This week I want to talk to you about stretching. The spring is a time that many of us are starting to head outside of our homes now that the weather is warming up again and starting to exercise. You may want to get more active, maybe you are trying to get a “swimsuit body”, or maybe you have a friend who is dragging you along with their exercise plan. Whatever the reason may be, exercise is good for you but you should always stretch first. Stretching after is also a good idea. Here are some things you can do to get your body warmed up.
Touch Your Toes. This is the classic stretch but can be increasingly difficult as we age or become less active. Something to try is standing with your feet shoulder width apart and relax your torso so that your arms hang as low as possible naturally. Now take a deep breath and let it out like a sigh. You should notice that your hands hang a little lower now. Continue doing this until you feel a pull in the backs of your legs and hold it for a few seconds. Stand back up slowly, pretending that your spine is building itself back up one vertebrae at a time with your head being the last thing you straighten. You’ll be amazed at how much more flexible you’ll be just by doing this even three times a week.
Stretch Straight Up. Now that you’ve touched your toes, let’s go in the opposite direction. Stand again with your feet shoulder width apart and stretch your arms up over your head. Pretend that you’re grabbing at a bar that is just out of reach of your fingertips. Try going up on your toes if possible. You should feel a stretch in your arms and your chest. This will help with your circulation and will warm you up if you are cold, especially in the morning. Relax your arms back down, never dropping them suddenly. Remember to breathe through the stretches.
These are two simple stretches that almost anyone can do. Combine this with coming into DiBella Chiropractics and see how much better you feel physically in just a couple of weeks. Enjoy that warm weather and whatever bathing suit you want!
