Stretching

People seem to worry so much about how quickly they can lose weight, how toned they can get etc and miss out on some simple fundamentals which without you can end your weight loss / fitness journey quicker then it started through injuries. So here are a few simple stretches you can do and if in doubt on how to execute these stretches always consult a professional like Personal Trainers or a doctor.

UPPER BODY

Upper back Stretch

Pull your belly button towards your spine, breathe in and interlock your fingers in front of your chest.

Breathe out, extend your arms with hands at chest height and spread your shoulder blades apart and forward. You should feel a stretch across your shoulder blades and below your armpits.

Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds.


Chest Stretch

Pull your belly button towards your spine, breathe in and interlock your fingers behind your back.

Breathe out, extend your arms back and up as far as you can, keeping your chest up and shoulders back. You should feel a stretch across your chest muscles.

Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds.

Tricep Stretch

Pull your belly button towards your spine, breathe in and place one hand up and behind your neck.

Bring the other hand up and place it on the outside of the raised elbow. Breathe out and gently pull the elbow down behind the head. If you are already flexible you can interlock the hands behind your back as shown to the right.

Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and change arms.

Cat stretch

Keep your knees under your hips and breathe in as you lower your spine towards the floor and pull the shoulder blades together.

Breathe out and slowly raise your spine towards the sky before gently moving the spine back towards the floor. Gently move up and down for 30 and 60 seconds.

Caution: If you have a back complaint, do not let your back drop down below the horizontal.

Spinal rotation stretch

Pull your belly button towards your spine as you lay on your back arms outstretched at shoulder height.
Raise one knee and place it over the other leg which remains straight. Place the opposite hand on the knee and gently press the knee towards the floor as you keep your shoulders on the floor and you breathe out.

Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and change legs.

LOWER BODY STRETCHES

Head to Toe Stretch

Pull your belly button towards your spine and breathe in as you lie down with your arms stretched out above your head and your legs straight and together.

Breathe out, extending your hands and feet as far away from your centre as you can. You should feel a stretch through your arms, chest, back and legs.

Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds.

Lower Back and Buttock Stretch

From the Cat Stretch position, breathe in, keep your hands fixed out in front and stretch through the arms and spine as you breathe out and lower your buttocks towards the floor and finish between your feet.

Keep the tops of your feet touching the floor and the head and neck straight and off the floor slightly.

Hold the stretch for 30 to 60 seconds.

Hamstring Stretch

Pull your belly button towards your spine and breathe in as you sit on the floor with one leg straight in front and the other bent with your foot touching the inside of your thigh.

Breathing out, keep your back straight and head up, slowly lower your chest towards the knee of the straight leg. When you feel a stretch in the back of the straight leg, stop.

Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and change legs.

Calf Stretch

Breathe in, holding onto a fixed object for support or free-standing as shown, stand with one leg forward and one leg back at a comfortable distance, legs bent slightly.

Breathe out, straighten the back leg by pushing the knee back and lean forward slowly until you feel a stretch in the calf of the back leg.

Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and change legs.

Thigh Stretch

Breathe in, holding onto a fixed object for support or free-standing as shown, stand on one foot holding the other foot with the corresponding hand.
Breathe out and pull the raised foot up and towards the buttock keeping your hips and thighs straight and in-line. You should feel a stretch in the thigh of your raised leg.

Hold for 30 to 60 seconds and change legs.