Health and Wellness Wednesday: Bend It Like Beckham
Our bodies are strong and resilient. It’s amazing how everything works in concert to help fight infections and operates daily. For some of us, it takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’! Why not show your body a little love and improve its performance by becoming more flexible?
When your body becomes more flexible, blood circulates better, physical functions improve and injuries are less likely to occur. When you wake up in the morning, take some time to stretch before starting your daily routine. Muscles have been resting all night, so stretching helps the body slowly spring back into action. Taking Yoga, Pilates or other type of exercises which stretches and bends the body gracefully will help you to feel less tense, stand a little straighter and become stronger. If you sit for long periods of time, be sure to stand up once an hour to give your body a break. Here is a simple routine to help:
Inhale and lift the arms and hands over the head up to the ceiling.
Exhale and hold in this position for 10 seconds.
While in this position, exhale and do a slight backbend.
Inhale and straighten the body with arms and hands overhead.
Slowly exhale while bringing the arms and hands alongside the body.
Inhale and cross the left arm across your torso, slowly twist to the right, exhaling for 10 seconds.
Inhale and cross the right arm across your torso, slowly twist to the left, exhaling for 10 seconds.
Come back to a neutral position; bend and alternate each knee three times while rotating the wrists.
Shake it out.
Say Ahhhh!
Be sure when you are stretching, to breathe, not to pinch the shoulders by bringing them up to high or strain your neck. Never do anything that feels too uncomfortable and/or possibly lead to injury.
Do you take the time to mindfully stretch your body on a daily basis? What moves do you do?
