Feeling Stiff And Achy In The Morning?
I’ve noticed lately, that when I get up in the morning my hips are a bit stiff, my hamstrings are a bit tight and I feel a bit less flexible through my lower back and ankles. This is definitely more true as I grow younger…errr, I mean older.
This is just not acceptable to me. I don’t buy it. So I do something about it.
Coming from a background of gymnastics and dance sprinkled with trapeze, acrobatics capoeira ( Brazilian martial art/dance), and Bikram yoga, I have a lot of experience I can pull from and many tools I can utilize to keep myself flexible, and fluid in motion. The main technique I choose to work with is Pilates because it inherently builds core strength while you stretch and lengthen. It is thorough and effective.
To help me warm up and get ready before I really “get into it” with some Pilates core exercises, I developed a flexibility and mobility series of exercises. While this is a great series to do before otters exercises, you can also use this simple three-and-a-half-minute warm-up and stretch series by itself to combat morning stiffness and get ready for your day click here.
Zonnie’s Quick Warm-up And Stretch
This warm-up series loosens your hips and knees, opens your chest and shoulders, stretches your mid through lower back, and just feels good!
It takes exactly three minutes and 30 seconds. You just need a mat or a rug and your willingness to experience something new.
Breathing:
Add deep breathing to energize your body and help you stretch more: inhale through the nose, exhale through the mouth. You will use more of your lungs that way.
Tips:
Make sure you have enough padding under your knees and ankles. I like a thick mat to cushion my joints.
If the position still hurts your knee or ankle even with good padding, adjust your knee or foot angle until it’s fine.
When reaching up with one arm to stretch sideways ( mermaid) lift your whole side from the hip to the shoulder. Reach for the ceiling: take up ALL THE SPACE.
Vary the tempo or do more of an exercise to get more out of it.
Try to make your movements bigger as you get more warmed up.
If the arm circle irritates your shoulder bend your elbow.