directly in front of a wall, about 6 inches to 1 foot away from it.

      1. Put your hands on the wall and slightly bend your knees.
      2. Place the left foot a tiny bit back from your right foot, and flex your left foot so that it’s on the left toes.
      3. Bend your right knee so that it inches closer to the wall so you feel a stretch in the bottom of your right calf, where the Achilles tendon is. Bend as far forward as possible while keeping the right heel on the ground.
      4. Hold for 15 seconds, deepening the stretch whenever it feels comfortable to do so.
      5. Relax and perform the same stretch on the other leg.

      }