Stretching in the morning is a great way to "waken" up your muscles, and get them ready for the day. Stretching losens up your body while increasing blood flow to your muscles.
Incorporating morning stretches into your daily routine is a positive way to begin each day, so instead of hitting the snooze button in the morning, take the extra 10 minutes to stretch. It's a great way to get the juices going in the morning and ease away any stress or tension from the previous day's activity or a funky sleeping position.
Most importantly that we must realize that as we age...we tighten up & are even more prone to injury.
Stretching positions should include each of the major muscle groups and should be held for at least 20 seconds or longer to get the maximum benefit in loosen up muscles. Be sure to hold the stretch… most people like to bounce in their stretches, leading to injury, which is one of the main reasons why you are stretching in the first place.
Stretching can be a great means of a nice “cool down”, after a workout as well & is ideal but ultimately you want to prevent this build up of lactic acid to create increased mobility for the following days to come. It definitely won’t prevent soreness all together, but it will help to get you back into the gym and continue on in the journey towards a healthy living. With this being said, a light, 5-minute cardio session should follow your stretching to cleanse the blood of all the lactic acid floating around in the body.
Samples:
Stretch #1
1)Sit on the edge of your bed with your feet on the floor.
2)Bend over, reaching your hands toward your feet.
3)Arch your back.
4)Hold for a count of 10.
5)Repeat 5 more times.
Stretch #2
1)Remain seated on the edge of your bed with your feet on the floor.
2)Rotate your neck in a circle, touching your ears to your shoulders.
3)Rotate slowly in a clockwise direction 5 times.
4)Rotate slowly in a counter clockwise direction 5 times.
Stretch #3
1)Remain seated on the edge of your bed with your feet on the floor.
2)Shrug your shoulders up to your ears.
3)Repeat 10 more times.
Stretch #4
1)Stand next to your bed.
2)Lace your fingers together.
3)Raise your hands above your head, palms upward.
4)Lift up stretching your rib cage.
5)Hold for a count of 10.
6)Repeat 5 more times.
Stretch #5
1)Remain stading next to your bed.
2)Bend over and touch your fingers to your toes while keeping your knees straight.
3)Hold for a count of 10.
4)Repeat 5 more times.
Or if you don't even want to leave the bed..here is a lil cheat stretch sheesh: So now you have NO MORE EXCUSES!!
Upward Stretch
It's a little cliche, but I always greet the morning by raising my arms — it's a great way to get the blood flowing and wake up the body. Lace your fingers together and raise your hands above your head, palms facing upward. Elongate your spine and feel the stretch in your ribcage and arms. Hold for a count of ten and then incorporate a sitting side stretch into the sequence to target your torso.
Neck and Shoulder Stretch
I love doing neck and shoulder stretches in the morning as a way to ease tension that can happen while sleeping. To stretch the muscles on the right side of your neck, turn your left ear over to your left shoulder and hold for twenty seconds. Repeat on the other side to stretch out your left side. Relax for a moment and then roll your shoulders to the back, and then to the front. Then lift them right up to your ears, tensing the muscles, and allow them to drop completely. Repeat this entire sequence three times.
Spinal Twist
A spinal twist is a great way to relieve stress in your lower back. Hold the pose for at least 30 seconds on each side and don't be alarmed if you hear some "cracks" in your spine when you twist your spine. Don't force anything here, just feel your spinal column wringing itself out after a good night's sleep.
You are now warmed up and ready to start your day!
These exercises can be performed daily to help keep you limber.
Hamstring Stretch
I love the feeling of a good hamstring stretch, and when I stretch them in bed, you don't have to worry about falling over! Make sure that when you do this stretch your pelvis is square (keep your hips centered and flat). Think of this stretch as a way to wake up your legs, rather than helping you make it into the splits. Circle your ankles a few times in each direction, too.
You are now warmed up and ready to start your day!
These exercises can be performed daily to help keep you limber.
