Four stretches to start doing daily.
Have you ever awakened to a painful neck, aches and pains in your back, or any other musculoskeletal woes? Does your body feel sluggish in the mornings? If so, you could benefit significantly from stretching every morning. As simple as it sounds, stretching does our bodies a world of good. We often find ourselves in the same positions every day – standing, sitting down, and lying down. Dynamic stretches can help to keep our mobility at its best and our muscles actively engaged. Here are a few stretches you should be doing daily.
Lower Trunk Rotation
Lie down on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Keep your knees together and slowly lower them to one side. Hold this stretch for 5 seconds, and perform ten times on each side. This helps to stretch the lumbar musculature, but it also assists in mobilizing the spine.
Bridging
Lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, slowly lift your glutes, one vertebra at a time. Hold at the top for five seconds before slowly lowering to the floor. Compete for ten repetitions. This exercise helps to strengthen your glute muscles and mobilize the spine.
Cat-Cow
Start on all fours, with hips positioned over your knees and shoulders over your wrists. Inhale and arch your back, looking through to your knees. The back should be rounded. On an out breath, move the head up and drop the belly. The cat-cow stretch extends that movement along the entire spine, helping to awaken and invigorate your whole body. Perform this stretch to the tempo of your breaths for a couple of minutes.
Upward Reach
Standing, interlace the fingers in front of you and raise the arms overhead. Gently lean to one side, keeping your legs strong and straight. Slowly inhale and exhale, then move to the opposite side. Perform this activity ten times in each direction. This helps to stretch the spine and warm up your diaphragm.
The professionals at Lou Aggetta Insurance Services hope that these stretches help you in daily life! While you tend to your health, let us handle your insurance policies. Visit us in Pleasant Hill, California to get started.