Life Stretch Series

Introduction

Stretching and better mobility are a great way to stay healthy mentally, emotionally and physically. Stretching brings freedom in your movement, regardless of your age.

Let’s start by figuring out what your goal is? Is it to be able to sit and stand with ease? To be able to reach for things high up in a cupboard? To play in the playground with your grandkids? Or is it to progress further in your exercise goals? Find your goal and keep in it mind as we embark on this stretching journey together as we will check in every once in a while to see how

you are doing in achieving your goal. I like to keep a pillow and a couple of rolled towels on hand to help as props in case I need to use them to aid in the stretch.

Follow along with the video:

Breathing

Let’s assess our breathing. You may have a restriction in your breathing that you are unaware of and this can be due to tightness in the connective tissue in your chest and diaphragm.

Imagine that your diaphragm is a beach ball. Please hands on front and back.

Expanding to its fullest? Less on one side than the other? Chest breathing?

Hands to each side? Does one feel different than the other?

Postural Assessment

Before we get into the stretching program, it is always good to assess our posture and to figure out what is tight and needs work.

Shift from hip to hip.
Float arms up, one then other, twist , turn
One leg forward, float arms up.
Shift to one side, hand on other leg, float arm up, twist, then float other arm up. Swoop down, legs together, roll up. Do other side.
Stand end of your mat, roll head down, soft knees, hands to ground, cycle feet, shift hips, roll up.

Neck Stretch

Back of the Neck

Shoulder Warm Up and Stretch

Glute and Hip Stretch

This is a great stretch for people that feel tightness in their hips or for people that sit for long periods of time.

QL Stretch

This next stretch is for your QL which is located in your lower back. For some people, their QL can be the reason their back aches as it may be tight from sitting for too long or from lack of movement. A tight QL can pull on your posterior area of your pelvis and put a real strain on your back.

90/90. Hands to outside of leg.count steps.switch sides and count steps. Start with tightest side. Lift torso, look over shoulder, unlock elbow, swoop back. Return. Can you further?
Do other side
Go back and do tight side.
Reassess by counting the steps again.

Finisher

Closing

I hope that you come away from this session feeling a little looser and more relaxed in your own body. Please join us again to continue on with your journey to better fascial fitness. Keep accessing Body and Soul online for more stretching videos and other fantastic content.

Rhonda Koerner

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