Whether you work from your home office or find yourself spending your days watching Netflix, your eight-hour day probably involves sitting around for a long time. For most of us, that means a tight upper back, sore hips, buttock pain, stiff shoulders, or all of the above.
Breaking the day with movements, like stretching, not only helps increase your concentration and productivity, but improves posture and reduces the annoying aches and pains you’ve been feeling. And let’s be honest, if you have 10 minutes to scroll through social media every hour or so, you can take a short break. Instead of glued your eyes to the phone, end your work day with these eight morning stretches.
8 morning stretches to start the day
Hamstring stride
- Stand with your feet staggered (left leg slightly ahead of right) and arms at your sides.
- Hinge your hips with your right knee gently flexed, and your front leg straight. You should feel a stretch in the back of the leg (the hamstrings).
- Go to the left leg as much as possible keeping the back flat, with the navel inserted in the spine.
- Hold on and then raise your hands above your head to complete the stretch.
- Reps: 3 sets of 10 on each side, taking a 30 second break between sets.
Quadriceps
- Start in the child’s pose, kneeling on the floor with your arms stretched out in front of you and your forehead on the floor.
- Swing your body forward, across the table position, until the top of your thighs touch the floor. Keep your arms straight as you bring your body forward.
- Pull your shoulders down and back as you look up and stretch the front of your body.
- Then reverse the movement to return to the child’s pose.
- Reps: 3 sets of 10, taking a 30 second break between sets.
Spinal T rotations
- Start in table position with your knees directly below your hips and your shoulders stacked on your hands.
- Place your right hand behind the ear.
- Slowly rotate your torso, opening your chest to the ceiling with your elbow back to feel a gentle stretch in your spine.
- Return to the starting position and repeat.
- Once you finish all the repetitions to your right, switch sides.
- Reps: 3 sets of 10 on each side, taking a 30 second break between sets.
Low lunge rotations
- Start in a low lunge position, with your right leg bent 90 degrees and your left leg extended straight behind you.
- Bring your right foot into your hands. The toes should be on the floor with the heel towards the ceiling.
- Raise your hands in a prayer position on your chest, with your elbows out to the sides, turn to your right hip, opening your chest and torso to the sky.
- Hook your left elbow onto your right thigh.
- Wait here and feel the stretch along your right buttock.
- Reps: 30 seconds on each side, 3 sets in total.
If this stretch is too intense, you can modify it by resting your knee on the floor.
Hamstring Stretch on the Floor
- Lie down on the floor, facing the ceiling and press the lower part of your back against the floor, pushing the navel towards the spine. Lift one leg, keeping the foot flexed.
- Use your hands to gently bring your leg closer to your torso for a deeper stretch.
- Hold this stretch, then repeat on the opposite leg.
- Reps: 30 seconds on each side, 3 sets in total.
As you push your leg in, grip above or below the knee, not directly behind the joint.
Stretch on the sofa
- Start in a kneeling position in front of a sofa or chair with your right leg bent at 90 degrees and your left knee on the floor. Place a cushion or pillow under your left knee if desired.
- Keeping your left knee rooted, lift your left foot and grab it with your hand. Or place the top of your left foot on the sofa behind you.
- Gradually tuck your pelvis into a stretch at the front of your left leg and hip.
- Hold for 30 seconds, then repeat on the opposite side.
- Reps: 30 seconds on each side, 3 sets total
Squat Stretch
- Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, with your toes out 45 degrees.
- Reach out and bend your torso to stretch the back of your legs.
- Then bend your knees and squat down, pushing your knees out and keeping your chest up.
- Hold the squat for a moment.
- Lift your hips up and stretch your legs again to stretch your hamstrings.
- Reps: 3 sets of 10, resting for 30 seconds between sets.
Door Chest Stretch
- Place your left hand on a door frame, with your body perpendicular to the frame.
- Stagger your legs and lean forward gently, extending your hips forward as well.
- Keep leaning until you feel a stretch on the left side of your chest and hold it for 30 seconds.
- Repeat with on the opposite side.
- Reps: 30 seconds on each side, 3 sets in total.
