This is a full body stretching video to release and relax your whole body.
Follow along in real time over the next 20 minutes.
Improving mobility.
Working on balance.
And core.
You can do it anywhere.
No equipment, just a towel.
Starting in a seated position, for Butterflies.
Knees out to the sides, soles of the feet together, back upright.
Gently moving the knees up and down.
Releasing those hips.
Now, roll on to your back, take hold of your knees, and into a rocking movement.
Back and forth, massaging and releasing the spine.
Let’s go for 30 seconds.
Now, settle on your back.
Take hold of the right knee, hug the knee towards you.
Adding an ankle rotation.
Left leg straight.
OK, change sides.
Pulling the left knee in towards your chest.
With that added ankle rotation.
Now, still on your back, take the left ankle to the right knee.
Right knee bent, take hold of your shin and pull the knee towards you hands.
Figure Four Stretch.
Time to change sides.
So undo your legs.
Bending the left knee, right ankle to the left knee, and pull towards your chest.
And release your legs.
Turn over now for Pigeon Pose.
Drop the right knee to the floor, right ankle over to the left.
Left leg out behind you.
Rest on your elbows.
Feeling the stretch in the right glute.
Changing sides now - bring the left knee forward, left ankle to the right hand.
Stretch the right leg out behind you.
Next, it’s a Glute Bridge.
So on your back.
Feet flat on the floor.
Raise your hips up into the bridge.
As you come up, squeeze the glutes for 15 seconds.
That’s 15.
Stay in the bridge.
Relax the glutes.
And squeeze again, hips slightly higher this time.
Option now to make this more challenging by raising one leg.
If that’s not comfortable, just stay in the bridge.
And change legs.
OK, it’s a twist now.
So come down.
Back flat to the floor.
Take hold of the right knee.
Straighten the left leg.
Take the right knee over to the left.
Twist.
Keeping that right shoulder down on the mat.
Change sides now - right leg straight, take hold of the left knee.
Drop the knee over to the right.
And breathe.
Now, back up to seated.
For a 90/90 Twist.
Both legs bent at 45 degrees, drop both knees over to one side, and hold.
Now change.
Knees over to the other side.
Now let’s twist from side to side - windshield wiper movement.
Touching one knee to the other heel.
30 seconds.
OK, let’s stretch everything out now.
With Child Pose.
So into a kneeling position.
Fold over in front of you, arms reaching forward.
Child Pose.
Opening up the top of the back.
Breathing deeply into the lower back.
Now - come up on to all fours.
Curving the spine, for Cat-Cow.
High curve like a cat.
Then head up as you drop the spine.
Up, and down.
Working on mobility for the whole spine.
Next, it’s a Forearm Stretch.
So settle on all fours.
Turn the palms in and flat to the floor, fingers facing you.
Bodyweight on to the buttocks, not on the wrists.
Slowly lean back to gently stretch the forearms.
If you work on a computer, you’ll really be feeling this one.
Now turn the hands over.
Palms up, and go again.
Gentle stretch backwards.
Feeling the stretch in the forearms.
Coming up for kneeling lunge now - resting on the right knee first.
Left foot forward for a kneeling lunge.
If you’re on a hard surface, or have knee problems, you may want to rest the knee on
a folded towel.
Make sure the hips are square, facing forward.
Easing the hips forward and backwards a few times to start activating those hip flexors.
Raise the right arm up, lean over to the left side.
Engaging the glutes on the right side.
Stretch it up for 30 seconds.
You’re also working on balance on this one.
Keeping those hips square, take the right hand back and grab the right ankle.
Quad Stretch.
Back straight, shoulders back.
Extend by raising the left arm in front of you, palm facing down.
And hold.
Now take that right arm up, and stretch.
Time to change sides.
Resting on the left knee, right foot forward.
Gently releasing those hip flexors.
Left arm up.
Reach.
And lean to the right.
Let’s hold that balance for 30 seconds.
And breathe.
Now, take hold of the left ankle.
And stretch.
Right hand forward.
Hold.
And again, reach up.
Stretch.
30 seconds.
Another great stretch now.
Back into that kneeling lunge position.
Left foot forward.
Straighten the right leg behind you.
Supported on your right hand.
Extend by reaching the left arm up for a full stretch.
Then bring the arm down, and touch the elbow to the floor.
For a great twist on the spine.
And repeat.
Now, change sides.
Kneeling lunge with the right foot forward.
Straighten the left leg behind you.
Now, right arm up.
Reach.
And twist down, elbow to the floor.
A few more.
And rest.
Now, down in to a deep squat position.
Knees out, heels to the floor.
Now, lean over to one side, then the other.
Left.
And right
Let’s repeat.
Left.
And right.
Now, use your elbows to push both knees out to the sides, to really open those hips.
Now, moving on to some standing stretches.
This is where you’ll need that towel.
First stretch - take the towel behind you, one hand high, one hand low.
Moving up and down, towel in line with the spine.
Now, change hands and go again.
Stretching up, and down.
Next, for the shoulders and chest.
Take the towel behind you, with both hands - keeping the towel level with the floor.
And again, gently up and down.
Chest out, squeezing the shoulder blades together.
Now, towel in both hands over the head, for a side stretch.
Arms straight, lean over to one side.
And stretch.
Then over to the other side.
And again.
OK, relax.
Drop the towel.
Finally, it’s a leg swing.
Standing on one leg, swing the other leg front and back.
Controlled movement.
Change sides.
Now swing the leg across in front of the other leg.
Side to side.
Keep control.
And change sides.
Final release now.
Arms up, stretch the whole body up.
Breathe in.
And breathe out as you drop down.
Three more.
Reach up.
Hold the breath.
And down.
And up.
And down.
OK, so that’s it.
That’s your whole body stretched and released.
Fit Media has a complete playlist of follow-along stretching videos for you to try, so take
a look and let us know how you get on.