Your daily full-body stretch

Most people know that stretching is important, but many don’t have a good routine and they tend not to make stretches their priority. We will now discuss the importance of stretching and give you a great routine for a full-body stretch, that you can follow!

There are a number of reasons why stretching is important! First of all, stretching can help improve your range of motion, which is important because it allows you to move more freely and with less pain. Additionally, stretching can help reduce the risk of injury. When you have a good range of motion, your muscles are more able to absorb the impact of physical activity, which reduces the chances of strains and sprains. Stretching is also important because it can help improve your posture. When you have a good posture, your muscles are in the correct alignment and this helps reduce strain on your joints and ligaments. Also, good posture can help you breathe more easily and efficiently.

Finally, stretching can also help reduce stress and tension in your body because it’s easier for your body to function properly when your muscles are relaxed. All of these benefits are worth taking the time to stretch every day!

Now that we know all of the reasons why stretching is important for our well-being, let’s see what a daily stretching routine could look like. You don’t have to spend more than 10-15 minutes a day doing these exercises (depending on how many times you repeat them) and you can either do them first thing in the morning or right before bedtime. It’s not a workout or physically hard, so look at it as a daily treat for yourself!

Daily full-body stretch routine:

• Shoulder roll: Stand with your arms loose and your shoulders relaxed. Raise your shoulders and roll them forward 5 times and then 5 times backwards. Repeat this exercise twice.

• Behind-head tricep stretch: Reach one arm behind your head and grab the elbow with your other hand. Gently pull the elbow towards the back of your head until you feel a stretch in your triceps. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the other side. Repeat the exercise twice.

• Neck roll: Start by standing up straight with your arms loose and your shoulders relaxed. Slowly drop your chin towards your chest and then roll your head in a clockwise motion for one rotation for about 5-7 seconds. Repeat the opposite way. Do the exercise 3 times each way.

• Chest opener: Place your arms straight behind your back and let your hands meet. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and arch your chest forward. Hold this stretch for 20 seconds and repeat twice or more. If you want to increase the stretch, then pull your arms away from you.

• Triceps stretch: Reach one arm overhead and bend at the elbow so that your hand is behind your head. Use your other hand to grab the elbow and gently pull it towards the back of your head until you feel a stretch in the triceps. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the other side.

• Cobra pose: Lie with your stomach towards the floor and with your feet hip-width apart and your palms flat on the ground next to your shoulders. Slowly lift your head and chest, and then lower your back off the ground. Squeeze your shoulder blades together. You can hold this pose for 15 to 30 seconds. Repeat the exercise twice times.

• Cat-cow stretch: Start on your hands and knees with your spine in a neutral position. As you inhale, drop your stomach towards the ground and arch your back, looking up at the ceiling. As you exhale, round your back up towards the ceiling and tuck your chin towards your chest. Repeat this stretch for 20 seconds or more.

• Child’s pose: Kneel on the ground with your feet hip-width apart and your knees bent. Sit back on your heels and then lower your forehead to the ground. Reach your arms out in front of you and let them rest on the ground. Hold this pose for 30 seconds or longer. Repeat this twice.

This is a great routine to follow – the exercises are easy to do and you can do them anywhere! Doing these on a daily basis may seem like a waste of time, but you will be surprised – as soon as you’ve tried these exercises, you will love the feeling of stretching specific muscle groups and you might get addicted!