Mobility in the AM

A lot of us wake up stiff in the mornings from being in one position for hours. Stretching can help energize your body and set you up for the day, reducing stress and allowing your body to function properly. Stretching first thing in the morning can help

• Relieve tension or pain from sleeping
• Increase your blood flow
• Improve your range of motion
• Prevent injuries

Ideally these stretches are done before you even get out of bed, preparing your body for gravity when you stand up from being horizontal all night.

Here are some stretching and mobility exercises to get you ready for your day! Remember be gentle with the movements since you are just getting up! Do not push to the end range, do what feels good and remember to breathe.

Good morning, and happy stretching!

Lumbar Trunk Rotation

Laying on your back in bed with your knees bent, gently move your knees side-to-side. Keep your shoulders down but allow your hips to rock and lift.

Perform: 10 times total, 5 times to each side.

Tip: Move in a pain-free range. Notice if one side feels tighter than the other.

Knee to Chest with Kick

Laying on your back, bring one knee in towards your chest grabbing under your knee. Keeping that knee in towards your chest the entire time, straighten the leg towards the ceiling. You can keep your other leg out long, or bend the knee bringing your foot flat on the bed.

Perform: 10 kicks on each leg. Repeat on other side.

Tip: Go slow to feel the stretch. Your goal is to get your knee straight. Add pulling your toes back for an added stretch.

Cat and Camel

Coming onto all 4’s on your hands and knees, raise your spine, pushing away from the bed with your chin tucked, keeping your elbows straight. Next return to a lowered position and arch your back in the opposite direction. Think head up, butt up, and lower back arches.

Perform: 5 in each direction

Tip: Should be pain-free with equal weight on all 4’s.

Child’s Pose

While on all 4’s, shift your hips straight back towards your heels. Stretch your arms out forward. Breathe! Come back to all 4’s, then shift your hips to the left and slowly lower your buttocks towards your feet again. Lower your chest towards the floor as you reach out. You can add bringing your left arm to your right arm for an added side stretch. Breathe! Repeat on other side.

Perform: Hold each position for 5 deep breaths.

Tip: Breathe out into ribs and relax neck and shoulders.

Alligator

Start lying on your side with your arms straight out and knees pulled in towards your chest. Slowly lift your top arm keeping it straight and follow with your head. Allow your spine to rotate but keep your hips stacked and forward.

Perform: 5 times to each side. Repeat on other side

Tip: Do not let your hips rock back. Your goal is to get your shoulder down towards the bed.

Piriformis Stretch

While lying on your back with both knees bent, cross one ankle over the opposite knee. Grab behind your knee and pull it up towards your chest until a stretch is felt in the buttock.

Perform: 3 times, holding for 30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

Tip: Make sure you are keeping your hips square. Your goal is to get your knee in line with your ankle.

Butterflies

Sitting with feet over the bed, clasp your hands behind your head, bring elbows together as you look down towards the floor, round through your upper back, then slowly look up towards the ceiling and pull your elbows back.

Perform: Perform 5 times moving thru the motion

Tip: Slow and controlled. Keep hips straight and shoulders relaxed.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Sitting on the edge of your bed, lie on your back and bring one knee in towards your chest, holding behind your knee. Let your opposite leg fall over the edge of the bed. Goal is to feel a stretch in the front of your hip hanging over the bed.

Perform: 1-2 times, holding the stretch for 30 seconds. Repeat on other side.

Tip: Hold and breathe, keeping your lower back flat, no arch!

Ready to add post-workday self-care? Try it out!