18 Jan FIVE simple stretches to do in your WORKPLACE
[Guest Blog | Emily Berkelmans of Premium Pilates Studio]
We are all guilty of not stretching enough, particularly if we work several hours a day. The last thing we want to do when we come home is stretch, am I right? Below are five very easy, simple exercises that you can do at your workplace so that you do not have to feel as bad about flopping down onto your couch the minute you get home from work. However, your body may feel so good after these stretches that you may want to do them at home every night!
These five stretches should only take around five minutes out of your day, three times a day, so there is no excuse for ‘not having the time’ during your busy workday. I suggest stretching for five minutes once you get to work, five minutes before you eat your lunch and five minutes around 3pm, when we often start to feel lethargic and flat. Your body will thank you!
Rolldown
Setup: Stand up tall, spine long, feet hip distance apart, knees soft, arms relaxed long by your sides. Stand close to a wall if available. You may perform this exercise with flat shoes, however if you have heels on you must remove them.
The Stretch: As you exhale scoop the abs and imagine that you are peeling your spine off a wall, or actually roll down a wall, one vertebrae at a time until you can roll down no longer. Think of reaching your fingers towards the ground. Hold the stretch for 30 seconds to really relax into the stretch before rolling your spine back up slowly. Repeat twice in a row. Aim to perform this stretch twice a daily.
A little extra: Hold the rolldown and take hold of each elbow with your opposite hand. Sway your torso from side to side like a ragdoll keeping your legs still and slow. After 20-30 seconds curl up slowly.
Neck Stretch
Setup: Sit up straight, spine long, feet hip distance apart, knees soft, arms relaxed long by your sides, core engaged. You can do this stretch in flats or heels.
The Stretch: Gently take your right ear towards your right shoulder, keeping the right shoulder down and relaxed and your gaze down slightly. Think of reaching through the fingers of the left hand. Hold for 15 seconds before gently turning your chin towards your right shoulder. Again hold for 15 seconds before slowly lifting the head back to vertical and repeating both stretches on the other side. Repeat this stretch three times a day.
A little extra: After the two modifications, add a third in by gently tilting your head and nose up towards the ceiling and stretching out the front of your neck. Hold for 15 seconds before slowly lifting the head back to vertical and repeating the three exercises on the other side.
Pec Stretch
Setup: Stand up tall, spine long, close to a wall. Take your inside leg forwards and bend the knee slightly. Place the arm closest to the wall on the wall in a 90-degree angle.
The Stretch: Lean into the wall, like you are trying to kiss it, scoop your deep abdominals and then press your chest slightly away from the wall. With every exhale try to press away from the wall a little further. Hold for 30 seconds before swapping sides. Repeat this stretch twice a day.
A little extra: To feel this stretch in a slightly different part of the muscle, reach the fingers on the wall a little higher up so that the elbow sits higher than the shoulder and repeat the stretch.
Standing /Sitting Glut Stretch
Setup: Stand up tall, spine long, close enough to a wall that you can hold on for support if need be. If you are wearing a skirt or dress, you can perform this stretch sitting down at your chair.
The Stretch: Bend your right knee slightly and cross your left ankle over your right knee. Draw your stomach in as you lean forwards with the torso, chin tucked, tilting at the hips. Try to keep the left knee wide. Both hands can be on your hips or one or two hands on the wall for support. Hold for 30 seconds before swapping legs. Aim to repeat this exercise three times a day.
A little extra: With every exhale bend further into the right knee and tilt the torso forwards more, keeping the spine in one long line.
Hip Flexor Stretch two ways
Setup: for the Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch: Kneel on both knees, knees hip distance apart, making sure your have some form of padding for one knee. Bend your right leg out in front, taking the right ankle further forwards than the right knee. The padding should be under your left knee.
The Stretch: Place your left hand on the left side of your pelvis and your right hand on your left butt cheek. Using your abs, tilt your hips up towards the ceiling. Think of tucking your pubic bone up towards the belly button and flattening your lower back. Exhale to lean the body forwards slightly, really feeling the stretch in the upper left quad (front of the thigh). Hold for 30 seconds before swapping sides. Repeat three times a day.
A little extra: Reach the same arm as the leg you are stretching up towards the ceiling to intensify the stretch.
Setup: for the Standing Hip Flexor Stretch: Stand up tall, spine long, reach your right leg forwards in a small lunge, making sure that the right ankle is further forwards than the right knee.
The Stretch: Place your left hand on the left side of your pelvis and your right hand on your left butt cheek. Using your abs, tilt your hips up towards the ceiling. Think of tucking your pubic bone up towards the belly button and flattening your lower back. Exhale to lean the body forwards slightly, really feeling the stretch in the upper left quad (front of the thigh). Hold for 30 seconds before swapping sides. Repeat three times a day.
A little extra: Again reach the same arm as the leg you are stretching up towards the ceiling to intensify the stretch.
Premium Pilates Studio’s™ goal is to rehabilitate, reshape and rejuvenate as many people as possible through the regular practice of Pilates.