How often do you wake up with an unpleasant pain in some part of your body? How often during the day stiffness interfere your daily activities? No matter how old you are, one of these two things has happened to you at least once in your life. Whether as a result of poor sleep, sitting too long in one position or on the other side of impulsive movement, pain like this can be very uncomfortable. With age, the above situations become more common, so it is very important to do everything to give the body the agility and flexibility it needs by using daily stretch routine.

Like everything in the world, stretching process also has its own path of evolution. Science is advancing, new things are constantly being discovered, and accordingly, over the years, stretching routines has changed. Stretching is mostly recommended before physical activity to prepare the body for the effort that follows. In professional sports, traditional stretching, which means touching the toes in a standing or siting position and similar exercises, at one point had been replaced by dynamic stretching. New way of stretching became very popular and generally accepted, however, like everything dynamic stretching had expiration date, too.

Currently, in the world of sport best stretching for any body part is actually stretching with the mobility of certain muscle groups. The good side of this stretching is that it can be done before physical activity, but it can also be an activity for itself because after it you will feel shaken and refreshed. In professional sports, this kind of stretching has become a routine before every workout, while traditionally, above-mentioned stretching, is left for the end of the training when the muscles are resting from the effort.

In text below we will see 5 different body positions from which with different movements we will stretch and activate different muscle groups. This stretch will cover the whole body, prepare you to any type of training or on the other hand shake your body at the beginning of the day.

1.Cat/cow position-child’s position

Get down on all fours, put your knees under your hips and wrists under your shoulders. First tuck your chin to you neck, round your upper back and hold in that position while you exhale (position number 1 from picture up). After that slowly look up, draw your shoulders back and drop your chest toward the floor, slightly arching your back. Hold in that position for while you inhale (position number 2 on picture up). Alternately repeat that ten times. This position should stretch your back, but also get great movement for the hips.

After that take position from picture above. Sit back on your heels, lower your upper body between your knees, stretch your arms forward and place your head on floor. From that position, bend your elbows and put your hands to your back just below your neck. Hold in that position from thirty seconds to two minutes. This position should stretch back of arm muscles.

2.Thread the needle/Shoulders L- stretch position

Take same position as in cat/cow exercise. Knees under your hips and wrist under your shoulders. Slide one arm under your body and stretch it to the other side. Like on first picture. Keep your head lending on the ground and with other arm gently rich up so you take position from second picture. After that return in starting position and do same on opposite side. Repeat 10 times.

From starting position slide one arm to the side putting your shoulder down, at the same time turn your head to the opposite side so you take position like on picture number one. With other arm gently rich up so you take position from picture number two. After that return in starting position and do same on opposite side. Repeat 10 times.

3.90/90 Stretch position

Sit on the floor like on picture up (position 1) one leg in front, one behind of you, both knees at 90-degree angles. From that position lean forward until you feel a good stretch in the back of you hip/gluteus (position 2). When you feel it hold in that position 30 seconds. Than straighten up, place your arms out in front of you and rotate toward the foot behind you until you feel a good stretch in the front of your hip. Hold in that position 30 seconds. Then grab the ankle of leg behind you and pull toward your butt until you feel good stretch in your quadriceps, hold 30 seconds. When you finish switch side and repeat same movements.

4.Three way hip position

Take half kneel lunge position like on picture keeping your upper body upright. Shift forward so your knee moves over your toes and you feel a good stretch in your hip flexors. Hold in that position 30 seconds. After that open your front lag at about 45-degree angle. Shift you knee same like in first one and when you feel stretch in your hip flexors and groin muscle hold 30 second. Do same with leg open on 90-degrees but pay attention that your hips are facing forward. Doing this exercise you will feel good stretch in your groin muscle. After you finish repeat same with opposite leg.

5.Squat to toe touch position

Squat down reaching for your toes. Hold onto your toes while gently straightening knees to perform a standing toe touch. Hold 3-5 seconds and repeat 8-10 times, you will feel good stretch in your hamstring.

Stretching has very big benefits. In addition to better mobility of the body, it leads to the elimination of pain and leads to a better mood and sleep. Each of the above exercises covers one part of the body and increases its range of motion. The above 5 exercises covered the whole body. By applying this stretching continuously for a certain period of time, it will have a very positive effect on anybody.

For athletes, it is very important because it reduces the risk of injury and increases mobility, on the other hand, this does not mean that amateurs do not need it. Even if you are not professional athlete this will make it easier for you to function and do daily obligations. It will relieve you of headaches, neck pain, lower back pain and your legs will feel better. For example, tightness and difficulties while you are bending to tie shoes, pain while you are trying to reach for the top shelves in the closet or stiffness while you are trying to hop over a big puddle on the sidewalk. Beside these there are a large number of daily activities in which we feel discomfort that will be easier to do by applying this routine at least three times a week.

Getting stretching habits is very similar to getting training habits. Considering you will feel improvement in your body very quickly, you can also start with physical activity.  Whether you need motivation for stretching routine or workout routine, you can find help in our blog How To Improve Your Motivation To Train Every Day By Applying 3 Easy Techniques.

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